Jim Moseley, a former president of The Jacksonville Bar Association, recently achieved 50 years as a member of The Florida Bar and The JBA. He reflected on his experiences practicing law and as a member of The JBA. He served as president 1975-76. This is the fifth of several installments of his reflections that will be published in the coming weeks.
There were numerous exemplary lawyers who spent many hours in the courtroom or in judges’ chambers on significant arguments. The chambers were always filled with counsel for the parties in numerous cases. In addition to being outstanding trial lawyers, each also had other characteristics that would be excellent for someone to pattern their practice and life by.
One such example was, and is, Charlie Towers, who not only had an active and busy practice but found time to do more charitable and civic activities than most could even think about. This has continued to the present day. He remains the gold standard in this regard.
Mark Hulsey, who recently passed away, was another example of being a high-quality lawyer while at the same time quietly accomplishing good in the community. Mark and I had worked on several cases together and I always found it to be an interesting learning experience. Mark was in the Navy during D-Day. I never missed an opportunity to call on June 6 and listen to him discuss that subject and others.
Delbridge Gibbs was another past The JBA and The Florida Bar president who never missed the opportunity to help young lawyers from wherever he may have met them even though they may not be in his firm.
Another such person was Earl Hadlow, who was also president of The JBA and Florida Bar. He had numerous interests that were always civic or charitably centered.
Ted Grissett was a president of The JBA and also president of the City Council after consolidation. Jim Rinaman followed Ted as The JBA president. He had been general counsel for the City and was instrumental in the formation of consolidated government.
Johnny McNatt, another The JBA president, always was involved in numerous trials and I had one or two with Johnny. He was at Fort Benning in the 2nd Infantry Division at about the same time I had been at the Infantry Center.
My dear friend Jim McLean was president of The Jacksonville Bar Association while I was president-elect. He was a very effective leader but passed away at an early age. It was a big loss to The JBA and to all of us personally. In one trial where Jim and I were adversaries, the visiting federal judge ruled but forgot to file or serve the order by mail. Months later we were together when someone told us they had just read it in F. Supp (Federal Supplement). The judge corrected this oversight.
The year of 1975-76, when I was president of The Jacksonville Bar Association, Rut Lyles was the president-elect. He has, for 40 years, been one of the finest lawyers in Florida and served as president of The Florida Bar. Today he is on the Florida Supreme Court Nominating Commission.
Ruttie always was an impeccable gentleman and conducted himself as all lawyers wish they could. As an example, when Rut was sought to place his name for The Florida Bar board of directors, he called me and stated that he was contemplating such a move but would defer to me who was senior to him in The JBA presidency if I wanted to place my name. The Florida Bar needed the talents of Rut and I so informed him. He served well.
Rut’s successful term was followed by Vic Halbach and Ed White. Vic later was national president of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. White continued moving the association to more lofty heights. He later became chairman of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute.
Joe Milton, who recently passed away, was the last president who had served on the board while I was president. He was an excellent lawyer of the highest credentials. He was awarded the Medal of Honor from The Florida Bar Foundation. He was a valued friend whom I admired.
Many interesting things occurred during the early years. The late Lep Adams and I were defending a case for separate clients concerning a lady who had caught her hand in a Pullman door while en route to St. Petersburg from New York City.
Her main claim centered on a very expensive ring being extensively damaged. We moved to produce the ring and had it examined by the Gemological Institute in New York City. Concerned about the safekeeping of the ring until we could personally return it to the plaintiff, we decided to put it in Mr. Adams Sr.’s safe.
The case was set for trial in federal court with a jury. Adams went on a summer vacation to his mountain home in Eagles Beak or some such place. Unfortunately, for Lep and me, he was the only person who knew the combination and he had no telephone in the mountains.
We jointly moved for a continuance of the trial and it was granted. Eventually Mr. Adams returned to Jacksonville, opened the safe and we were able to give the ring to the plaintiff.
During earlier days, the late Bob Beckham had his office in Miami. He decided to move to Jacksonville and continue cases against railroads. The first case that he filed and was to be tried by him in Jacksonville was defended by me. We selected a jury and began the trial but ultimately settled the case.
Bob and I spoke often about that case that he well remembered because it was his first case in Jacksonville. Bob was a superb lawyer and it was a pleasure to litigate with him and be his friend.
Bill Durden was always considered a luminary of the Bar from the very beginning of his practice. He served in many positions of public trust and always did exceptionally well. He testified on one occasion for my attorneys’ fees to be recovered from the opposing party. He did an excellent job as you would expect and he even made me sound so good until the court awarded his attorneys fees to me to the penny.