In Memoriam: William [Bill] Wiseman Huss

The few years that I knew Bill, will always be treasured, because being linked to him always seemed to initiate a need, or to evoke a desire to resolve some sort of social issue or public matter - that seemed to have become a ‘road block’ to the efficacy of the State - or just plain unfair and a burden on the populace.

From the initial meeting(s) at the Annual Global Conference of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, held in the Queen Elizabeth II Centre, London – I was struck by Bill’s view that sustainable change could only come through an open and fair political process – particularly as his can do attitude on this point and what he wanted to achieve, were so similar to my own views.

At that Conference, a response was made from the podium to a particular question on litigation from the floor, along the lines of “we do not want to get to the situation that exists in California, where the Judges seem to hand down such ‘flakey’ decisions”.

Bill stood up and answered ‘well as one of those flakey Judges from California I believe that …’
His answer seemed to me to be predicated around the point of ‘strict interpretation of contract’ – as also operates in Ulster - and not the English Legal System’s use of equity to protect certain vested interests from answering for their financial bungling and efforts of cover up - so as to avoid the Political Executive - be it on a national or pan-euro scale – properly undertaking audited restatement so as to avoid penalty by legal action. Why not take back the public money [raised as punitive taxation] from such people in the form of substantial damages? It is the only ‘apology’ that they understand!

Bill had such a sense of fun – and took no offence if the matter before him cut right across his own views. For me this makes sense of his reputation in California of being the Peoples’ Judge – he stood firm against vast corporate vested interest running rough-shod over folks as they pleased!

Bill was, I learnt, a fifth generation judge in his family line and a descendant of William Wallace. He was also an anglophile, who could swear allegiance to the Queen, in the best sense of remaining an American Patriot [born 9 September 1932 in Gastonia, North Carolina] and latterly being able to trace his family links back to the Mayflower. Bill held memberships in many types of organisation, which included linkage to the Roman Emperor General Cincinnatus – participating in annual ‘diplomatic status’ marches, alternating between Washington and Paris. With the expression of an interest in the City and Town of London, there began a process for me to have him become one of the very first Freemen vested under the Global Application revision – and eventually to becoming a Liveryman of our Company in 2004.

It would require a tome to list his accomplishments, including training as a Commercial Lawyer at night-school whilst working at US Steel, Law Graduate, Colonel in the US Naval Reserve [Legal], State appointed Judge for civil & criminal trials, civil trial attorney, founder of a law firm, law lecturer & teacher, mediator, arbitrator, not forgetting being a successful author, playwright, poet, percussionist, scholar in antiquities, founder of St. James Episcopal School and a supporting member of The Anglican Communion, Compass Rose Society.

So it is best to remember Bill, using the published material from the time when he became vested in our Worshipful Company as a Liveryman in 2004:
A LIVERYMAN’S PROMISE
It is traditional for the most senior of those being admitted to the Livery on any given occasion to address the Court on behalf of all newly admitted Liverymen and Freemen. On 28 January 2004 that duty fell on Liveryman Judge Bill Huss, and this is what he said:

“Master, Wardens, Past Masters, Members of the Court of Assistance, learned Clerk and distinguished guests, as the senior of those now just admitted as Freemen and those receiving the Livery of our company, I have been given the honor of speaking for us and pledging our devotion to upholding the high standards of professionalism of our guild.

As a judge and a descendant of judges, I know that rarely, if ever, do litigants have the opportunity to choose their judges. Parties to arbitration and mediation nearly always may choose their tribunal together.

Consequently, it is of the utmost importance for arbitrators and mediators to assiduously maintain the reputation, and the reality, of fairness and impartiality. Our Company sets those highest standards for us and we promise to adhere to them.

That promise includes as well, our duty of mutual aid and protection of our members and their families.
Thank you very much”

Rest in deserved peace Bill

Liveryman Ian Patterson Wilson