Born Frederic, August 6, 1920; married; 3 children. Graduate, Sheboygan H.S.; B.A. UW-Madison 1942; L.L.B. 1948; attended Harvard Grad. Sch. of Bus. Admin. 1943-44. Lecturer, UW Law Sch. 1961-64 and 1971-83; faculty, N.Y.U. Appellate Judges Seminar 1972-86. Formerly in private law practice 1948-59; attorney, League of Wis. Municipalities; research assistant to Gov. Rennebohm. WW II vet.; served in Navy 1942-46. Member: Phi Kappa Phi; Order of Coif; Amer., Wis., Sheboygan and Dane Co. Bar Assns., admitted to practice law U.S. Dist. Cts. for Eastern and Western Wis., 7th Circuit and U.S. Supreme Cts.; UW Law Sch. Bd. of Visitors (chm., 1973-76); Amer. Law Inst. (life mbr.); Inst. for Jud. Admin. (bd. of dir. 1987-91, honorary fellow 1991-present); Amer. Judicature Soc. (dir. 1977-80) and its Program Corn. (chm. 1979-81); Amer. Legion; VFW; Iron Cross; Wis. State Historical Soc. Bd. of Curators 1972-86 (curator emeritus 1989-present); UW-Madison Memorial Union trustee; William Vitas Trust trustee; Natl. Conf. of Christians and Jews (past Wis. chm.); Madison Literary Club (pres. 1979-80); ABA Corns. on Federal-State Delineation of Jurisdiction, Appellate Skills Training 1984; Natl. Ctr. for State Courts' Council of State Court Representatives (chm. 1977-78, ex officio dir.); Natl. Conf. of Chief Justices (din) and its Adv. Bd. on Appellate Justice Improvement Project; Wis. Appellate Procedures and Practices Study Corn. (chm., 1975-76); UW Fdn.; Life Fellow: Amer. Bar Fdn.; Inst. for Jud. Admin. Former member: ABA Corni for Admin. of Criminal Justice; UW Law Sch. Alumni (dir.). Recipient: Natl. Conf. of Christians and Jews Distinguished Service Award 1968; Wis. Law Alumni Distinguished Service Award 1989. Asst. dist. atty., Sheboygan Co. 1951-53; Sheboygan city attorney 1953-59; deputy attorney general 1959-62; U.S. Attorney, Western District of Wis. 1962-64. Appointed to Supreme Court August 1964 to fill vacancy created by death of Justice William H. Dieterich; elected to full term 1965; reelected 1975 and 1985. Became chief justice August 1, 1983, upon the retirement of Chief Justice Bruce F. Beilfuss. Retired from the Supreme Court on July 31, 1995. (Blue Book 1995-96)

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the Nathan S. Heffernan Papers for details.

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[Source: Blue book]