Attorney Ed Caldwell
EDWIN TRAIN CALDWELL
April 19, 1932—November 1, 2015
Edward Train Caldwell, a distinguished trial attorney, friend, and considered by many to be the founder (along with Ted C. from the South) of the Other Bar passed away peacefully with his children Michael, Tracy and Karen by his side. Ed was a prestigious, energetic and tireless advocate for his many clients over a long and distinguished career. As a trial attorney, among his many honors, Ed was a past president an active member of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and a deserving SFTLA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Edwin Train Caldwell was also an alcoholic.
With the assistance of Alcoholic Anonymous Ed began his life of recovery in 1976. In 1977 Ed identified reluctance amongst members of the legal profession to participate in AA. Ed, first singlehandedly and then with the help of others, began working the offices and taverns of San Francisco with the goal of encouraging members of the legal profession to seek and maintain sobriety. One of his earliest recruits Roy H. coined our title the “Other Bar”. Over the years Ed orchestrated hundreds and hundreds of twelfth-step calls and was instrumental in helping countless attorneys achieve and maintain sobriety. Ed was tireless in his efforts to reach out and assist others. Working with the State Bar of California he developed the budget which provided for “consultants” to the Other Bar throughout the State of California and enabled the Other Bar to become what it is today, the premier organization of its kind.
Ed was present when the meeting of incorporators was called to order, establishing the Other Bar as a California nonprofit corporation. The “Other Bar” was officially incorporated April 18, 1986 upon completion of the appropriate filing with the California Secretary of State. The Other Bar has long been the example and model followed by many other states to develop their own lawyer assistance fellowships for attorneys suffering from alcohol and/or chemical addictions. Ed has helped many. He was loved by many. He will be missed by those who knew him as well as all who will not have the opportunity to receive his wisdom and support in recovery. Ed will never be forgotten by any of us who were fortunate to benefit personally from his guidance and inspiration as we follow in his footsteps by continuing to carry the message to others.
Services for Ed will be held at St. Sebastian’s Church in Greenbrae California on December 5, 2015 at 11:00 AM, with a lunch reception to follow.