On December 30, Davenport Evans lawyers and staff, spouses and honored guests, gathered to celebrate the retirement and distinguished career of Robert E. Hayes.
Bob has spent his entire legal career, 48 years, at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP. He joined the firm in 1977 after clerking for the Honorable Fred J. Nichol, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court of South Dakota. He then became a partner in the firm in 1980.
Bob was elected president of the State Bar of South Dakota for 2002-2003, and served as Chairman of the State Bar of South Dakota Section of Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law. He enjoyed a long career in the field of creditors rights law, serving many years on the State Bar’s Debtor Creditor Committee and nearly a decade as chair. Bob was a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Bob served as a director, Vice President, and President of the USD School of Law Foundation, and President of the State Bar Foundation. He also acted as an adjunct professor, teaching a class in secured transactions at the USD Knudson School of Law. Bob received an AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®, for the highest level of professional excellence in legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards. He was also regularly recognized by Best Lawyers®, Great Plains Super Lawyers, and Chambers and Partners publications.
Celebrating Bob Hayes
Bob’s retirement party was hosted at Oak & Olive Events by Roots of Brasil. Old friends, colleagues from other firms, and grandkids home from college on Christmas break made the evening extra special. A reunion of retired former legal assistants and paralegals with long-time co-workers was a bonus. You’d think the Davenport Evans family wasn’t quite ready to say Farewell to Bob and Kim Hayes!
Bob said to all gathered, “Ya know, this is the best group of people you’d ever want to work with, live with, have fun with. Just the best. All the way back from the first time I set foot in the place, when they were foolish enough to hire me, folks like Deming Smith and Tex Hoy, Louis Hurwitz, that’s what they were all about. And for all you younger guys, that was the only thing that made me come here and look.”
Bob has been a mentor and advisor to many attorneys over the years. Jon Brown, in his speech on behalf of the firm, shared “From the very first week I was at this firm until today, I’ve had the privilege of walking into your office and bothering you with various legal questions and problems. You were always gracious and kind with your time, and your counsel was wise and well seasoned. You would often say to me, ‘If it was easy, everyone would do it.’ Bob, thank you for your willingness to help me and so many others become better lawyers, and hopefully, better people.”
Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP, located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is one of the State’s largest law firms. The firm’s attorneys provide business and litigation counsel to individuals and corporate clients in a variety of practice areas. For more information about Davenport Evans, visit www.dehs.com.
For more photos and the full speech, please visit the Davenport Evans Law Firm Facebook page.
