Walter, BBA '59, JD '65 and Sheila Umphrey
- Legacy Award
Walter and Sheila Umphrey’s appreciation for Baylor since their days on campus is made manifest through their visionary philanthropy, which has immeasurably shaped the campus and students’ lives. We honor their significant contributions through the presentation of the Baylor Legacy Award.
The foundation for Walter Umphrey’s (BBA ’59, JD ’65) legendary law career was built during the wee hours of study in the small home that he and his wife, Sheila, rented from Baylor while he pursued his law degree and she worked to support them. Rooted in these humble beginnings, the couple’s commitment to the University would lead to a stunning new home for Baylor Law School and an iconic pedestrian bridge linking campus to McLane Stadium.
Walter formed the Umphrey Provost law firm in 1969 and went on to become one of the true giants in the legal field.
His greatest legal victory secured the largest civil settlement in U.S. history. As the lead attorney of a five-man “dream team,” which included fellow Baylor law grads John Eddie Williams (BBA ’76, JD ’78) and Harold Nix (JD ’65), Umphrey engineered an historic $17.3 billion dollar settlement for Texas residents against the tobacco industry in 1998.
Today, Provost Umphrey employs more than 20 lawyers, many of them holding Baylor Law School degrees. Those hires are based on more than school pride.
Remembering well how Baylor prepared him for his own career, Umphrey recognizes that attorneys who come through the Baylor Law School program “have been given personal attention and received a great education.”
In 1998, the Umphreys joined with fellow Baylor lawyers to fund construction that moved Baylor Law School from Morrison Constitution Hall to the state-of-the-art Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center along the Brazos River. The center carries the couple’s name in honor of their commitment, which was the largest in school history at the time.
In 2012, the Umphreys once again expanded Baylor’s presence along the river, funding the bridge that connects McLane Stadium to the campus. The Sheila and Walter Umphrey Pedestrian Bridge runs alongside the Umphrey Law Center, expanding the borders of Baylor University north of the Brazos.
They also support Baylor students through endowed scholarships and the Walter Umphrey Endowed Courtroom Fund for Baylor Law School.
In addition to Baylor, the couple supports their Gulf Coast community. They provided the lead gift for the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center at Lamar University, Sheila’s alma mater in Beaumont. Their philanthropy has also provided for the Walter Umphrey Cancer Center of Southeast Texas and Walter Umphrey State Park in Port Arthur.
