Willmar lawyer helps veterans with scholarship endowment
A former pilot in the Korean
War with an entrepreneurial go-getter attitude, Bill Bernard had the right stuff to build a successful, life-long law practice. The tools Bill obtained in law school, along with a good business sense, proved to be the right combination for a rewarding career. He received a two-year degree in pre-engineering and accounting. Then, faced with the choice of enrolling in school or being drafted, he joined the Navy and qualified for flight training school. In April 1950, he got his wings and went on to spend five years on active duty in the West Pacific and Korea. Following his service, Bill came to Minnesota to get his engineering degree. It was
around that time he was set up on a blind date with a College of St. Catherine coed. Something clicked with them. Bill and Catherine Bernard have been married for over 50 years. After earning his degree, Bill worked as an aeronautical engineer with Honeywell, Minneapolis, and Catherine worked as a nurse. Then, he decided to attend law school. Typical of many William Mitchell alumni, Bill continued to work during the day while attending classes at night. After graduating from William Mitchell in 1963, he and Catherine moved their family to Willmar, Minn. He practiced for a brief period with another attorney, then with support from Catherine, who was involved in the community and their church, Bill took the leap and opened his own practice above a flower shop in town. In the beginning, he worked some half-days in surrounding smaller towns. Over time, with perseverance and strong advocacy for his clients, Bill built up his practice. Together, Bill and Catherine raised their three children, of whom they are extremely proud. One daughter is an engineer with an MBA who owns her own company. Their other daughter is a successful lawyer who headed a legal department of a large Continued on Page 2
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A law degree is more versatile than any other degree.
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