Editor’s note: The Anderson County Bar Association and legal community is proceeding with an effort to name the Anderson County Law Library after Billy Sams because “you never saw him without a book in his hands.” Here is a copy of a Jan. 11 letter to attorneys from Oak Ridge attorney Lauren Biloski.

Dear Counsel,

As many of you are aware, Billy Sams passed away unexpectedly on January 7, 2017.

His passing will darken our legal community, and our courtrooms will be much quieter without Billy’s signature jovial chuckle that we all loved to hear. Perhaps one of Billy’s most memorable quality was his love of books and reading. He never failed to share a quote or his new favorite story, and he was almost never seen without a book in his hands. Billy waited patiently for his case to be called, engrossed in a historical novel, and still somehow was more aware of what the Court was saying then most of us that were paying attention.

I believe it would be a fair assumption to say that Billy Sams was one of the most loved and adored members of the Anderson County Bar Association. His joy and zest for life and learning was felt by all. As a way to keep Billy’s memory alive and honor a compassionate advocate, several members of the Bar have proposed to dedicate and name the Anderson County Bar Association Law Library after Mr. Billy Paul Sams. [Read more…]