By Jay Rao (University of California, Berkeley, School of Law)
Prof. Harvey R. Miller passed away after his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2015. Before and after his passing, his substantial contributions and legacy have been discussed at length. An exceedingly rare individual, he had an extraordinary impact on the field of restructurings and bankruptcies, the large law firm community, the business landscape, academic institutions, and, perhaps most important, the younger generation, including his classroom students. This brief article, written by his former student at Columbia Law School, is intended as a tribute to this gifted practitioner, scholar, leader, and teacher, focusing on the reason this particular individual was so unique and compelling to the young men and women he encountered and how he transcended the practice and, in many ways, his era.
The full tribute is available here.