The Mississippi Bar lost a legendary stalwart with the recent passing of Lemuel Lawrence “Larry” Houchins, Jr. Larry, who passed away on October 26, 2025, in Jackson, was Executive Director of the Mississippi Bar for 37 years until his retirement in 2017. He was 72.
Larry grew up in Vicksburg, Mississippi and graduated from Ole Miss in 1975. After graduation, he served for several years as the Executive Director of the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association before becoming the Executive Director of the Mississippi Bar in 1980.
During his multi-decade tenure at the helm of the Mississippi Bar, Larry led the organization through a multitude of challenges, times of turbulence, and radical changes in the way lawyers operate and serve their clients. Despite this, and with the size of the Bar always growing, Larry always seemed a step ahead, boosting member services in areas such as computerized legal research, trainings at seminars, publications, career networks and attorney assistance programs, just to name a few.
CABA member Steve Rosenblatt noted about Larry: “Larry became Executive Director of the Bar when he was just 27 years old. Even then, he was wise and mature beyond his years. These were traits he needed in working with different Bar Presidents and leaders, lawyers, and judges with a wide range of perspectives, personalities, and temperaments. Larry was always a stable, steadying influence who knew how to ‘stay the course’ to achieve the desired objectives. And, in every area of his work, Larry was the consummate model of professionalism.”
Past Mississippi Bar President Cham Trotter once said, “I remember the general consensus among Past Presidents was that you prayed Larry would not retire during your term of office because some pour soul was going to be Bar President [without Larry].” That “pour soul,” when Larry retired in 2017, was W. Briggs Hopson, III of Vicksburg. When reached upon Larry's passing, Hopson observed: “Larry Houchins was a true gentleman. His professionalism and calming influence served our Bar well. Above all, I remember his warmth—that genuine smile and friendly chuckle which made him so endearing.”
On a personal level, Larry was a longtime friend to my wife’s family, their being of similar ages and community involvement in Jackson as the Houchins. I am a native Texan and married into the Magnolia State. After graduating from Ole Miss law school and knowing very few in the Mississippi Bar, Larry treated me as if I had been in the state my whole life. Young Mississippi lawyers too many to count received the same treatment from Larry, positively shaping my and their careers for decades to come.
As Briggs Hopson shared, “Larry will be sorely missed. But he left an amazing legacy and wonderful memories, and for that we should all be grateful.” Amen to that. Larry is survived by his wife Pamela Houchins, son Palmer Houchins and daughter-in-law Cathryn, grandsons Ren and Giles Houchins of Atlanta, sister Nancy Williams (Robert) of Leawood, KS, sister-in-law Penny Long (Randy) of Corinth, brother-in-law Pat Palmer (Nancy) of Corinth, and numerous loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lem and Louise Houchins, and his son, Peyton Houchins.
Article by Featured Author
Posted November 2025
