Jim Lane — Defending Defenders
He Built a Career of Having the Backs of Heroes . But , Sometimes , He Even Defends a Regular Guy .
SEPTEMBER 2018 PARKER COUNTY TODAY
LEGAL EAGLES
Jim Lane — Defending Defenders
He Built a Career of Having the Backs of Heroes . But , Sometimes , He Even Defends a Regular Guy .
Attorney Jim Lane ’ s life ’ s work centers around defending people whose life ’ s work is to protect and defend
Americans and the nation ’ s interests . Strangely , he never seems to grow weary of it . It began when Lane graduated law school and immediately joined the Army during the Vietnam-era . He spent most of his military career defending GIs who had somehow found themselves at odds with the military justice system .
Among Lane ’ s first clients were soldiers accused of murder in the infamous My Lai Massacre of 1968 .
“ It made me mad that the government was prosecuting these young men for things the government had ordered them to do ,” Lane said .
Once Lane returned to civilian life , he began establishing a career of defending law enforcement officers and firefighters .
“ There should be a special place in our hearts for people who get up every morning to save your life or mine ,” he said . “ These are the folks who put on a uniform and a bullet-proof vest , and a gun , then kiss their spouse and the kids goodbye , never knowing if they ’ ll make it home . These are special people , and they deserve to be treated with respect .”
The general public wants the best law enforcement money can buy , “ But they don ’ t want to pay the taxes to put enough police officers on the street to really do the job with the proper equipment and proper training ,” Lane said .
After Vietnam , Lane began to wonder , what kind of people would volunteer to go into combat zones ?
“ The way the environment is today , I look at these guys and I think , surely we can do better for them ,” Lane said . “ Why would anyone want to be a police officer today ? They ’ re getting shot at just getting out of their cars , before they do anything , and before they even have an opportunity to be heard in a courtroom or an administrative hearing , they ’ re fried in the press by people who don ’ t like them . It ’ s a really difficult situation .”
Lane is the father of an 11-year-old son , something that gives him a whole new prospective .
“ I look at my little boy and I think , Jake , you know , I came from a family of military people , everyone served , and I want you to do your part , but I don ’ t want you to get caught up in a Vietnam , and I am not at all happy with Afghanistan , I think that is Vietnam all over again .”
Lane ’ s son already has an admiration for members of the law enforcement community .
“ I ’ m not sure I would want him to be a police officer either ,” Lane said . “ He ’ s around police officers all the time , I mean you know that ’ s half of my clientele . He loves police officers but it ’ s a dangerous job , a thankless job most of the time . People don ’ t realize how much it means to a police officer if someone sees them in a restaurant , just get their check and pay it for them . You don ’ t have to tell them , just pay and get out of there . Tell them thank you , these are nice men and women out here . They are not malicious or out to shoot innocent people . That is not true .”
The news story that hit home most to Lane was the story about the officers who were shot in Dallas a couple of years ago .
“ You know , they were defending the marchers !” Lane said . “ What a turn of events that was . But these are snipers and that ’ s what happens in all wars . We saw so much of that in Vietnam , the snipers and you see that in Afghanistan and Iraq . That means you get shot by somebody you never see .” What inspired Lane to become a lawyer ? “ My grandfather . My great-granddad was an old West Texas Judge ,” Lane said . “ I don ’ t remember him but my granddaddy talked about him all the time . … Jacob Lawhorn Alford . I named Jake ( Lane ’ s son ) after him .”
Although the main office of Lane ’ s law firm operates from a beautifully-restored Victorian house near the Fort Worth Stockyards , Lane has practiced law in Parker County for more than 30 years , with his Parker County law office located across the street for the Larry Fowler Justice Center . He also owns a peaceful ranch in Northeast Parker County , that ’ s his retreat .
“ In 1976 , or the first part of ‘ 77 I bought the first part of that ranch I put together in Parker County ,” Lane said . “ We have put 100 acres together out of that original ranch . We have a log home out there that we like to stay at . We ’ ve got cutting horses and a couple of cows , I ’ ve had a little satellite office in Parker County for more than 30 years .”
Of all of the cases Lane has handled , the one he still finds most interesting is the My Lai trials .
“ When we were trying the My Lai trials , I thought this is really something , you know , we were , [ the lawyers that were handling that ], we were on national news every night and it was really special ,” Lane said . “ But after I came home and I really thought about what that was all about . I had a lot of trouble . I guess whether I like it or not , I am always going to be remembered as one of the My Lai lawyers .”
When asked what case he would most like to be remembered for , Lane was quiet for a moment , then he said , “ I ’ m not for sure that is what I would like to be remembered for . I guess , more than anything else I ’ d rather be remembered as a lawyer that tried a custody case and put a child with a parent that the child belonged with .”
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