Dr. Lajos Schmidt 1920-2021
Dr. Lajos Schmidt passed away peacefully in his home in Budapest on November 8, 2021, at the age of 101. He was born on April 23, 1920 in Budapest. A longtime resident of Evanston, IL, he was a prominent lawyer with Baker McKenzie from 1952 to 1993.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Lajos Schmidt and Gisela Schmidt (nee Adorjan); his sister, Katherine Paterson (nee Schmidt) and his former wife, Shirley Schmidt (nee Formell), the mother of his children. He is survived by his beloved wife of 22 years, Maria Rudolph Schmidt, and his three children: Anne Schmidt, Christina (Pete) Fawcett, and Catherine (Kevin) McCulloch. He is also survived by six grandchildren: Jackson, Thomas, and Katherine Fawcett, and Reid, Abigail, and Louise McCulloch.
In his youth, Dr. Schmidt studied at a Benedictine school and by 18 spoke German and French fluently in addition to his native Hungarian. He obtained a law degree from St. Elizabeth University in Budapest in 1941 and then received his doctorate at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich in July 1942. Afterwards, he returned to Budapest and began a law apprenticeship. In 1944, after attempting to provide Jewish residents safe passage out of Budapest, Dr. Schmidt was sent to a Hungarian detention facility pending transfer to a concentration camp, which was averted. After WWII (and during the Russian occupation), Dr. Schmidt was declared "an enemy of the people" and was sent to a post war Russian concentration camp for several months. Following his release, Dr. Schmidt continued his apprenticeship and passed the Hungarian Bar exam in May of 1947. In September of that year, Dr. Schmidt traveled to Italy, knowing he would not return to Hungary because the country was in turmoil. He obtained a job in January 1948 working in the shipyards in Genoa. Later that year, Dr. Schmidt traveled to the Dominican Republic to take a job in an armament factory, which was offered to him by a Hungarian contact. In 1949, Dr. Schmidt met Russell Baker, one of the founders of Baker McKenzie. Mr. Baker believed Dr. Schmidt could help him build an international law firm and offered to help him if he made it to the United States.
In January 1952, Dr. Schmidt traveled to Chicago and began to work at Baker McKenzie. With no American law degree, he initially performed basic office tasks while teaching himself English and studying at night at Chicago Kent College of Law. In May, 1954, Dr. Schmidt became a legal resident of the U.S. with the support of Senator Charles Percy through a Private Act of Congress. After passing the bar exam, he was admitted to the Illinois Bar through special consent granted by the Illinois Supreme Court, even though he was not yet a U.S. citizen. He then began to work on building his international law practice at Baker McKenzie, traveling often to Western Europe. In 1959, Dr. Schmidt took his United States oath of citizenship. He loved his work and had clients across Europe and the United States. He formed deep ties with these clients, many of whom became lifelong friends. From 1966-1971, Dr. Schmidt was Chairman of the Executive Committee at Baker McKenzie and was Chairman of the Policy Committee in 1979 and 1982. He established the Frankfurt and Milan Offices in 1962 and 1963 against tremendous odds. Dr. Schmidt opened the Budapest office in 1987 as the very first western law office behind the Iron Curtain. He was also instrumental in having the U.S. Government restore to Hungary the famous St. Stephen's Crown, which U.S. forces had taken towards the end of WWII. Dr. Schmidt was the recipient of the German Merit of Honor First Class (1988), the Hungarian Merit of Honor (1992), and the George Washington Award of the American-Hungarian Foundation (1999). He joined the Board of Chicago Kent College of Law in 1974 and became an Emeritus member in 2007.
Dr. Schmidt married Shirley Formell in 1961 and had three daughters. The couple were together until Shirley's death in 1978. Dr. Schmidt opened the world to his daughters as they traveled with him around the globe. Dr. Schmidt married Maria (Monica) Rudolf in 1999. The special relationship they shared sustained him until his final days. He relished his time with his family and shared with them his love of history and different cultures. He was very athletic and loved to swim, horseback ride, and ski. He enjoyed activities at The Saddle & Cycle Club. He was a great example to each of his grandchildren and shared his passion for life by traveling with them to his favorite places in Europe. Dr. Lajos Schmidt credited his ability to rebuild his life after WWII to having the great fortune of meeting Russell Baker and always having the unconditional love and support of his family. He lived a life of conviction and was committed to his family and work. With an ability to speak six languages, Dr. Schmidt was able to live the American dream while maintaining his love for his native Hungary through his personal and professional interests.
In lieu of flowers, people are invited to donate to The Shirley and Lajos Schmidt Scholarship at Chicago Kent College of Law. Please identify the scholarship name in the comments section if you contribute.