It is with great sadness that KMTG notes the passing of retired shareholder, Frederick G. Girard, who died on Sunday, January 8, 2012 in Carmichael, CA at the age of 89.
Mr. Girard was instrumental in the firm’s water and litigation practices and influential in the firm’s overall culture and success. “He was a wonderful, patient mentor for all of us, young and old,” said colleague and dear friend Edward Tiedemann who worked alongside Mr. Girard for nearly 40 years before Mr. Girard's retirement in 2006.
He was a tenacious litigator with a kind heart. As shareholder Cliff Schulz fondly recalls, “He never met a trial question that could not be asked better as a leading question — even to his own witness. It drove opposing counsel nuts, but a couple of questions after an objection was sustained he would be back in leading question mode and opposing counsel often gave up."
"He was simply a nice guy, but that demeanor just made his legal skills more successful as opposing parties would sometimes make the mistake of underestimating those skills. Fred was truly a key cog in KMTG's success,” adds Schulz.
Mr. Girard earned his law degree at Boalt Hall, U.C. Berkeley in 1953 after serving as a paratrooper during WWII where he earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his combat in Italy. Before joining KMTG in 1967, Mr. Girard spent 13 years as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of California where he handled major water and water-related resources litigation throughout California, including trying the State’s case in United States of America v. Fallbrook Public Utility District, et al. Mr. Girard also handled major condemnation trials involving the Department of Water Resources’ Feature River Project, including Oroville Dam.
Mr. Girard’s guidance and imprints will continue to be felt for many years to come. We will miss him dearly. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.