William Willard “Bill” Gibson passed away on June 1, 2026. After starting his career at an Amarillo law firm, Gibson returned to Texas Law and was on the faculty for 33 years, also serving as associate dean for administration and academic affairs. In the early 1970s, he spent two years as an attorney advisor to the Federal Power Commission in Washington, D.C.
Finis Cowan Jr. passed away Nov. 15, 2023. In addition to serving as U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, Cowan tried more than 100 jury trials during his time with law firm Baker Botts in Houston.
Harry Jung Jr. passed away on Sept. 9, 2023. Jung was an Army veteran of the Korean War and a double Longhorn. He had a law office in Crosbyton, Texas, and went on to serve as Crosby County Attorney.
James Warren “JW” Gary passed away on March 30, 2023. Gary served in the U.S. Marine Corps before beginning a law career that spanned 50 years. He spent the majority of his career with the Gary, Thomasson, Hall & Marks law firm and specialized in public school law.
John Gillett Sheppard, Sr. passed away on Feb. 4, 2023. Sheppard established his own firm Adams and Sheppard, where he practiced for more than 50 years.
U.S. District Judge John H. McBryde passed away on Dec. 25, 2022. McBryde worked at two law firms before being appointed to the U.S. District Bench by former President George H.W. Bush in 1990. He went on to serve in that role for three decades.
Raymond Clyde “R.C.” Thompson passed away on June 8, 2022. Thompson was formerly a corporate attorney at Temple-Inland Forest Products Corp.
The Hon. Francis “Frank” Maloney Jr. passed away on July 5, 2022. Maloney served in the U.S. Army, where he earned a Purple Heart, a Silver Star and two Bronze Stars. A long-time professor at Texas Law, he served as a prosecutor in the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, assistant attorney general of Texas, and worked in private practice before being elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1990. Maloney also was a visiting trial and appellate judge from 1997 to 2017.
Robert Hamilton Walls, Sr., died peacefully surrounded by family on Jan. 21, 2021, at the age of 89. Upon discharge from the Army, Walls became an Assistant Attorney General in the Texas Attorney General’s office in Austin. He continued his legal career at Barrow, Bland & Rehmet and then moved to Vinson & Elkins, where he developed an expertise in Oil and Gas Law. Walls eventually went to work with his good friend Wayne Dotson at Foreman & Dyess, and ultimately retired from Jackson & Walker after 51 years of practicing law. The family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed toward The Robert H. and Anita H. Walls Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Law at Texas Law (http://links.utexas.edu/cvahngj).
James Steele Moore passed away on Jan. 12, 2021. He was elected to the Texas Legislature in 1954 and served in such capacity until his term expired in 1958. Moore then moved to Lubbock, TX, to join the law firm of Clifford, Blanchard and Summers where he practiced law for approximately 10 years. In 1962, with a group of other businessmen and farmers, Moore founded the Wolfforth State Bank, now known as The American Bank of Commerce. He served as Chairman of the board of the bank since its organization and remained active throughout his career. Moore’s other banking activities include co-ownership of the First National Bank of Tahoka from 1964 to 1974.
Gerald Joe Smith, 90, passed away on Nov. 6, 2020. He served as an infantry officer during the Korean War. Smith graduated with a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1956. He retired in El Paso, TX, after practicing law for over 50 years.
H. Dustin Fillmore, Sr. passed away on November 11, 2020 as a result of pancreatic cancer. In 1957, he began his service as an Assistant District Attorney in Dallas County under famed District Attorney Henry Wade. Fillmore returned to Wichita Falls to join his father’s law firm in 1960. From there, he launched what would become a 42-year career as a civil trial lawyer, representing clients and trying cases in civil courts all over Texas. Fillmore was inducted into The American College of Trial Lawyers and The American Board of Trial Advocates. In 2005, the Tarrant County Bar Association awarded Dusty its prestigious Blackstone Award.
Tom Rush Moody Jr. died on November 5, 2015 in Trappe, MD. During his time at Texas Law, Rush was Associate Note Editor of the Texas Law Review.