After PHS, I received a BS in Commerce Degree from TCU in 1960; a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the University Of Texas School Of Law in 1963; and a Master of Laws Degree from Harvard Law School in 1964.
I joined what is now known as Vinson & Elkins Law Firm as an Associate in the summer of 1963, and returned to the law firm after completing my work at Harvard (at that time, the Firm had only the office located in Houston – which is the office where I remained during my career with the Firm). I became a Partner of the Firm in January of 1970. I practiced federal tax law, principally merger and acquisition work, until 1976. Although I remained a Partner of Vinson & Elkins, that year I became Associate General Counsel of Texas Eastern Corporation (now Duke Energy). In 1978, I returned to the Firm, joining the Section of the Firm that does complex litigation (involving antitrust, securities, and such), and litigated during the remainder of my time with Vinson & Elkins.
In February of 1997, I left the Firm to become Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Baylor College of Medicine, located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston. In July 2004, I stepped aside as General Counsel and became Senior Vice President for Special Projects and Corporate Secretary.
I met my wife Sharron (that is correct – apparently her parents couldn’t spell very well), a native Houstonian, in 1969 and we were married in Bern, Switzerland in August of 1973. We have one child, Damon Austin, who was born in 1979. He was graduated from Vanderbilt in 2001, and is now in the third year of his pursuit of his Ph.D. in Neuroscience. We are very proud of him.
Having just cut back to 60% full time at the College, we are spending a significant amount of time in California, where we rent a house in Rancho Santa Fe. If any of you are out this way, get in touch.