Being a South Texas College of Law graduate, I have always been drawn to the legal journeys of other South Texas alumni, particularly those who found their way to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and built consequential careers here. One of my former bosses, the great Jim Kronzer, once told me never to go back to Dallas to practice. I did not follow that advice, but perhaps because of it, I have remained especially interested in how fellow South Texas graduates came north, established themselves, and helped shape the profession. Two years ago, at the Marriage Dissolution Institute, I was wandering around one evening when I came upon one such South Texas alum Jim Loveless, along with fellow amazing lawyers Curtis Loveless of Denton and Steve King of Fort Worth. They graciously invited me to join them for dinner. For one brief evening, I was admitted into a remarkable club. There was wonderful food, more than a few spirits, and an unforgettable conversation about lawyers, judges, clients, courtrooms, and the practice of family law. I wish I had recorded it—not for evidentiary purposes, but because it was a master class in the practice of family law from the masters themselves. The stories were funny, pointed, candid, and full of the kind of wisdom that never appears in a statute, a case reporter, or a CLE paper. I left grateful that they had made room for me and conscious that I had been given an experience I would not forget. That evening came back to me at this year’s Advanced Family Law Conference, when I learned that Jim Loveless had passed away on August 11, 2026. The news carried particular weight because Jim was not merely a highly accomplished lawyer. He was part of the living history of Texas family law—a pioneer, courtroom advocate, teacher, mentor, leader, storyteller, and friend whose influence extended across generations. James Michael Loveless was a fourth-generation Fort Worth resident, born on September 20, 1944, to Roy and Armilda Jane Loveless. He grew up with his siblings, Bart, Jeff, and Marilyn, and graduated from Paschal High School. Long before he entered the courtroom, the traits that would define him were already apparent: he was industrious, entrepreneurial, intensely competitive, curious, and just mischievous enough to make every story better. At eight years old, he was already delivering newspapers by bicycle for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, despite being younger than the allowable age. As a young man, he loved racing cars. He would remove parts—including the tailpipes—from his mother’s Buick, sneak it away to the Saturday-night drag races, try to earn a little money, and then put the car back together before she needed it for church the next morning. It is difficult to imagine a more fitting early portrait of Jim: resourceful, fearless, mechanically gifted, competitive, and always ready for an adventure. Jim attended Schreiner Military Institute and graduated from Texas Tech University. Along the way, he met Mary Kathryn Evans, known to everyone as “Kitty”. They married on January 26, 1967, and were approaching their sixtieth wedding anniversary. Their marriage was the center of Jim’s life, and Kitty played a defining role in the career that followed. She encouraged him to pursue his dream of becoming a lawyer. Together, they left their jobs in Fort Worth and moved to Houston so that Jim could attend South Texas College of Law. He went to law school at night, graduated in 1974, and returned home to Fort Worth to practice. What followed was an extraordinary half-century in Texas family law. Jim became the first BoardCertified Family Law Specialist in Texas. He loved the courtroom and the demanding, human work of family law, but his contribution reached far beyond the cases he tried. He became one of the profession’s most important leaders and one of its most generous mentors. Jim served as Chair of the State Bar of Texas Family Law Council and as President of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. He was deeply involved in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, serving as President of the Texas Chapter and on the National Board of Governors. He also served on numerous State Bar committees. Through those positions, and through countless less formal conversations, he helped establish the standards by which Texas family lawyers measured preparation, judgment, professionalism, and service.
