Karl Nygren, ’51, 1927-2022
Karl Nygren, 1927-2022
Karl F. Nygren, 95, Bay Area resident since 1987, died of complications of a heart attack on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. Born on March 9, 1927, in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Karl was the son of a coal miner turned local politician and rose to become a prominent attorney with the noted firm now known as Kirkland and Ellis. His key achievements helped shape our modern world.
At 14, Karl's mother moved her children to Washington, DC, where Karl helped support his family by delivering telegrams for Western Union. In 1944, Karl graduated from Gonzaga High School and enlisted in the Army. He served in a high-risk unit, trained to locate hostile long-distance artillery in the anticipated invasion of Japan.
On the GI Bill, Karl attended DePaul University and the Law School of the University of Chicago. He joined Kirkland in 1950, rising to managing partner halfway through his 40-year affiliation with the firm. His diverse career involved both domestic and international matters. He helped pave the way for African American physicians to receive hospital staff privileges in Chicago. He represented Motorola before the FCC making possible the first cellular telephones. He represented Blue Cross Blue Shield and the American Medical Association. During times of rapid and dramatic change, his representation of various hospitals and healthcare organizations influenced healthcare and insurance practices.
Read more at San Francisco Chronicle