Professor William Champion died in Oxford on Friday. Professor Champion was probably the most popular law professor at the Ole Miss Law School in the last forty years. He served on the faculty of the Law School from 1965–1998 and taught thousands of the lawyers who now practice in Mississippi.
Although I was not close to Professor Champion, he did seem to take a special interest in my education in the early 1990’s. He called on me on the first day of Civ. Pro. 2 during my second year. Based on how I answered the question, he decided (incorrectly) that I did not prepare for class. He then proceeded to call on me in every single class for the rest of the semester. All the attention helped me get an ‘A’ in the course, since I had to prepare so hard for every class knowing that he would call on me.
Professor Champion emphasized the need for professionalism and collegiality in the practice of law. He made sure that his students knew that lawyers could vigorously represent their clients without acting like an ass. I remember him saying that opposing counsel should be able to go have a drink together after a day in court without their being any ill will.
Professor Champion will not soon be forgotten by Mississippi lawyers. Forty or more years from now there will still be students of his practicing law in Mississippi.