Justice Anne Gardner has passed away. Gardner was a justice on the Second Court of Appeals for 17 years, during which time she served on the Texas Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee and as president of the Tarrant County Bar Association.
Thad Dameris passed away Aug. 16, 2023. After spending 16 years trying cases at Vinson & Elkins LLP, Dameris opened and managed the Houston offices of three international law firms and specialized in litigation arising from aviation and maritime accidents.
Nick Buratto passed away August 3, 2023. Buratto’s legal career spanned the 13th, 2nd and 5th Texas Courts of Appeals in Corpus Christi, Fort Worth, and Dallas.
William “Bill” D. Pargaman passed away August 3, 2023. With his estate planning expertise, Pargaman made significant contributions to the State Bar’s Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law section and was inducted into The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Pargaman was a member of the Chancellor’s Society at Texas Law.
David Watson passed away July 9, 2023. A double Longhorn, Watson was employed by the Securities and Exchange Commission and by the Department of Justice throughout his career.
Hollis Gail Turnham passed away August 5, 2023. Turnham was engaged in advocacy work for the rights of elders and direct care workers, serving as the Michigan State Long-Term Care Ombudsman for 16 years.
Charles Gene Barnett has passed away. Throughout his legal career, Barnett worked with the U.S. Tax Division of Justice, the law firm of Vial, Hamilton, Koch, Tubb, Knox and Stradley, and as in-house counsel with the Southwestern Life and Philadelphia Life insurance companies.
The Honorable Charles F. Sandoval passed away July 25, 2023. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Sandoval served as a State District Judge in Texas for 12 years and was president of both the Plano Bar Association and the Collin County Bar Association.
Morris Jackson Hampton passed away July 21, 2023. An Army veteran, Hampton worked in the Dallas District Attorney’s Office, worked in private practice specializing in criminal and family law, then was appointed as the criminal district judge for the 283rd Criminal District Court in Dallas County.
The Hon. Joe D. Clayton passed away July 14, 2023. Clayton served as a senior state district judge and was active in the State and Smith County Bar Associations in addition to his civic pursuits.
Joseph “J.T.” Moore passed away July 3, 2023. After serving in the U.S. Army, Moore practiced law briefly, then entered into a farming and ranching partnership with his father in 1955. A decade later, he and a friend bought controlling interest in The First National Bank of Pecos and he served as the bank president.
Jerome “Jerry” Robert Rose passed away July 3, 2023. A double Longhorn, his career turned to real estate investment after a short time practicing law. Rose and his wife began the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation – named in honor of his daughter – and created the annual Run for the Rose, which has raised more than $7 million for brain cancer research.
Lawrence “Larry” Sauer passed away June 27, 2023. His criminal defense and civil rights legal practice spanned 50 years and involved cases ranging from LGBTQ+ rights to defending the rights of the accused.
William “Bill” Schroeder Jr. passed away June 15, 2023. In addition to running his own law practice for more than five decades, The U.S. Air Force veteran owned a title company with his wife and served on many local and statewide boards.
Jesse Buckner “Buck” Williams passed away June 23, 2023. He served as an assistant district attorney in the Jefferson County Family Law division for 20 years before returning to private practice.
Gene Matthews Jr. passed away June 13, 2023. He was a partner and specialized in trial law at Wootton, Land and Matthews; Matthews also served as the president of the Garland County Bar Association.
David Thomas passed away Feb. 19, 2023. A double Longhorn and Army veteran, Thomas worked at various law firms in Sherman, Midland, and Houston before beginning a long career as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas.
Robert O’Conor Jr. passed away June 5, 2023. A double Longhorn and Army veteran, O’Conor was appointed as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas by former President Gerald Ford and served in that role for a decade before returning to private practice in 1984.
Hugh L. McCulley passed away June 10, 2023. McCulley, whose legal career spanned more than 50 years, was a partner at Crady Jewett McCulley & Houren L.LP. Throughout his career, he represented railroad companies in their business and regulatory activities.
Herlinda Rodriguez passed away June 7, 2023. Rodriguez focused on providing legal aid to the Hispanic community through her private practice. She also helped her husband establish a construction business.
Willard Kent Johnson passed away June 4, 2023. In addition to his work as an attorney for two state agencies — the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation then later the Employees Retirement Systems of Texas — Johnson was a football referee for 45 years.
Lee Otis “Otie” Zapp Jr. passed away June 6, 2023. He served as president of Zapp Realty Property Management and Insurance from 1960 until his retirement and received numerous accolades for his accomplishments and service to his community.
Joseph Weaver Russell passed away June 2, 2023. A double Longhorn who served two years in the U.S. Army, he started his legal career as a briefing attorney for Texas Supreme Court justices. Russell went on to work at law firms in Corpus Christi and San Antonio before before forming his own firm in 1993, eventually practicing with his son.
Charles K. Bluntzer passed away on May 27, 2023. After receiving the Purple Heart for his service in the U.S. Army First Cavalry Division in Vietnam, Bluntzer began his career in municipal law in multiple Texas cities. In 1984, he entered private practice where he continued for more than three decades until retiring.
Russell Winfield Schell has passed away. After serving as a partner at Thomson Coe and heading the litigation division at Riddle & Brown, Schell founded his own law firm in 1992 and enjoyed a successful career as a trial lawyer.
Dianne Shank Brode passed away on May 26, 2023. Brode began her law career at Shapiro, Edens and Cook as one of only three female attorneys before successfully initiating a joint venture, Techline Inc., with her husband.
Victor Michael Firth passed away on May 17, 2023. After working for law firms in Oklahoma City and El Paso, Firth founded his own law firm, which eventually became Firth, Bunn, Kerr, Neill, P.C. In addition to his successful career in real estate law, Firth officiated college football games for many years.
Adele B. Simpson passed away on April 26, 2023. One of two women in her graduating law school class, Simpson’s legal career spanned numerous cities and positions in Texas, including an appointment as the first municipal court judge in the City of Huntsville.
Lisa McDaniel Crane passed away on May 15, 2023. She enjoyed a successful career as an attorney and real estate developer. She joined her husband Les as a partner in the ownership of Longhorn Dental, a business they worked together to build and expand.
Jeffrey Van Horn passed away on May 6, 2023. A double Longhorn, he was appointed as the first criminal district attorney for Caldwell County before serving as the state prosecuting attorney until his retirement.
John Wooddell passed away on April 23, 2023. Wooddell, who served in the United States Army Special Forces as a Green Beret, enjoyed a successful law career as a trial attorney in Texas.
Justin T. Sigman passed away on Oct. 26, 2022. He spent the majority of his career overseas, where he managed the construction of schools, hospitals, and bridges in war zones such as Afghanistan and Iraq. Sigman was additionally instrumental in writing the constitution for the Southern Sudan.
The Honorable Horace Ronald “Ron” Poole passed away on May 8, 2023. He was elected District Court Judge for Douglas County (ore.) and soon became a Douglas County Circuit Court Judge in 1984. Poole was one of the longest-serving circuit court judges in Oregon at the time of his retirement in 2013.
Frank Ryon Monroe passed away on May 8, 2023. Monroe spent two decades with Sheinfeld, Maley and Kay as a bankruptcy attorney and managing partner, then was appointed as United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Texas, and serving 20 years in Austin in that role.
Joseph Robert “Bob” Schneider Sr. passed away on May 3, 2023. A double Longhorn, Schneider started his legal career practicing with his father at Schneider and Schneider. After the death of his father, the firm name was changed to Schneider & McWilliams and Schneider spent his legal career focusing on oil and gas, estate planning, real estate, and probate. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the State Bar and the Board of Trustees of the Texas Bar Foundation.
James “Jim” Smith passed away on April 24, 2023. Smith became Chief Capital Prosecutor for criminal court in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, then spent the rest of his 50-year career in private practice litigation.
Randolph Wheless Jr. passed away on May 5, 2023. A double Longhorn and Army veteran, Wheless started his career as an assistant district attorney. After working in private practice, Wheless was appointed federal bankruptcy judge for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Southern District of Texas in 1985. He later became chief bankruptcy judge.
Barney Young passed away on May 2, 2023. Young founded Rain Harrell Emery Young and Doke, a predecessor of Locke Lord LLP. He focused on corporate and securities law and remained active in mentorship and nonprofit work throughout his illustrious legal career.
Bill Sherbert passed away on April 19, 2023. Sherbert opened his own law firm in Houston – Sherbert & Campbell – specializing in personal injury cases. He enjoyed a legal career that spanned 50 years.
Kristi Gamble passed away on March 9, 2023. She began her career at Rudolph and Beers before starting her own law firm with Adam Kaplan. She then worked for the City of New York and later joined the New York Federal Reserve Bank, where she was the assistant general counsel.
Prentis Otis Hibler passed away on April 20, 2023. Hibler opened his own civil litigation practice and spent 50 years representing a range of clients. He also served as Mayor of Hill Country Village, a city near San Antonio, Texas.
Robert Cole Grable passed away on April 20, 2023. Texas Law’s Grand Chancellor in the fall of 1971, Grable served in the Navy JAG Corps after getting his law degree. He then practiced law in Austin, where he developed a specialty in oil, gas and mineral law. Grable co-founded the Kelly Hart & Hallman law firm in 1979 and served as the longtime chair of the firm’s Oil and Gas section.
Robert D. Forrester passed away on April 18, 2023. A double Longhorn, he wrote extensively in the areas of probate, intestacy, and tax law over his five decades of practicing law. Forrester retired from Peterson, Farris, Pruitt & Parker where he was of counsel.
Thomas Joseph Brorby passed away on April 13, 2023. An Army veteran, he founded two different law firms, most recently Brorby, Crozier & Dobie law firm in Austin in 1993. Brorby focused on tax law and notably served as tax counsel in State Bar of Texas v. U.S., a lawsuit establishing the tax-exempt status of the Texas Bar.
Edmond Moreland Jr. passed away on April 4, 2023. Moreland began his own law practice in 2000 and founded the Moreland Verrett, P.C. law firm in 2013. He specialized in labor and employment law and was recognized many times on The Best Lawyers in America list for his work.
Allan Graber passed away on April 15, 2023. A double Longhorn, Graber had a 60-year career as an attorney and CPA and worked in his own private practice for more than 40 years.
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.
Stanley “Todd” Lowry passed away on April 10, 2023. A double Longhorn, Lowry enjoyed a lengthy academic career and served as an economics professor at Washington and Lee University for more than 35 years until his retirement in 1995.
Paul H. Brunette passed away on March 29, 2023. A U.S. Navy veteran, he enjoyed a lengthy legal career that spanned more than 50 years. Brunette was employed by the Wichita County Attorney as an assistant prosecutor before transitioning into private practice.
Michael McConnell passed away on March 25, 2023. A U.S. Air Force veteran, McConnell enjoyed a long career practicing bankruptcy law and was a partner in several law firms, finishing his career as Chairman of Kelly Hart & Hallman’s Reorganization and Bankruptcy practice. He also served three years as a U.S. bankruptcy judge for the Northern District of Texas.