Veteran lawyers John A. (Jack) Benjamin and Donald P. Klekamp will receive the Cincinnati Bar Association's top honor, the Trustees' Award, at the group's annual meeting Thursday.

        Letters supporting their nominations credit both men with exceeding the criteria of “a high level of commitment, dedication or courage” and “outstanding service” to the association, legal professional and/or general community.

Benjamin

Klekamp

        Bruce I. Petrie Sr. said Mr. Benjamin “has always been one of the principal exemplars of the decency and civility which has marked the Cincinnati Bar and which, sadly, in recent years seem, in the minds of many, to be in sharp decline.”

        ProSeniors, an advocacy group, seconded his nomination, noting how Mr. Benjamin long has accepted cases at reduced fees or for nothing, with one client reporting that she felt “blessed” by his efforts.

        Harry V. Santen said Mr. Klekamp made it possible for the Legal Aid Society to buy its new building on East Ninth Street, “but underlying the gift is the true spirit of a leadership lawyer that knows that law must be available for all people.”

        Moreover, he said, Mr. Klekamp seeks and shows leadership in myriad community groups, and “his professional reputation as an attorney is impeccable.”

        One of Mr. Klekamp's partners, John L. Muething, added that “most remarkable about Don's practice of law is his devotion to the welfare of his clients. ... When he wasn't working for them, he was worrying about them.”

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