Mississippi city lawyer retiring from nearly 6-decade career

NATCHEZ, Miss. (AP) — After almost six a long time of practising regulation, a lawyer within the southwestern Mississippi metropolis of Natchez is retiring.

Walter Brown, 83, has served as authorized counsel to the town throughout the administration of 5 mayors and is about to name it quits on Dec. 31.

“It doesn’t appear that lengthy, however it’s time,” Brown instructed The Natchez Democrat.

In his 58 years of practising regulation, Brown has served below 5 mayors — Tony Byrne, David Armstrong, Butch Brown, Hank Smith, and Philip West.

“Every was completely totally different in each respect,” Brown stated. “All of them wished to do one thing for the neighborhood. All the aldermen and all the mayors I’ve served with got here to the purpose of realization that they wanted to work as a group, they usually did work as a group. There have been exceptions, however not many. I assumed all of them did an excellent job. Serving in public workplace nowadays is type of like being a newspaper editor. You get quite a lot of criticism. No person tells you in regards to the good belongings you do.”

Whereas he’ll not work for purchasers, Brown stated he would nonetheless come to his workplace as typical.

“I’m going to learn all the books that I purchased over time. And I’m going to take pleasure in my spouse and household,” he stated of plans for his day without work.

“Natchez is such a particular metropolis. Individuals say, ‘You don’t have any hobbies,’ and I say, ‘I do. Natchez is my pastime.’ That’s sufficient pastime to maintain all my time,” Brown stated.

Newcomers to Natchez shortly turn out to be part of the neighborhood, he famous.

“Have a look at Dan Gibson. He’s so enthusiastic. Here’s a man who was the mayor of Crystal Springs who involves Natchez and falls in love with it. Individuals come to this city as a result of there’s something magical in regards to the identify Natchez. Savannah, Charleston, New Orleans, Natchez. Natchez has attributes of these nice cities of the south,” Brown stated.

“I like to take visitors to Texada and inform them, ‘That is the place the territorial legislature met, and it was additionally a bar. Right here is the place we raised the primary flag,” he continued. “When new folks come into the neighborhood, instantly they’re a part of the neighborhood. Not solely do they normally deliver some good monetary backing, however additionally they get proper into Natchez.”

Brown is a Natchez native. At 17, he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve.

“Becoming a member of the navy was the perfect factor I ever did,” he stated. “Again then, and even now, anyone who thinks life goes to be what it’s like in faculty … effectively, it’s not. I’m an advocate for some sort of public service after highschool, if not the navy, some sort of public service.”

After stints in England, Norway and the Caribbean, he returned residence. He spent a yr on the College of Southern Mississippi earlier than deciding to check regulation at Ole Miss. He later opened a solo regulation apply in Natchez earlier than working for the Legislature in 1967.

“I served 12 years and realized I wanted to return residence and make a dwelling,” Brown stated.

Most of Brown’s work has been governmental in nature.

“This comes out of your dad being a supervisor (with Adams County) and going to Washington and being within the Legislature and assembly attorneys and different folks from across the state. You find yourself within the public coverage and administration aspect of regulation apply.

“I think a minimum of half my regulation apply has been serving as counsel for boards, resembling serving as the town legal professional for 25 years (and) the hospital for about the identical time,” he stated. “You might be on the within. While you’re counsel for the board, board members look to their authorized counsel for not solely what the regulation is but additionally they need to know what you concentrate on this coverage or that coverage. With out getting completely concerned in it, you turn out to be a listening level for aldermen, and also you turn out to be a mediator between totally different viewpoints. That has been notably true of the town.”

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