The Charles L. Ihlenfeld Lecture annually brings to the West Virginia University College of Law distinguished speakers to lecture in public service and ethics.
Charles L. Ihlenfeld, a prominent West Virginia lawyer for 56 years, devoted much of his life to public service. These lectures, established in his memory, honor a life and career marked by significant contributions to the practice of law, to the legal profession, and to civic affairs of his state and community.
Mr. lhlenfeld was a tireless community supporter who loved Wheeling, W. Va., serving as its mayor from 1963 to 1967. His public service further encompassed state and federal jurisdictions when he served as Prosecuting Attorney of Ohio County from 1940 to 1948, and as U.S. Magistrate for the Northern District of West Virginia from 1971 to 1979. Mr. Ihlenfeld served on a multitude of foundations and commissions, always seeking to enrich his community and mankind.
Following his graduation in 1930 from West Virginia University, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, Mr. Ihlenfeld studied at the WVU College of Law, becoming a member of the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity, and receiving his J.D. in 1933. He was inducted into the WVU College of Law Emeritus Club in 1983, and he was a longtime supporter of the College.
Mr. lhlenfeld was a past president of the Ohio County Bar Association and a member of the West Virginia and American Bar Associations. He was active in politics, serving as a former chairman of the Ohio County Democratic Executive Committee and as president of the West Virginia Young Democrats.
The Charles L. Ihlenfeld Lecture, established with a bequest made to his alma mater, is a fitting legacy from a devoted public servant and attorney whose high ethical standards were his trademark. The lectures enrich the university community, the legal profession, and the state.
