Birth date: Oct 19, 1937 Death date: Dec 11, 2020
Virgil Bryan Medlock, Jr. (“Bryan”) passed away on December 11, 2020 at the age of 83. Born October 19, 1937 in Ada, Oklahoma, Bryan was educated in grades 1-4 by his mother, Alpha, and in grades 5-8 by his father, Virgil, in a on Read Obituary
I just learned today of Bryan's passing. He was a great guy and a fine lawyer, as I came to understand in clerking for his firm many years ago, in relying on him as local counsel in a jury trial in Dallas, and in many years of interactions at bar association meetings. I shall miss his smile and his quick wit.
I strongly concur with the others and had the same experience that Shawn eloquently presents. I clerked at RMA in the summer of 1987 during which I split time among many lawyers there, yet Brian still took time to allow me into his space. I still chuckle remembering a dinner with him at the French Room, where I felt out of place and he gleefully comforted me by reflecting that there really wasn't such a thing as being out of place. I was too naive then to realize how his background, and his work effort, had established such a big trajectory forward for him and the firm, but in hindsight they deserve all the kudos and he was a huge part of that. It was a wonderful opportunity, and had I known then what I know now I would've accepted the firm's offer to return as an associate, as he was the real deal.
Prayers and condolences to his family.
I worked in VBM’s group in the mid to late 1990s at RMA. He was slow to open up and let you in, but once he determined that you were "alright," that was it. He was a great guy and always good for a joke that couldn’t be repeated. I’m a better person for having known him. I’m saddened to hear about his passing.
My father was William (Bill) D. Harris, Jr., who practiced law with Bryan for many years when the firm was called Richards, Harris & Hubbard, then Richards, Harris, Medlock & Andrews. Bill considered Bryan to be one of the best patent trail lawyers in the United States. With others they built a powerhouse IP litigation firm. Most of the lawyers who later headed up IP sections at the big Texas law firms had started out with that small Dallas firm, which tried cases all over the country.
The firm leaders, including Bryan, also took seriously the practice of law as an ethical profession, and devoted much of their valuable time and talents to the community and the bar. As we lose lawyers like Bryan, an era comes to an end; the era of highly experienced trial practicioners who were fearless in the courtroom and tried probably hundreds of cases in a lifetime. Such a combination, at once a brilliant patent lawyer and also brilliant trial lawyer, was always rare, and now almost extinct.
On behalf of Bill's family, as his oldest son, I want to extend our condolences to Bryan's family, and offer this humble tribute to an obviously amazing man, from humble roots in a tiny Oklahoma hamlet, working his way to the highest order of international law practice. As his inspiring obituary demonstrates, he was a great family man as well, and so he leaves a shining legacy.
I am a patent attorney with Kimberly-Clark. I worked with Bryan during the early 2000s. Bryan's sense of humor still makes me laugh. I very much appreciated the experience of working with Bryan.
It is with great sadness that I have just learned of Bryan Medlock’s passing. My very first job as a new lawyer, fresh out of law school, was as an attorney at Richards, Harris and Medlock, working with Bryan. What a fortunate opportunity to be able to work with and learn from such a talented and brilliant, and congenial and supportive, mentor. Bryan represented his clients with tremendous expertise and I wonder if he ever lost a case. But he also recognized the importance of mentoring those who worked under him. He would regularly allow me and other younger lawyers to present in court, knowing that he could do the job hundred times better, while recognizing that only by allowing us to attempt to perform would we ever able to approach the skill level that seemed to come naturally to him. His forever positive, confident and friendly personality, spiced with humor, was indeed very unique and will be greatly missed. Charles Cotropia
Brian was a terrific lawyer and friend. His sense of humor was as good as his mind. He was happy and made those around him happy. I’ll miss him.
