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1960s Class Notes

1960

H. Crane Miller died July 20, following a long struggle with cancer. His practice focused on environmental law, the law of the oceans and natural disasters. His career spanned more than 25 years in federal legal practice and more than 26 in private practice.

Following graduation from the Law School, he worked in the Office of the General Counsel at the Department of the Navy. Over the years he held positions with the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Senate Council on Oceans and Atmosphere, and the environmental engineering firm Scheaffer & Roland. He retired from FEMA in 2006. He was author, co-author, or editor of more than 40 research papers and publications on issues related to fire codes, riverine and coastal flooding, and other natural disasters.

1961

Robert L. Montague III serves on the board of trustees of Frontier Nursing University in Wendover and Lexington, Ky. His son, R. Latane Montague IV ’97, is an equity partner at Hogan Lovells. “I’m retired from law practice,” writes Montague, “but am now a client as a planter-business man.”

1963

Christopher “Kit” Bond writes that he enjoys practicing law with Thompson Coburn in St. Louis and Washington, D.C. “It’s a busy time in politics,” he writes, “but it’s a relief to be on the outside looking in after four terms in the U.S. Senate and two terms as governor of Missouri.” Bond was named 2017 Lawyer of the Year for government relations in St. Louis by Best Lawyers.

William R. Rakes is listed in Best Lawyers 2017 in antitrust law, appellate practice, banking and finance law, bet-the-company litigation, commercial litigation, corporate law, financial services regulation law, litigation (banking and finance), and litigation (mergers and acquisitions). He is a senior partner with Gentry Locke in Roanoke, Va., where he chairs the banking and finance group.

In Memoriam: George Beall ’63 Prosecuted Spiro Agnew

GEORGE BEALL ’63 George Beall ’63, whose prosecution of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew led to Agnew’s resignation in 1973, died Jan. 15. He was 79 years old.

Beall had been U.S. Attorney for Maryland for just two years when he opened an investigation into widespread corruption and kickbacks between government officials and contractors. Despite repeated calls from Richard Nixon’s White House to stop the investigation, Beall and his staff proceeded, issuing more than 500 subpoenas. Ultimately their inquiry revealed that Agnew had received kickbacks in exchange for contracts for years, as a state official and then as vice president. After evidence against him was presented, including one count of tax evasion, the vice president resigned from office.

Beall descended from a long line of Marylanders. He was the son and brother of two U.S. senators. After graduation from law school, he clerked for Chief Judge Simon E. Sobeloff of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

He joined Smith, Somerville & Case in Baltimore, where he practiced until he was appointed U.S. attorney in 1970. When he resigned from that position after serving for five years, he joined Miles and Stockbridge in Baltimore. In 1988 he opened the Baltimore branch of Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells). He focused his practice on commercial litigation, and for a time represented the Baltimore Ravens. He was managing partner of Hogan’s Baltimore office for a decade before retiring.

—Rebecca Barns


1964

Clayton “John” Tasker died in June at the age of 76. He entered law school in the fall of 1961 and attended for a year before returning to his undergraduate alma mater, Brown University, for an M.A. in classics. In 1965 he was commissioned in the U.S. Navy, where he served in active duty until 1972 and as a reserve officer for six years, retiring as a lieutenant commander. Tasker spent several years in the steamship business and was a keen sailor, often chartering trips along the North- east coast. He later settled in Manhattan with a career dealing in antiques and mid-century works.

1966

“The Class of ’66 had a great reunion and raised more than $1 million for the school,” writes G. William Birkhead. “It doesn’t get much better than that.” He is a partner with Vandeventer Black in Norfolk, Va., where he concentrates his practice on commercial transactions and maritime matters.

William G. Eckhardt has retired from his second career teaching law at the University of Missouri’s Kansas City School of Law, with the title of emeritus professor.

Guy O. Farmer IIGuy O. Farmer II has been placed on the American Arbitration Association National Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators for his extensive experience in handling employment and labor matters, and will arbitrate and mediate employment and labor cases. Farmer is listed in Best Lawyers 2017 in employment law (management), labor law (management), and litigation (labor and employment). He is of counsel and a member of the labor and employment group with GrayRobinson in Jacksonville, Fla.

Donald M. Haddock writes that he is still judging, farming, hunting and fishing. His son Donald ’96 is a judge in Alexandria, Va. His son David ’94 has returned to the East Coast as general counsel to a major domestic corporation. “Life is good!”

1967

J. Rudy Austin was named to Virginia Business’ 2016 Legal Elite list for construction law and is listed in Best Lawyers 2017 in personal injury litigation defendants). He was also recognized as a Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation for his general commercial and insurance practices. Austin is a senior litigation partner with Gentry Locke in Roanoke, where he focuses his practice on insurance defense, insurance coverage, workers’ compensation, construction and legal ethics.

Gene Dahmen was listed in New England Super Lawyers 2016 in family law. She is senior counsel with Verrill Dana in Boston.

William H. May is chairman of the board of trustees for the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, a $600 million foundation that supports leading-edge science research nationwide.

1968

Robert D. Pannell is in his ninth year teaching venture capital law as an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Law in Atlanta.

Myron P. SimmonsMyron P. Simmons died Jan. 23 at the age of 75. He practiced law in Philadelphia and owned a coffee roasting company there, and a metals recycling company in Salt Lake City. He lived in New Mexico for 13 years, where he spent much of his time exploring the country on horseback and volunteering his time and legal talents to local organizations. One friend from New Mexico wrote, “Myron Perry taught little kids to ride big horses, helped big people fix little things, volunteered his legal talents to wounded warriors, worked with child advocacy programs and more.”

1969

Thomas B. Carr scored a “publishing hat trick,” with three articles accepted for publication in the same year. His article on debarment catch-all clauses was accepted for the winter edition of The Procurement Lawyer; his analysis of constitutional debarment due-process law theory is in the spring edition of the Public Contract Law Journal; and his study of state and local debarment law will be published as a chapter in the fourth edition of “The Practitioner’s Guide to Suspension and Debarment.” Carr is of counsel with McManus & Felsen in Washington, D.C., where he concentrates his practice on commercial litigation, suspension and debarment, and white-collar criminal defense.

Gordon D. Schreck has been elected to the board of trustees of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga., for a three-year term.
He is a senior partner at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice in Charleston, S.C., where he focuses his practice on admiralty and maritime law.

 

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