William Deveney honors Joe Freeman, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for Cox Communications

“He was a mentor to me,” said William Deveney, who was an associate at Elarbee, Thompson, Sapp & Wilson LLP when Freeman worked there and is now a partner at that firm. “He expected hard work and your best efforts. But, he also was unfailingly pleasant and extremely generous in giving credit to the associates who worked for him. Since Joe left the firm to join Cox, and I have become a partner here, I have had the privilege of regularly working with him on various legal matters affecting the company. He is, without a doubt, my favorite client.”

Cox “was not to be denied” in its hiring of Freeman 14 years ago, overcoming one refusal of the job by Freeman, Deveney remembers.

“The [Cox] legal department received a repeated and resounding recommendation from its internal clients: Hire Joe Freeman,” Deveney said. “Like many lawyers, Joe is extremely smart, although he possesses an uncommonly strategic mind that I think distinguishes him from his peers. He also has a tremendous ability to provide non-lawyers with clear, practical legal advice — leavened with a healthy dose of humor in most instances — that helps put clients at ease.”