Slack & Davis lost a founding father August 1, when Tom H. Davis, III, died at age 79.Slack & Davis was founded August 1, 1993, by Tom H. Davis, his son Mike Davis, and their colleague Michael L. Slack.
“For Tom Davis, his love of flying and love of the law came together to define his life’s work—a career in aviation law that spanned decades and took him to the very top of a highly demanding field,” said Slack, whom Davis mentored in the emerging field of aviation law.
Davis first learned to fly in the Navy at the end of World War II. After three years of military service, he returned home to Austin and the University of Texas, where he played football and later earned a bachelor of laws degree in January 1950. He was admitted to the Texas bar in December 1949.
Davis served as a briefing attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas from 1950 to 1951. But when the United States entered the Korean conflict, Davis was recalled to active duty as a Marine pilot. From 1952 to 1953, he flew 103 combat missions in a Grumman F9F Panther jet. In recognition of his heroics, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and 10 air medals.
A Pilot’s Perspective
After the war, Davis returned to Austin. In 1953, he began practicing personal injury law with former U.S. Senator Ralph W. Yarborough. (Yarborough remained a lifelong friend until his death in 1996.) After Yarborough’s election to the U.S. Senate, Davis co-founded the Austin firm of Byrd & Davis in 1959. He served as managing partner at that firm until leaving to start Slack & Davis.
In the early 1960s, Davis took his first air crash case and found his true calling. By the early 1970s, he was specializing exclusively in air crash litigation and related insurance coverage disputes.
Davis continued to fly for business and pleasure, and he found that piloting greatly benefited his skills as an aviation lawyer. His first-hand knowledge of aircraft and his pilot’s perspective led him to critical insights about why accidents occurred—insights that proved key to establishing causation and liability in lawsuits.
The fact that he took to the skies himself also gave him a passion for improving aviation safety by pursuing those responsible for senseless deaths and unsafe aircraft.
A Nationally Respected Leader
During his legal career, Davis held several prestigious leadership positions.
High Profile Cases
Over the course of his career, Davis handled aviation law cases involving commercial airliners, air charters, commuter aircraft and general aviation. He represented the families of passengers in major air disasters such as the United 581 crash at Colorado Springs, Colo.; the Delta 191 crash at Dallas/Fort Worth airport; the Braniff Electra crash at Dawson, Texas; and the Piedmont mid-air collision in Asheville, N.C.
Some of his most notable cases include crashes that killed entertainers Jim Croce, Stevie Ray Vaughan and three members of Reba McEntire’s band. In addition, he assisted Michael L. Slack on a case arising out of the death of musician Walter Hyatt in the crash of ValuJet 592.
“Today, Tom Davis remains the visionary pioneer who inspires the Slack & Davis aviation law team,” said Slack.
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