Jottings By An Employer's Lawyer

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Dick Haynes, 1931 - 2006


For 16 years I was fortunate enough to be a partner at the law firm of Haynes and Boone. I still have the original document entitled the Merger of the Law Practices of Haynes and Boone and McGown & McClanahan. I have always been taken by the humility of the way it is styled since McGown & McClanahan was a group of five lawyers in San Antonio and Haynes and Boone even then was 130+ lawyers and well on its way to becoming the regional, even national powerhouse that it has become today.

I am reminded of that document because of the death this week of the founder of the firm, Dick Haynes, following a long illness. Humility, courtesy and professionalism were just three of his many attributes and they were all reflected in that document and transaction. Meeting and participating in the negotiations of the "merger" with Dick was a real highlight in my career as a lawyer. When I was in the room with Floyd McGown, Roy McClanahan and Dick I was truly in the presence of three lawyers who were what every lawyer should hope to be.

One of my greatest disappointments was that the week end before the merger was effective Dick was felled by a stroke which prevented him from returning to the day to day practice of law. Nevertheless as the email released by the firm yesterday said:
Dick had and will continue to have a tremendous influence on our firm. His integrity, ethics and high standards of professionalism have been a driving force behind our culture.
The full email from the firm is below.

We thought you would want to know about the recent death of our co-founder and name partner, Dick Haynes. He died peacefully yesterday afternoon at a local hospital after a long illness.

Dick had and will continue to have a tremendous influence on our firm. His integrity, ethics and high standards of professionalism have been a driving force behind our culture.

Services will be at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, August. 7, at the Church of the Incarnation, 3966 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75204-2099. There will be a reception immediately after the service at the church.

Dick's family prefers no visitors right now, but looks forward to seeing his many friends and colleagues at the service and reception.


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