Longtime Nashville attorney William Gilliam Womack died March 10 from complications of a stroke. He was 74. Womack attended The University of the South at Sewanee and earned his law degree from Suffolk University Law School in Boston. He practiced law in Nashville for many years, and served as a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve for more than 27 years. He retired with the rank of Commander and was the recipient of the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Joint Service Commendation Medal. The funeral mass was held last Thursdy at St. Henry Catholic Church followed by burial at Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the St. Henry Church ministry to the sick.

A reception celebrating the life of long-time Memphis attorney Kemper B. Durand will be held March 29 from 3-4:30 p.m. at his former law firm, Thomason, Hendrix, Harvey, Johnson & Mitchell, One Commerce Square, 29th Floor, Memphis. Durand died Feb. 2. He was extensively involved in The Innocence Project, where his efforts led to the freeing of an individual who had served over 22 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. That effort was featured in the August 2002 Tennessee Bar Journal. He also was a founding member of the Tennessee Bar Foundation and was often called on by judges to sit on court committees. Read more about his life.

Memphis attorney James E. Leary died March 13. A graduate of the Southern University School of Law, Leary opened a law practice in Memphis in July 1954. In 1976, he was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. Leary served simultaneously as president of the Memphis Shelby County Bar Association and the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association in 1970-1971. He retired in 1981. A veteran of World War II, Leary was a member of the Military Order of the World Wars and served as commander of the Memphis chapter from 1987-1988 and as commander of the Tennessee Department for one year. Funeral services were held March 17 at Memorial Park Funeral Home with burial at Memorial Park Cemetery. Read more about his life in The Commercial Appeal.

Retired Memphis lawyer Marvin Posner died March 12 after a prolonged illness. He was 81 years old. A native of Nashville, Posner earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt University and relocated to Memphis after graduating from the law school in 1956. He handled many adoptions, always donating the legal fees to charity. Posner also volunteered with the Memphis City Public Schools as a reading tutor, and served as a Wings volunteer for 12 years, helping those going through cancer treatment. Funeral services were held March 13 at Baron Hirsch Cemetery. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to the Baron Hirsch Synagogue, 400 S. Yates Rd., Memphis, TN 38120; Margolin Hebrew Academy, 390 S. White Station Rd., Memphis, TN 38117; Anshei Sphard Bethel Emeth Synagogue, 120 E. Yates Rd. N., Memphis, TN 38120; or a charity of the donor’s choice. Read more about his life in The Commercial Appeal.

Longtime Nashville attorney W. Ovid Collins Jr. died yesterday (March 11). He was 94. Mr. Collins was a distinguished graduate of Vanderbilt University, where he also earned his law degree. Following service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he returned to Nashville and founded the firm of Cornelius & Collins with Charles L. Cornelius Sr. and Charles L. Cornelius Jr. He served as the firm’s managing partner for the majority of his years in active practice. Mr. Collins was a founding member of the Nashville Symphony and played viola with the orchestra for more than 40 years. His passion for music began early, as he was invited to join the studio orchestra of WSM in the 1930s where he accompanied various talents, including Dinah Shore. Mr. Collins retired from the fulltime practice of law in 2000, but continued to practice part-time until 2008. During his career, he was named as a Fellow of the American College Trust and Estate Counsel, a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Association and a lifetime member of the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference. He served as a delegate to the 1959 Tennessee Constitutional Convention and practiced before various courts in Tennessee, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Many of his cases remain leading precedent to this day. Funeral arrangements and memorial plans are incomplete at this time.

The family of Tri-Cities criminal defense attorney Mark Slagle will host a gathering in celebration of his life Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Johnson City Country Club, 1901 E. Unaka Ave., Johnson City. Slagle died last Tuesday (March 5).

Former Nashville legislator and appeals court judge Charles Galbreath died at his home on Tuesday (Feb. 5). He was 88. A Nashville native, Galbreath was one of the most flamboyant power brokers of his generation, known for his theatrics as well as his accomplishments, the Tennessean reports. “He was a bit of a showman, but his roots were with being a public defender,” said John Seigenthaler, a former Tennessean editor and publisher. “He had a lot of street smarts, and he was a popular politician. He really knew how to massage a message.” Friend and fellow Tennessee lawyer Hal Hardin said Galbreath was “very much a fan of the First Amendment. On the court he was often the sole dissenter, and he took great satisfaction in that.” A Life Celebration and remembrances will be held Sunday, from 2-5 p.m., at West Harpeth Funeral Home, 6962 Charlotte Pike, Nashville. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to The Alzheimer's Association.

Tri-Cities criminal defense attorney Mark Slagle, 61, died Tuesday (March 5) after an extended illness. He was in Dallas waiting on a lung transplant and had continued to work from there. Slagle handled criminal, civil and domestic litigation for 34 years and was a “formidable” opponent in the courtroom, according to the Johnson City Press. Funeral arrangements are not yet complete. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family through Morris-Baker Funeral Home in Johnson City, which is handling arrangements.

Judge Audrey M. Scott died Feb. 26 at the age of 65 at Methodist University Hospital. She was a long-time judge, serving the local EEOC and Social Security Administration Memphis Hearings Office. A Memphis native, Scott attended LeMoyne-Owen College before transferring to Howard University where she graduated with honors. She earned her law degree from Catholic University of America and returned to Memphis to begin her legal career with Memphis Area Legal Services. Visitation was held Tuesday,  with funeral services Wednesday at Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Pillow Street C.M.E Church, Youth Development. 1590 Pillow Street, Memphis,TN 38106.

John H. Harris Jr. died yesterday (Feb. 28) at the age of 74. A Tulane graduate, Harris received his law degree from the University of Tennessee. He was a senior partner and long-time leader of Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh PLLC, where he practiced for over 50 years. Harris was also partners with his son Jeffrey in Harris Thoroughbreds LLC. Visitation will be Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home, with funeral services Sunday at 3 p.m. at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Collierville. In lieu of flowers, the family asks memorial contributions be made to St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Church Health Center.