TOM ADLER

ADLER, TOM Tom Adler, a noted civil rights and criminal defense lawyer, died on August 23, 2010, at the age of 72 at his home in Hillcrest. Tom courageously battled Parkinson's Disease for 14 years. Tom was a founding member of the Criminal Defense Bar Association of San Diego, serving as its first president from 1979 to 1982. He was also a long time member of the Criminal Defense Lawyers Club of San Diego, serving as its president in 1990. He was very active member of the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice. He served on its Board of Governors and its Executive Committee from 1983 to 1990. An avid educator and mentor, he taught numerous trial advocacy workshops for criminal defense, public defender and civil rights lawyers. He was an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law teaching Trial Techniques and Lawyering Skills for many years. He was a frequent lecturer and panelist for the California and San Diego Bar Associations and Continuing Education of the Bar programs. Tom was an active member of the ACLU for many years and the Tom Adler High School Journalism Award is given by the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties to a high school newspaper that has demonstrated a dedication to the cause of civil liberties. Also, there is a California Defense Bar Association Scholarship Award which is given annually in his name, in recognition of his commitment to justice and legal education. In addition the San Diego Criminal Defense Bar Association and the Criminal Defense Lawyers Club give a scholarship each year in the name of Tom Adler to a deserving criminal defense attorney to attend the National College of Criminal Defense in Macon, Georgia. In the 1980's, Tom transitioned from criminal defense to civil litigation involving police misconduct, sexual harassment, Medi-Cal fraud and employment related matters, recovering many significant and ground breaking verdicts over the years. Tom was named Trial Lawyer of the Year by the San Diego Trial Lawyers Association in 1993. When forced to retire from trial practice because of the Parkinson's Disease diagnosis, Tom remained active first as a mediator and a rbitrator and later as a social activist and philanthropist. He founded the Adler Institute for an Open Democracy and sponsored the Guido Adler Piano Jazz Competition (a statewide competition for high school students.) Born in Vienna during the beginning of the Nazi occupation of that city, he worked tirelessly to recover family assets stolen by the Nazis . His investigation culminated in writing the book "Lost to the World" (Xlibris Press) and successfully recovering a manuscript given as a gift by Gustav Mahler to his grandfather Guido Adler, the founder of the science of musicology. The proceeds from the auction of the manuscript were donated to charity. Tom was an avid photographer. Some of his work, which he entitled "Alley Art", was exhibited at the Lyceum Theater in February 2010. Most recently, he worked on portrait photos of dear friends. Tom was known to all for his humor, his bravery, his creativity, his generosity and his passion for justice. He is survived by his wife Judge Louise De Carl Adler, his sons Ethan Adler of Albuquerque, NM and David Adler of Del Mar and his stepson Jordan Malugen of Mexico City, Mex. He will be remembered with love and respect by his family, colleagues and friends. Tom's remains will be cremated and his ashes scattered at a place of special significance to Tom. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, September 25, 2010, between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the San Diego County Bar Association, located at 1333 Seventh Ave., San Diego. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Parkinson's Disease Association of San Diego, 8555 Aero Dr., San Diego, CA 92123 or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, 90 Broad St., 10th Floor, NYC, NY 10004.