William E. Hegarty ’47

BILL DIED Dec. 22, 1992, in Greenwich, Conn., where he had lived since 1955. His academic career and his professional career were alike marked with distinction. At Princeton he received high honors on graduation and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He then went to Yale Law School, where he was on the LAW REVIEW and was elected to the Order of the Coif. After receiving his degree in 1950, he commenced the practice of law in New York as a member of the firm of Cahill, Gordon & Reindel. He remained with the firm until his retirement as a senior partner in 1987.

Perhaps the high point of his career in law came in 1971, when he played a major role in the defense of the N.Y. TIMES in the trial of the Nixon administration's suit to prevent the publication of the Pentagon Papers, the report prepared by the Defense Dept. on how the U.S. came to fight in Vietnam. In a vigorous crossexamination, he won a ruling for the TIMES that was later upheld when the case came before the Supreme Court. Because of his adroit arguing in this and other cases, he was frequently taken as a model by young lawyers intending to build a career in litigation. Later, for his service as a director of the Florence Gould Foundation, which fosters FrancoAmerican friendship, he was named a chevalier of the Legion of Honor. Bill also served on the board of the Municipal Art Society, whose purpose is to celebrate and preserve the architectural heritage of NXC.

We are saddened that an end has come so soon to this exemplary life. To Bill's widow, Barbara; his daughters, Katharine, Mary, and Amanda; and his son, William Jr.; we extend our deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1947