Title: In Memoriam (1925-2022)
Cullen Smith was a named Partner of Naman Howell Smith & Lee. He was
the firm’s managing partner, president, and ultimately Chairman
of the Board for many years. Cullen was an attorney known and respected
throughout the legal community in Texas, and internationally.
He was a World War II veteran, who with the approval and support of the
State Department, negotiated with representatives of the North Vietnamese
government in Paris over their treatment of prisoners of war during the
Vietnam War. Throughout his legal career Cullen served as Texas State
Bar President, founding member and chairman of the American Law Firm Association,
and past chair of the Texas Bar Foundation. Over the course of his life
Cullen was very involved in civic service for the City of Waco, and even
represented the Texas State Governor and Secretary of State in redistricting
litigation following the 1980 census.
Cullen’s leadership was crucial to the growth and present-day success
of Naman Howell Smith & Lee, PLLC. Cullen Smith began his time with
Naman Howell in 1953, becoming partner in 1955, and eventually retiring
from the firm in 2002. We are truly grateful for his dedicated service
to the firm, and he will be dearly missed.
Bar Admissions
State Bar of Texas, 1950
U.S. Supreme Court, 1960
Education
Baylor University School of Law, J.D., 1950
Baylor University, B.B.A., 1948
Published Works
It Does Make A Difference, Texas Bar Journal, Vol.28,No.8, 1965
The Texas Canons of Ethics, Baylor Law Review, Spring, 1966
Maintaining A Sound Legal Profession, Mississippi Law Journal, October, 1968
Remind Me Please, Texas Bar Journal, February, 1968
The New Code of Professional Responsibility for Texas Lawyers –
A Step Forward, Texas Bar Journal, September, 1971
Using Outliners to Organize Ideas, Winning With Computers Part 2
Honors and Awards
Outstanding Mentoring Award, Texas Young Lawyers Association, 2007
Baylor Lawyer of the Year, 1980
Montana Bar Association, Honorary Member, 1970
Order of the Coif, Honorary Texas Tech Law School
ABA General Practice Section, Chairman, 1973 – 1974
ABA Special Committee of Law Book Publishing Practices, Chairman, 1970
– 1972
ABA Committee on Economics of Law Practice (now Section on Law Practice
Management) Chairman, 1970 – 1972
ABF Library Services Committee, Chairman, 1966 – 1972
Named one of Five Outstanding Young Texans by Texas Junior Chamber of
Commerce, 1957
Texas Bar Foundation, Outstanding Fifty Year Lawyer Award, 2000
American Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
Professional Associations and Memberships
Baylor Law Alumni Association, President, 1962 – 1963
State Bar of Texas, President, 1978 – 1979
State Junior Bar of Texas (now Texas Young Lawyers Association), President,
1957 – 1958
American Law Firm Association, Chairman of the Board, 1989 – 1990
Phi Delta Phi