MICHAEL F. O’DONNELL CIVILITY AWARD
The Sonoma County Bar Association (SCBA) invites its members to submit nominations for a member deserving of the Michael F. O’Donnell Civility Award. The Award is intended to honor an attorney who has demonstrated the following characteristics of civility in the practice of law in the past year:
- Showing respect for the courts and court personnel, as well as adversaries.
- Exhibiting professionalism in dealings with clients and adversaries.
- Acting with integrity in the presentation of factual and legal positions.
- Honoring their role as officer of the court.
- Behaving in a courteous manner in all endeavors.
- Accommodating others in a reasonable manner.
- Acting in good faith in dealings with others.
- Discouraging conduct that demeans, hampers or obstructs our system of justice.
O'DONNELL CIVILITY AWARD RECIPIENTS:
- 2024 - Gregory Spaulding
- 2019 – W. Barton Weitzenberg
- 2018 – Thomas R. Kenney Jr.
- 2017 – Michael D. Senneff
- 2016 – John "Jack" F. DeMeo
NOMINATE
To nominate someone for the Michael F. O’Donnell Civility Award, contact Alfredo Hernández
Michael F. O'Donnell Biography
Simply stated, Mike O’Donnell was a lawyer’s lawyer. Known for his trial skills, he was the “go to” lawyer for sensitive and complicated matters. He was known by lawyers and judges for his keen intellect, for his understanding of human nature, and for his unwavering civility. Those were the qualities that made him a superb trial lawyer, the most highly regarded trial lawyer in the North Bay for many years.
Michael Francis O’Donnell, born October 8, 1940, grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from Catholic University in Washington DC. After law school, Mike first worked for a venerable Wall Street law firm. He next served as a prosecutor and defense lawyer in the United States Air Force. Following his Air Force service, he served as a deputy public defender in Sonoma County, after which he joined the Geary Law Firm, where he spent the rest of his career. Over his 3 decades at the Geary firm, Mike practiced civil litigation and family law at the highest levels. He was also active in bar association matters. He co-founded the North Bay chapter of the Inns of Court, an organization devoted to promotion of civility in the legal profession. And he was elected to membership in the two most prestigious organizations for trial lawyers, the invitations-only American Board of Trial Advocates and the American College of Trial Lawyers. Mike also served as president of the Sonoma County Bar Association. He died from cancer in March of 2000, at the age of 59. Mike was posthumously awarded the Sonoma County Bar Association’s Career of Distinction award and in a break from tradition, he was the only lawyer who received the award that year.
Mike’s civility had 2 components. First, he was honest. His clients trusted him. Opposing counsel trusted him. And judges and juries trusted him. Second, he was polite and respectful. Even when confronted with rudeness, Mike was polite. He didn’t criticize other people, he didn’t whine or complain or make excuses. Because he was honest and courteous, Mike was credible, and credibility wins, both in court and out of court. Mike taught us that being civil is not only the right way to be, it’s also important for success at a high level.