Charles W. Key (1929-2008)

This post is not about inverse condemnation, eminent domain, or land use law.  It is about my colleague, law partner, and friend Charles W. Key. Charlie died at home September 10, 2008. He was 79.

Charlie was a man of wry charm whose legacy in his community, with the Bar, and in our firm which bears his name, is secure. Prior to attending Stanford Law School, he served in the Navy as both an enlisted man and as an officer. He also served as President of the Hawaii State Bar Association, and was instrumental in “unifying” the Hawaii Bar, requiring that all lawyers become members. Charlie was elected as Hawaii's delegate to the American Bar Association, and also was a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics for many years. He was consistently recognized by his peers as among the Best Lawyers in Hawaii.

One of the proudest moments of my legal career didn't take place in a court, a judge's chambers, or a conference room. A few years ago, Charlie and I were killing time between holes on a golf course in Reno. He had obtained a draft of an op-ed I was writing about the Supreme Court's now-infamous decision in Kelo v. City of New London. "I read your article about that condemnation case," he said. I was apprehensive -- I valued his insight, but Charlie was not a man to offer praise lightly, so I had been naturally reluctant to give it to him until it was in better shape. But he had somehow obtained a draft. "It's good," he said, "and I agree with your conclusions. That case just isn't right. The Supreme Court should have known better." His words meant more than a dozen courtroom victories.

Both in his personal and professional interactions, Charlie could be refreshingly direct, as many of us at Damon Key experienced. But he was also equally considerate, compassionate, and a reminder of a time when the practice of law was more personal, more intimate. Of course I shall always remember Charlie as a candid, forthright, and accomplished lawyer. But where he remains in my heart more deeply is as the friend and mentor who quietly demonstrated that the practice of law can be both a personal service and a collegial profession. A calling where consideration and courtesy still have a place even among the most zealous of advocates.

Thank you, Charlie, and aloha oe.