Bryan Pope
In the fall of 1982 I had the opportunity to interview with VHKK as a third-year law student. I remember walking down a long hallway with Gloria on one side and Paula on the other, through a set of double doors into an office that was as big as two racquetball courts. There sitting behind a large desk was a large man with clear blue eyes and snow white hair. I’ll never forget the first time I met Bob Vial. He offered me a job that day and I will always appreciate the fact that he gave me a chance to become a trial attorney. And what a group of trial attorneys, Jeff Lynch, Richard Shore, Lyle Jeans, Newton Jones, Mark Hendrix, Brad Dickinson, Doug Calvert, Mike Winchester, Charley Bell, David Schubert, Todd Clements, Bill Curtis, Rob Crain and many more. I worked under and with him for 13 years and while many days were challenging to live up to his expectations; I would not trade the training I received for anything. We spent 2 weeks in Victoria trying a rare Plaintiff’s case, and while that case did not turn out the way we had hoped, I got to see first-hand what a great trial lawyer looked like. At the time, he was the preeminent defense attorney in Dallas, he was the one that the excess carriers called 30 days before trial to whip the case into shape and get a good outcome, and he did that many, many times. And when we wasn’t working, he was fun to be around whether it was listening to his stories, playing golf, hunting or whatever. The last time I saw him was when he received a Legend of Trial award from the Dallas Bar Association – an honor that was much deserved. Rest in Peace RGV and Thank-you.