2016 Antitrust Lawyer of the Year
PO Box 4104, Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657, USA
Personal and BAckground information
Law, politics, government, public service, music, art, and student teaching have all contributed to and influenced Mr. Griffin's development as a successful trial lawyer, negotiator and colloborator.
Mr. Griffin grew up partially in Traverse City, in northwestern Michigan and partly in Bethesda, Maryland. His father, a small-town litigator, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1955 when Mr. Griffin was 5 years old. His father, Hon. Robert P. Griffin (R-Mich) served 10 years in the House (1956-1966) and then 12 years in the U.S. Senate (1966-1978) for a total of 22 years in Washington. Needless to say, Mr. Griffin grew up in the turmoil of the political world. Senator Griffin was the Minority Whip of the U.S. Senate from 1969-1978. Senator Griffin was perhaps best known for persuading his friend President Richard Nixon to resign, serving as a trusted advisor to his good friend President Gerald Ford, and for spearheading the landmark 1959 Landrum-Griffin Act, a bi-partisan labor law co-sponsored by Sen. Phillip Landrum (D-Georgia) and Sen. John F. Kennedy (D-Mass). Following his career in politics, Senator Griffin was elected to and served on the Michigan Supreme Court for 8 years. Mr. Griffin's brother, Hon. Richard Allen Griffin, currently serves as a judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeal.
Before attending law school and becoming a lawyer, Mr. Griffin was a musician and majored in music theory and composition in college. While at Walt Whitman High School, he won the state competition for first chair bassoonist in the All-Maryland High School Band and studied for many years with Kenneth Pasmanick, the principal bassoonist in the Washington National Symphony. In college, he directed and conducted the Tufts University jazz band playing saxophone. He studied composition and piano at Interlochen Music Camp with Randy Coleman, Chair of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Mr. Griffin still enjoys playing cocktail piano music and entertaining friends with his alto and tenor saxophones.
Combining his interest in music, law and nonprofit support, Mr. Griffin served for 20 years as a Director, and 10 years as President, of the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, one the nation's leading contemporary chamber music ensembles. He served for a number of years as a Director and Advisor to ArtSeed, a nonprofit art organization working with inner city children. He also is a supporter of Music in Schools and other charitable programs.
Mr. Griffin is an avid golfer. He and his wife live in Horseshoe Bay, west of Austin, Texas. They are members of Escondido Golf & Lake Club with a Tom Fazio-designed championship course. They are also members of Horseshoe Bay Resort, which has four golf courses (three by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and a Jack Nicklaus Signature course). They enjoy traveling, supporting local music, artistic, theatrical and cultural groups, and engaging in community service activities. Mr. Griffin has three children, two step-children and seven grandchildren.