JAMES SWIRE Obituary

SWIRE--James B.

died at his home in New Rochelle on May 21, 2017 after a long and valiant battle with Alzheimer's Disease. He was a retired partner in the Intellectual Property Group of Arnold & Porter LLP, and a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School. He had a long and distinguished career as a litigator in New York with a specialty in trademark, unfair competition, false advertising, and food and drug law. He was past Chair of the Committee on Trademarks and Unfair Competition of the City Bar Association and its committee on Medicine and the Law; where he also served as a Member of the Committee on Professional Responsibility. His many legal accomplishments included being lead trial counsel to the Institute Pasteur in its action against the United States concerning the discovery of the AIDS virus and the patenting of diagnostic blood tests (Institute Pasteur v. United States of America). He also represented Tiffany & Co., and was responsible for devising the legal strategy which enabled Tiffany to protect the iconic robin's-egg blue shade that Tiffany has turned into a worldwide symbol of its brand. He also served as lead counsel for Tiffany in its action against eBay regarding the sale of counterfeit merchandise on eBay. Although not successful in that lawsuit, his involvement in commencing that action has resulted in online sellers being held to higher standards of accountability in preventing the sale of counterfeit merchandise. Outside of his legal career he was actively involved with CancerCare, one of the nation's largest organizations dedicated to helping people cope with, and manage, both the emotional and practical challenges of cancer. Perhaps some of the most meaningful work of his life, he was proud to be President Emeritus and to have served as a Trustee from 2009 through 2014. An avid tennis player, water skier, New York Giants and Rangers fan, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Edith Wypler Swire, his daughter Elizabeth Emery Swire Falker, his son-in-law, Charles F. Falker, and his grandchildren David Ezekiel Swire Falker and Samantha Emery Swire Falker.

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Published by New York Times on May 23, 2017.

Memories and Condolences
for JAMES SWIRE

11 Entries

Greg Gregorich

May 17, 2019

Jim will not be forgotten by the Gregoriches. He was a good friend since the long-ago days when we were fellow associates and then partners of Rogers Hoge & Hills. He was part of a courageous small group of General Partners who pressed for an equitable partnership agreement and tried to bring the firm into the twentieth century. He will be missed and remembered.

Ruth McDevitt

June 18, 2017

I just learned of Jim's death and am so saddened by the ending of the life of such a caring and talented person. Jim was a wonderful friend to both me and my former husband, Fred Nicoll. My great sympathy to Edie and Elizabeth and to all who loved him.

Susan (Rommel) Galligan

May 29, 2017

I was so sad to learn of Jim's passing. He was my first "boss" at Rogers Hoge & Hills after I graduated from secretarial school in 1970. He was an excellent lawyer and an extraordinary person who inspired in me an interest in the law that ultimately led to my becoming a lawyer. He will be missed by many. My condolences to Edie and his family and friends.

Bruce Hermelee

May 25, 2017

Jim and I have been close friends since we met at Princeton in 1959. We ate dinner together almost every night for two years at Cloister Inn (where we were the shortstop-second base combo on the championship intramural softball team) and where we were a broadcast team on Tiger hockey games. Our friendship remained strong through law school, through 5 years with our young families together in Manhattan (playing squash at the Princeton Club or tennis in Central Park during lunch hours), and ever since my family moved to Miami in 1971. We worked together on many Florida cases over the years, and we visited Jim and Edie in New Rochelle and on Three Brothers Island. We often saw them in Florida, and even met once in Stockholm. We were guests at our children's weddings. His life-long love affair with Edie, and devotion to Edie and to Liz and her family were extraordinary, as was his great skill as an attorney. Such a painful loss. Beth and I send our deepest sympathies to Edie and Liz and the entire Swire family.

Jason Gettinger

May 24, 2017

It was clear at the late Jamaica High School that James B. Swire, the byline on many a good piece in The Hilltopper, would be a personage of great character and accomplishment. This is a great loss, not only to his family, but also to the legal profession. We know we cannot guarantee that everyone will live to a ripe old age, but something must be done about Alzheimers killing people at what I regard as an early age. This is very saddening.

AJ Heath

May 24, 2017

I am so sorry to hear that Jim has passed away. Even as a young associate at Rogers Hoge & Hills he gave off the aura of a consummate lawyer, who knew what he was doing. A little bit my senior, I always looked up to him. I vividly remember almost daily debates with him about the state of the world over lunch in those years. We often disagreed. But he had such a quick mind and such a ready sense of humor that you could never get mad at him or dismiss what he said. He is a tremendous loss. My sincere condolences to Edie and the rest of his family.

Greg Gregorich

May 24, 2017

Very sorry to read that Jim passed. He and I were good friends and became fellow partners at Rogers Hoge & Hills on the same day, Jan. 1, 1974 and I will long remember the lovely Christmas parties at his house in Larchmont. My condolences to his family.

William Griesar

May 24, 2017

So sorry to see Jim go. My condolences to Edie. I still remember her bringing out her Solo de Gamma in the Swire's west side apartment many years ago
Bill Griesar

sue Teitelbaum Coohen

May 23, 2017

sending sincere condolences and memories of our high school years. Sincerely, Sue Teitelbaum Cohen

bernard edinger

May 23, 2017

Dear Edith,

Please accept all my sincere, heartfelt condoleances. In my mind and memory, Jim will always remain an exceptionally bright and especially open-minded close childhood friend. Vezry sincerely. Bernard Edinger

Maxine Swire

May 22, 2017

So very sorry!

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