31 O’Melveny & Myers LLP I omm.com In Memoriam PHIL IRWIN (CLASS OF 1957) O’Melveny retired Partner Phil Irwin passed away on January 11, 2022, at the age of 88. Phil was a revered lawyer, treasured colleague, and one of our firm’s longest-serving Partners. He joined O’Melveny in 1957 after attending Stanford Law School, where he graduated at the top of his class and served as an associate editor of the Stanford Law Review. Phil became a Partner at O’Melveny in 1965 and served as Chair of O’Melveny’s Tax Department from 1985 to 1990. When he “retired” in 2000, Phil continued to serve as Of Counsel. In fact, right up until the pandemic, Phil would still come into the Los Angeles office almost every day. Those who had the privilege of working with Phil know that he was the consummate early bird, chipper even before sunrise. Phil’s vintage Ford Mustang (he collected classic cars) was often the first to pull into the Hope Street garage. For more than 50 years, Phil was the face of O’Melveny’s Tax practice. He was a nationally acclaimed tax lawyer whose reputation was known to every major law firm in the country. His exemplary work—especially in the arena of spin-offs and mergers—helped shape the future for an array of corporate icons, including Dole, Lockheed Martin, Bank of America, and Chase Bank. Along with his tireless work ethic and monumental achievements, Phil was defined by his humility, kindness, grace, and generosity of spirit. He was an inspiring and compassionate mentor to generations of O’Melveny lawyers, many of whom fondly recall the elegant holiday parties that he and his wife, Sandra—a former O’Melveny associate—would host at their historic San Marino home, with Phil at the grand piano leading fireside singalongs. Phil and Sandra also hosted the LA office’s attorneys and summer associates at their annual summer “T-shirt parties,” complete with carnival games, a batting cage, and an In-N-Out Burger truck. Phil cared deeply about O’Melveny and dedicated his life to the firm. We will cherish his memory and continue to be guided by his legacy of extraordinary leadership. Phil’s obituary can be found here.
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