HAROLD I. LEVINE REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE:

Background

Great men are never forgotten. They are memorialized by the legacy they leave behind. Throughout Harold I. Levine's life, he sought knowledge and wisdom, shared what he gained, and encouraged others to do the same. His legacy includes lawyers who are better advocates who give back to their communities.

Harold I. Levine, 1931 - 2003 A respected and much-loved attorney, Harold I. Levine (1931 - 2003) brought enthusiasm and insight into the practice of real estate law. He grew up in Cleveland and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago. After receiving a law degree from Northwestern University in 1956, Mr. Levine set up a solo practice. His son, Samuel, joined the practice in 1984. In 1996, Mr. Levine joined Arnstein and Lehr. He retired in January 2002. He devoted thousands of pro bono hours to indigent defendants, particularly in housing-related matters. He published more than 60 articles and spoke at more than 70 seminars and Continuing Legal Education programs to lawyers in 25 states and five countries.

The Illinois State Bar Association recognized Levine’s devotion to the profession when it inducted him as a Laureate into the Academy of Illinois Lawyers, which honors lawyers who personify the highest ideals of the profession. He also received a number of other awards, including the American Bar Association’s prestigious Harrison Tweed Award. The Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation (where Harold served tirelessly for many years) created the “Harold I. Levine Center for Housing,” which helps protect homeowners’ and tenants’ rights. Learn more: Who Was Harold Levine?

Harold was a great friend to this organization and to many of the people in it. To honor his memory, Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. (ATG) established the Harold I. Levine Real Estate Institute in 2004. It is a forum for programs that discuss critical issues facing real estate lawyers and promote Mr. Levine's philosophy on the law and life: Enlightened attorneys for the benefit of their clients, society, and the Bar. It has become ATG's premier—and most popular—Legal Education event.