USD Law Advocate, Spring 2026

❱❱ Joan Evelyn Bowes passed away on March 22, 2025, at age 94. Born in Miami in 1930 and raised in Chicago, Bowes later made La Jolla her beloved home. Passionate about American history, civic life and community service, she chaired the San Diego Bicentennial Commission, where her lead ership and commitment earned recognition from city and county officials. As a philanthropist, Bowes’s generosity has been long recognized by USD School of Law and the law school deans who have worked most closely with her in planning the Joan E. Bowes-James Madison Distinguished Speaker Series for more than two decades. The series, named after the fourth U.S. president, brings to campus distin guished speakers from the fields of law, diplomacy, government and politics to inspire students and the broader San Diego community while promoting the open exchange of ideas and meaningful connections. Bowes was active in numerous local organizations, including the San Diego Opera. She was named a Heritage Society Member for the Vista Hill Foundation, a nonprofit that supports people facing mental and behavioral health challenges, substance use and devel opmental disabilities. A former thoroughbred horse farm owner and lifelong equestrian, Bowes brought the same energy, love and discipline she showed in the saddle to every aspect of her life.

IN MEMORY OF DECEASED ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

❱❱ A towering figure in tax law, Willard B. Taylor was widely con sidered one of the leading tax lawyers of his generation. Taylor passed away on May 17, 2024, at age 83. A regular speaker at USD School of Law, Taylor later served as a visiting professor. In the classroom, he blended rigor and

generosity, giving students practical insight into federal income taxation and its impact on real estate investment trusts and regulated investment companies. Taylor’s work at USD Law reflected a long-stand ing commitment to education and to the practice of law. He taught in the graduate tax program at New York University School of Law for 30 years and was a visiting professor or lecturer at Yale Law School, the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and the

1963 Leon Lewitt 1970 Albert Morris “Butch” Coury 1975 Hon. Robin Riblet 1985 John Beckerich Barriage 1988 George E. Hurley, Jr. 1989 Michael Francis Daniels 1992 Larry Williams 2006 Bert Randolph “Randy” Willert (LLM)

University of Virginia School of Law. Alongside his teaching, he was a longtime partner, and later of counsel, at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where he helped shape the modern tax treatment of pass-through entities. He also chaired the Tax Section of the New York State Bar Association. Known for his commitment to inclusion, Taylor devoted himself to the arts, becoming a trustee of the Kitchen, an experimental arts institution in New York, and Aperture, a non profit publisher that builds community through photography. He leaves behind a legacy of excellence and integrity that will continue to inspire the USD Law community.

USD SCHOOL OF LAW

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