The Baylor University Alumni Association recently bestowed the 2007 Distinguished Alumni Award upon five Baylor graduates including Walter Umphrey, James B. Adams, Philip D. Hardberger, Steven Stucky and Dr. Dallas Willard. Presented annually since 1965, the prestigious award has honored governors and scientists, artists and denominational leaders, and educators and entrepreneurs.

Umphrey earned two degrees from Baylor, his bachelor of business administration degree in 1959 and a law degree in 1965. The senior managing partner of Provost and Umphrey LLP, he is well known as the lead attorney in the historic $17.3 billion settlement for Texas residents against the tobacco industry in 1998. 

He and his wife, Sheila, gave $10 million to help build the Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center at Baylor. The Walter Umphrey Cancer Center in Southeast Texas is named for him as well. He is known for his contributions to civic and charitable organizations and to other universities, including Lamar University and the University of Texas Law School.

Umphrey, who is board certified in the areas of personal injury trial law and labor and employment law, was chosen as Baylor Lawyer of the Year in 1999 and the next year was named one of the top Texas lawyers of the 20th century in the book, Legal Legends: A Century of Texas Law and Lawyering.

The adopted son of a Port Arthur justice of the peace, he was exposed to law at an early age. After graduation from Baylor Law School, he joined the district attorney’s office in Jefferson County and eventually became chief felony prosecutor.

“My advice to any young lawyer who wants to be a trial lawyer is to go to work in the DA’s office. There is no experience you can get anywhere that’s more valuable than that,” Umphrey said.