"The lung cancer diagnosis in June came out of the blue," said Joe Santarone, a colleague and friend. "In his later years, Jim ran marathons. He smoked only for a while in the late 1970s, when he managed his grandfather's pub in the Northeast, Graham's Pub."

Mr. Graham was born in the Summerdale section of Northeast Philadelphia into a tight-knit family of six children. He graduated from Father Judge High School in 1971.

After he married Susan Weitzman in 1975, the couple moved to San Diego, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1985 from the University of California.

They moved to Jenkintown, and Mr. Graham earned a law degree in 1988 from Widener University. He then joined Marshall Dennehey. For years, he opened and managed offices for the firm in Western Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio and Florida, a total of 18.

Since 2002, Mr. Graham had managed the Cherry Hill office with 100 employees and the Roseland office in North Jersey. The Philadelphia Business Journal reported that the firm, with 380 lawyers, was the fastest growing in the Philadelphia region in the 1990s.

For two decades, Marshall Dennehey handled general liability cases, such as truck accidents, for Philadelphia Newspapers Inc., which formerly published The Inquirer.

"My father was a generous, big-hearted man," said his son, Colin, a second lieutenant in the Marines stationed in Japan. "When I played rugby at Catholic University, at least twice a week he jumped in his car to drive to D.C. for games. Then he took the whole team of 25 guys out to dinner."

Mr. Graham was unpretentious and often gave anonymously to those in need. "He gave money to a homeless man in Center City, and then took him to a shoe store and bought him a nice pair of shoes," his son said.

"Literally hundreds of friends came to his funeral services," Santarone said. "I gave the eulogy, and it was the hardest closing I ever had to do."

In addition to his son and wife, Mr. Graham is survived by a daughter, Susan Graham, a brother, and four sisters.

A Funeral Mass was said Nov. 24. Donations may be sent to the Breathing Room Foundation, Box 287, Jenkintown, Pa. 19046.

"The firm has always encouraged active involvement in the community, from nonprofits to public policy," said Arlen Gunner, managing partner of Valensi Rose. "We congratulate Wayne on his appointment, and applaud him for continuing our firm's dedication to the community and to the profession."

The Taxation Section is California's only statewide tax bar association.  The Taxation Section's current membership is approximately 3,000.  In addition to his involvement with the California Taxation Section, Johnson currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Los Angeles Chapter of The Make-A-Wish Foundation. 

Johnson represents high net-worth individuals in planning their business and personal affairs.  Prior to practicing law, Johnson was a public accountant.  He holds a masters' degree in taxation law from New York University School of Law.  Johnson earned his law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law.

Law and Politics Magazine and Los Angeles Magazine named Johnson a "Rising Star" among Southern California lawyers in each of 2004, 2005 and 2006.  The Rising Star designation is awarded to attorneys who are 40 years of age and under - or have been practicing law for 10 years or less - who have shown themselves to be among the very best young lawyers practicing in Southern California.  Johnson is one of only a hand-full of Southern California tax attorneys to be awarded this distinction. 

Patrick Ryan, the chairman and managing partner of the law firm Quarles & Brady LLP, died Wednesday at the age of 63 after a brief illness, the firm has announced.

Ryan joined Quarles & Brady in Milwaukee in 1970 after graduating from Marquette University Law School, where he served as editor-in chief of the Law Review. His practice at Quarles included extensive experience in private equity, capital markets transactions, acquisitions and commercial lending, particularly in the paper industry.

He was elected as the firm's managing partner in 2002 and had been involved with the management side of Quarles & Brady since 1985.

In a tribute on its Web site, the firm credits Ryan with helping to build a distinguished practice by providing knowledgeable legal counsel and a high level of personal service to a variety of corporate clients.

Under his leadership as chairman and managing partner, the firm has grown to its current size of approximately 440 attorneys and 520 support staff in six offices in Wisconsin, Illinois, Arizona and Florida. It was ranked by the National Law Journal as the 95th largest law firm in the nation in 2006.

Ryan is survived by his wife, Holly, and their four children and son-in-law: Brendan, Lucas, Abigail, Rebeccah and her husband Keith Martin. In addition, he had great pride in his five grandchildren: Joseph and Henry Martin, Daijah and Calia Stanley, and Beyonce Williams.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Marquette University Law School-Patrick M. Ryan Scholarship Fund designed to assist minority law students at Marquette University.

In 1978, Hill ran for governor and defeated incumbent Gov. Dolph Briscoe for the Democratic nomination. But Hill became the first Democrat in 100 years to lose the gubernatorial election, falling to Dallas millionaire Bill Clements, a Republican.

The loss was not the end of Hill's career in public service. After several years as a behind-the-scenes player in state politics, Hill was elected to a four-year term as chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court in 1984.

He resigned before his term ended to begin an unsuccessful crusade to reduce political pressure on the judicial branch by ending the system in which voters elect judges in Texas. Hill continued to push for reforms even after he no longer held public office.

"His retirement from public service was no retirement at all, because he continued to advocate for a method of judicial selection that would assure trust and confidence in our judiciary," Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson said.

The setbacks never seemed to discourage Hill, said former Texas Supreme Court Justice Craig T. Enoch.

"He fits the mold of legendary lawyers in Texas," he said.

"I never saw something that would eat at him anyway," Enoch added. "It illustrates a depth to this person far beyond whether he won or lost a particular election."

Hill was born Oct. 9, 1923, in Breckenridge. He later said he "could have outdone Abe Lincoln in terms of the smallness of the house in which I was born."

He spent a year at Kilgore Junior College, where he won a national debate championship, and then went on to the University of Texas at Austin, where he graduated from law school and met his wife, Elizabeth "Bitsy" Graham.

After serving in the Navy during World War II, Hill became a lawyer. He built his reputation by winning large awards for the families of passengers who died in plane crashes in Texas.

He was secretary of state from 1966-68, after helping Gov. John Connally get elected. In 1972, he won an election for attorney general by 100,000 votes.

After the failed gubernatorial run and his stint on the state Supreme Court, Hill returned to private practice. Gov. George W. Bush appointed Hill to the three-member Texas Lottery Commission in 1997.

Since 2005, Hill had been a partner in the Houston office of the law firm Winstead PC.

Gov. Rick Perry ordered flags flown at half-staff through Saturday.

"John Hill represented all that is good about politics and public service," former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III said. "I have been privileged to have been involved in political efforts both with John Hill and against him, and believe me, it was better to be with him."

Texas' two senators also released statements acknowledging Hill's impact on state politics and the judicial system.

"He was dynamic, witty, compassionate and always a gentleman," said Sen. John Cornyn, a former state attorney general and Texas Supreme Court justice. "He generated respect and admiration among his fellow Texans that transcended partisan politics."

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said, "The state of Texas owes him and his family a debt of gratitude."

Hill is survived by his wife; three children, Melinda Elizabeth Hill Perrin, John Graham Hill and Judge Martha Hill Jamison; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Houston.

"My life has been dedicated to supporting social justice" Chavez said. "It is an honor to join The Cochran Firm."

Among the cases in which Chavez will take part is litigation against Tyson Foods Inc., Pilgrim's Pride and other large poultry processing corporations on behalf of at least 7,000 workers who are seeking back wages, according to the firm.