A PROFILE IN PROFESSIONALISM

The practice of law has been very good to me. Because of all the blessings that the legal profession has conferred upon me, I feel a moral obligation to return some of those blessings. I have chosen to invest my time and energy into the Houston Trial Lawyers Association and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. One of my pet projects has been to improve the image of lawyers in general, and trial lawyers in particular. Obviously, complete success still eludes me, but I’ll never stop working toward that goal.

John Eddie Williams, Jr. Williams Bailey Law Firm, L.L.P.

In recent years, it has become quite fashionable to criticize trial lawyers. I read recently that the CEO of the world’s largest insurance company called trial lawyers “terrorists.” I guess that puts us in the same category as schoolteachers, who also were referred to as terrorists.

Earlier in the year, trial lawyers were blamed (incorrectly) for the flu vaccine shortage. Trial lawyers, and in fact all lawyers, have become the ready-made villain for everything that ails our society. Well, I respectfully object.

I am proud to be a trial lawyer, and I will never apologize for participating in the world’s best legal system. In fact, one of the most important ways to “participate” is to give back. For instance, thanks to a scholarship, I was able to attend Baylor Law School. Somebody before me had given something back.

Baylor recently dedicated a new law school, because Walter Umphrey, Harold Nix, many others and myself decided to give something back. I’m proud to walk through the law school and see my name next to such truly great benefactors as Leon Jaworski. Visit other law schools in Texas and see the generosity provided by fellow trial lawyers Joe Jamail and John O’Quinn. These are but a few of the hundreds of examples of the kind of participation that our profession practices. Perhaps not everyone can make financial contributions, but everyone can give their time, talent and energy. We can all set an example for others, especially when we remind ourselves: “to those whom much is given – much is expected.”