A Tribute to Bill Hilgers Dec. 31, 1924 – July 27, 2020 BY TOM WATKINS
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t is time to celebrate the life of Bill Hilgers, my longtime law partner and friend. But, to understand Bill, you have to start in the early 1940s. A description of Bill’s education reads “attended the University of Texas plan II 1941 – 1943; BBA 1947.” Some students take a gap year. Bill took more than a gap year. He took three years. Bill’s education gap encompassed a different type of education. With more than thirty combat flight missions over Germany as a navigator and bombardier, an Air Medal and a Distinguished Flying Cross each with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and a Purple Heart, Bill returned to civilian life. He was part of the greatest generation. Much has been said about the greatest generation. Much can be said about Bill Hilgers. Much can be said about Bill’s contributions to the legal profession: • President of the Travis County [now Austin] Bar Association • Director of the State Bar of Texas • Chairman of the State Bar Board of Directors • Member of the Board of Bar Examiners
• Chair of the Supreme Court Grievance Oversight Committee • Chair of the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation • Chair of the Texas Center for Legal Ethics • Chair of the Legal Aid and Defender Society of Central Texas Much can be said about Bill’s contributions to music: • Member of the UT Student Opera Company • Member of the UT Student Glee Club • Member of the University of Texas A Cappella Choir • Member of the UT Student Symphonic Band • Member of the UT Student Longhorn Band • Founding member of the James Dick Foundation for the Performing Arts • Member of the Board of KMFA • Member of the Board of Directors of the Austin Symphony Much can be said about Bill’s contributions to the study of religion and philosophy: • Founding member of the University Christian Church • Chair of the Foundation for Religious Studies • Chair of the Texas Bible Chair
Bill Hilgers
Foundation at UT • President of the Christian Church in Texas • Member of the Philosophical Society of Texas Much can be said about Bill’s contributions to education and social justice issues: • Chair of the Del Valle ISD Board of Trustees • Chair of the Human Opportunities Corporation • Co-chair of the Advisory Council, UT Psychology Department
• Foundation Trustee for the Center for Battered Women • Liaison Counsel for the Institute for the Humanities • Member of the Board of Trustees for the Austin Collaborative for Children Bill was an early undercover progressive. You had to know him for a long time to discover his firm belief in the constitutional mandate “to form a more perfect union.” Bill always believed we could do better. Bill had the vision, patience,
THE LITIGATION, CO-COUNSEL TRIAL TEAM FOR SOLO AND SMALL FIRM PRACTITIONERS
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AUSTINLAWYER | SEPTEMBER 2020
