Holman Jenkens

Law Firm, Jenkens and Gilchrist, 1938

Holman Jenkens was born in Abilene on March 18, 1918. He was the son of Dr. Millard A. Jenkens, the longtime pastor of the First Baptist Church of Abilene. Holman attended Abilene High School, then Hardin-Simmons University, where he played trumpet in the Cowboy Band. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Hardin-Simmons in 1938.

After graduation, Jenkens studied law at the University of Texas Law School. He received an LL.B. degree in 1941 and was admitted to the Texas courts. He served as Assistant Attorney General of Texas from 1943 to 1945. In 1946 he began work as the personal counsel to legendary oilman, Clint W. Murchison. He served as Murchinson’s advisor until 1969, a total of 23 years.

In 1951, Holman organized a law firm known as Jenkens and Bowen, which began with only two partners and two associates. From these humble beginnings, Jenkens grew a firm which achieved great success throughout the United States. The law firm he founded, now called Jenkens and Gilchrist, is one of the largest in the United States and has offices in nine large cities throughout the nation. Jenkens and Gilchrist employs more than 600 attorneys and serves clients ranging from entrepreneurial companies to Fortune 500 corporations.

Holman married Alline McGuaghey on Christmas Eve 1941 and had three children. He was a member of Highland Baptist Church and he was also involved in such professional organizations as the State Bar of Texas, American Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association, Texas University Law School Foundation, Southwestern Legal Foundation, Phi Delta Phi, and the American Judicature Society.

Holman Jenkens passed away on February 12, 1974 at the age of 56.

Inducted on April 5, 2002