James Willis Hackney

Jim Hackney passed away in Austin, Texas, on March 2, 2026, at the age of 82. Born in Lubbock and a proud graduate of Texas Tech University, Jim was a man of steady character whose long legal career was defined by integrity and a commitment to public service.

Born on September 20, 1943, Jim was raised with a West Texas work ethic. At Texas Tech, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the Student Senate, balancing his studies with the jobs he held to fund his education. After graduating in 1965, he earned his Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1968, where he was recognized with the American Jurisprudence Award for Labor Law.

Following law school, Jim served his country as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps. He served as trial counsel and later as a military judge in San Diego, and subsequently as staff judge advocate in Annapolis. After his military service, he returned to Austin to serve as an Assistant Attorney General under Attorneys General Crawford Martin and John Hill, and later as General Counsel for the Texas Savings and Loan Department.

In 1974, Jim joined the Austin firm of McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore, where he was a partner for many years. In 1990, he established a private practice focused on construction litigation and insurance matters. A Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, Jim was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court — a legal career that spanned more than five decades and never wavered in its integrity.

Beyond his professional life, Jim was known for his great sense of humor and his love of telling jokes and stories. He possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of history and was an avid golfer who spent decades on the course. He will be remembered for his sharp wit, quiet strength, and the steady devotion he showed to his family and colleagues.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Burton and Leta Hackney; his sister, Jane Smith; and his brother-in-law, Greg Smith.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Mary Anne (Taylor) Hackney; his son, Burton Hackney and wife Kristine, and their children Julia, Owen, and Graham; his daughter, Jill Hackney and wife Kelli Goble; his brother-in-law, Scott Taylor and wife Cheryl, and their children Stephanie and Christopher; his niece Kimberly Blakley and husband Robert, and their children Peyton and Triston; his nephew, Ryan Smith and wife Kelly; and niece, Sarah Hunt and husband Scott.

The family invites friends and colleagues to a reception to gather and pay respects on Saturday, March 28th, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Lakeway Church, 2203 Lakeway Blvd, Lakeway, TX 78734.