Dennis Michael Black

Dennis Michael Black passed away on July 1, 2017, in his new adopted city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, after a brief illness.

He was born in Queens, New York in 1964, and spent his early years living in Geneva, Switzerland and London, England, where his father was employed. The family eventually settled in Houston, Texas, where Dennis attended the fourth grade through high school. He was a precocious, talented child and teen, excelling at academics, debate, soccer, and music, specifically the chord organ.

Dennis studied economics and political science at his beloved Texas A&M University, then went on to earn his J.D. at the University of Chicago Law School. It was there that he clerked for the prolific Judge Richard Posner, whom he revered, at the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Posner recently told family members that Dennis was “…one of his best.”

He was a sought-after young attorney, but chose to join the prestigious law firm of Williams & Connolly in Washington, DC upon graduation, where he would stay for 25 years, becoming a partner in 1998. He worked on myriad cases around the country, primarily as a corporate litigator. He retired—although he hated that word—in 2015, to pursue new projects, including doing pro bono work for organizations he’d long supported, such as Washington, DC’s SMYAL (Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders). He also co-founded both a children’s clothes manufacturing company and a casual men’s clothing store in Washington, DC.

Dennis was a fierce advocate for the LGBT community, specifically for rejected teens and persecuted military service members. He was also a longtime donor to HIV and cancer charities.

A diehard sports fan, Dennis never missed a Texas Aggies football or a Washington Nationals baseball game. He was an eloquent, impassioned storyteller, who would regale friends with anecdotes until the wee hours of the morning. Together with his partner and close friends, he traveled the world extensively, mostly by sea. And, maybe most importantly to him, he loved his dogs and played with and spoke to them constantly.

Dennis was preceded in death by his father James P. Black. He is survived by his life partner of 23 years, R. Scott Wallis of Santa Fe, NM; his mother Marjorie Wing Black of Albany, CA; his brother Jim Black of Oakland, CA, along with Jim’s wife Kathy Koger and their children Jessie and Arion; Scott’s parents Richard and Dale Wallis of Williamsburg, VA, and sister Laura Wallis of Maplewood, NJ, along with Laura’s husband Jay Cooper and their children Henry and Annie; and, many close aunts and cousins. He also regarded his hundreds of friends and colleagues, across the country and around the world, as family.

Dennis opted not to have a memorial service or a funeral, however a celebration of life reception will take place on Sunday, September 10, 2017, in Washington, DC for family, friends, and colleagues. Smaller family events will take place in New York and California—as well as one for new friends in New Mexico—later in the year.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in his honor can be made to one of two organizations he supported wholeheartedly: the aforementioned SMYAL in Washington, DC (Make checks payable to SMYAL and include “In memory of Dennis Black” in the memo line. SMYAL, 410 7th St. SE, Washington, DC 20003, or online at www.smyal.org), or to the new Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth, TX (Make checks payable to Texas A&M Foundation and include “In memory of Dennis Black” in the memo line. Texas A&M Foundation, Gift Processing Dept., 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, TX 77840, or online at www.txamfoundation.com).