Harry E. White, Jr., a former tax partner at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, died on July 23, 2010. He was a friend and mentor. Harry was one of the few people I have ever met who really, really knew how to do old-school tax research and could actually explain to others how to do it. Harry knew all of the paper sources and reporters. He could tell you from memory how commercial reporters’ coverage of the 1954 Act varied. He knew where the “holes” were in new on-line databases. Harry loved legislative history and found buried gems that the rest of us couldn’t.
When I started teaching and was thinking about my first article, I had lunch with Harry to pick his brain, to ask whether he saw in other parts of the tax law what I thought I saw in one part. I had lunch with Harry because I liked to watch him think.
Here is the obituary from the New York Times:
Son of the late Verena Leisen and Judge Harry E. White. Received BSFS, Georgetown University and LL.B. from Columbia University Law School. Partner at the law firm of Milbank Tweed, Hadley and McCloy specializing in international taxation. Director and then President for 12 years on the Board of the “333 East 55th Street Owners Cooperative Association.” Member of the Players’ Club. Retired Major in MI-USAR, served in Vietnam. Recipient of the Bronze Star. Active member of the New York Sea Gypsies. Survived by his spouse, Dr. M. P. A. Sheaffer, his brother Thomas White, a stepsister, Lida Parrish, and a stepbrother, J. William Leisen. Contributions may be made either to Divers Alert Network or to the American Cancer Society.
I respected Harry White immensely and I will miss his counsel. Farewell, Harry.
-Bridget Crawford
