Edgar Freeman Smith

A Saga of Texas Land and Oil Law Edgar Freeman Smith

In the 1920s, the law of oil and gas in Texas was a frontier: raw and unsettled. As Assistant Attorney General in charge of the land desk, Edgar Smith found himself a fascinated observer and an active player in some the most important cases in the history of Texas land and oil law. This is Edgar Smith's legal autobiography. In it, he lays out the the facts of the cases he argued and why he won, while presenting the arguments of his opponents in a fair light. The cases he covers include Capitol Syndicate case, Red River Boundary case, Relinquishment Act, case of the "So-called Oil Leases" and more. Smith went on to work for Baker, Botts & Parker & Garwood (now Baker Botts) and includes a concise history of the firm, as well as an excellent character sketch of Judge Garwood.