Page 101 - ACTL Journal Win24

Terry started college at East Central Universi- ty in Ada, where he met his best friend for life, Charles Henry. After a year at East Central, he transferred to the University of Oklahoma, planning to become an engineer. But he soon realized that long division was the highest level of mathematics he could master so he became a journalism major and wrote for the college newspaper.
After graduation, Terry returned to Ada to work for the Ada Evening News and the Ada Weekly News. Terry recalls the fun of chasing ambulanc- es, covering car wrecks and county fairs. He was encouraged by the owner of the newspaper to apply for a public relations opening with an oil company in Tulsa, Sunray DX. Terry got the job but it did not take long to figure out that there was no chance for advancement and not much of a future there. Terry noticed that the presi- dent of the company was a lawyer.
In the fall of 1962, Terry enrolled in the Tulsa Law School evening program. He was married and had a son on the way. He went to school at night and worked days for Aetna insurance as a claims adjuster – a job that taught him how to put a case together. Terry graduated in 1966.
Meanwhile, Terry’s BFF Charles Henry had graduated from the University of Oklahoma Law School and returned to his hometown of Shawnee to start a law practice. Terry joined Charles in the firm of Henry and West, handling any client who walked (or sometimes limped) through the door. Early on, Terry charged cli-
ents an hourly fee. Over time, as he and his clients became friends, he found himself cutting his fees regularly. Henry told him he needed to start taking contingency fee cases to make any real money. Terry took that advice. Terry figured “If I win, I get paid, but my clients would keep the majority of the settlement, and end up with a lot more money than they came in with.” The law firm grew by hiring young lawyers who went on to do great things.
Doug Combs has served on the Oklahoma Supreme Court since 2011. Charles Henry’s son, Charles Bradford Henry, practiced with the firm before serving two terms as Governor of Oklahoma from 2003 to 2011. Robert Henry, Charles’ nephew, worked for the firm and later became a 10th Circuit Federal Judge. Charles and Terry ended their law partner- ship amicably and remained close friends until Charles’ passing in 2001.
SOME CASES MAY NOT GO HOME WITH YOU BUT REMAIN MEMORABLE.
At a drilling site in the Oklahoma Oil Patch, a chain broke while lift- ing a BOP (blowout preventer). The broken end of the chain whipped around and struck a worker, paralyzing him. Terry met with the sons of the injured man shortly after the event and told them they had to find the broken link from the chain. Terry told them where to look. The sons found the link. Early on, the authenticity of the link was questioned. A metallurgy test by the defendants’ metallurgy depart- ment proved that it indeed was the actual link from the BOP chain.
Terry asked the jury to award a million dollars; the jury awarded $750,000. A few weeks later, out of the blue, Terry received an invita- tion to a Christmas party from one of the jurors. Terry decided to go and he wasn’t there long before the juror approached him. She said he should be very proud of her because the other jurors wanted to award a million dollars but she was able to convince them that for $750,000 there wouldn’t be any appeal. She told Terry she thought that would be in his best interest. Terry did not stay long at the party.
1 Earl Deane Mills, ’77, passed on October 16, 2020, at the age of eighty-nine. Earl started his education in a two-room schoolhouse near Ringling, OK, where he was taught by his mother and father. Earl was a highly successful lawyer, but one of his other loves was weekend cowboy- ing. Because he so looked the role, he was sometimes called “the Marlboro Man,” as he would saddle up, count cows and check the fence line. Of course Earl and Terry were good friends.
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