Edward John McAniff

Edward John (Ted) McAniff, prominent banking lawyer and longtime partner at O'Melveny & Myers law firm, dies at 89

Edward J. McAniff died peacefully at home with his wife Jane and six children at his side on June 24, 2024 in Pasadena, CA, five days before his 90th birthday.

Ted was born in New York City on June 29, 1934 to Josephine (Toomey) McAniff, an educator, and John E. McAniff, an attorney and long-time professor at Fordham Law School. Ted attended Regis High School and matriculated to the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. He graduated magna cum laude from Holy Cross in 1956 and was named class valedictorian. After college, Ted served two years of active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1956-1958, and nearly three decades more in the U.S. Naval Reserve Intelligence Program. He retired from the Navy in 1987 with the rank of Captain.

Ted enrolled at New York University Law School in 1958, where he received the prestigious Root-Tilden Scholarship. He was the Comment Editor of the NYU Law Review, and a member of the Order of the Coif. After graduation from NYU, Ted clerked for the Oregon Supreme Court Judge Alfred T. Goodwin, who later became Chief Judge of the Ninth Circuit and a close family friend.

In 1962 Ted joined O'Melveny & Myers, beginning a half-century association with the Los Angeles-based firm. Professionally, Ted was an outstanding practitioner and a counselor in the purest sense of the word. As shared by the firm, "The O'Melveny community mourns the recent passing of partner Ted McAniff. Ted was a singular man, and one of the most beloved partners in O'Melveny history. He touched the lives of virtually everyone at O'Melveny lucky enough to know and work with him. Ted's legal erudition was surpassed only by his kindness and empathy, both for his O'Melveny colleagues and many others in the communities he enriched with his active commitment and engagement."

As one of the country's leading banking lawyers, Ted counseled banks and bank holding companies, and was an expert on the Glass-Steagall Act involving the intersection of the banking and securities industries. After his retirement, Ted continued to work and lecture on the evolution of banking law in the U.S. and the structure of U.S. financial institution regulation. Over the course of his storied career, his clients included Bankers Trust, TCW, Bank of America and its predecessor bank Security Pacific, many of the major investment banks, Stanford University, the California Veterans Affairs Department, and the State of New York.

Outside of his legal practice, Ted held a number of industry leadership roles. He served on the Board of Directors of Mellon Financial Corporation, was Vice Chair of the Banking Law Committee of the American Bar Association, and he worked in a number of senior positions in the State Bar of California, where he was a member of the Editorial Board of the Banking Law Journal, Chair of the Financial Institutions Committee, and a Member of the Executive Committee.

Ted shared his talents through his passionate commitment to teaching. Following in his father's footsteps, Ted was an adjunct professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law, Stanford Law School, UCLA School of Law, the University of Oregon Law School, Loyola Law School Los Angeles, and the University of Technology, Sydney Law School. He also was an instructor for the American Law Institute and the American Bar Association (ALI-ABA) continuing legal education program, the Practising Law Institute, the American Bankers Association, and the California Bankers Association.

While Ted was a renowned attorney, he was also a Catholic with a deep faith. A dedicated and regular communicant, Ted was named a Knight of Malta, and traveled annually to the shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lourdes, France where he and his wife Jane would care for sick and disabled pilgrims.

Outside of his commitments to work, teaching, and service, Ted also had a whimsical side. He embraced life through his love of fellowship, choral music, and family. For four decades he was a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, a fraternal organization which seeks to deepen understanding of and relationships with Ireland, serving as President in 1998. A lifelong admirer of choral and liturgical music, Ted sang in the Corpus Christi parish choir near Columbia University as a child. He was on the board of the Los Angeles Master Chorale for more than 50 years, including ten years as Board Chair, and was an Emeritus Director of the Music Center, which oversees The Music Center/Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County. In this role, Ted worked with several others to restructure the Music Center organization, resulting in the Los Angeles Master Chorale becoming a Resident Company of Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles.

As impressive as Ted's many accomplishments in law and community service were, they took a back seat to his devotion to his family. Its centerpiece was his beloved wife Jane and their six children, whose personal and professional achievements delighted him. Two weeks prior to his death, Ted and Jane celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. When asked about the basis for his many accomplishments, Ted would simply reply, "Jane."

More generally, the McAniff family is grateful for all the kind words, prayers and support given. Ted was deeply loved, and a treasure to all who knew him. He leaves behind a legacy of professional excellence and inspired service. With a terrific sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye, Ted lived the Jesuit motto of a Person for Others. He also felt a profound sense of gratitude for the many blessings in his life, primarily his wife, their six children, their nine grandchildren, and the many friends, colleagues, and clients who made his long life meaningful, and filled it with joy.

Ted McAniff is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Jane Reiss McAniff, and their children John McAniff, Maura McAniff Johnson (Robin), Nancy McAniff Annick (Gregory), Seana McAniff, Peter McAniff (Jerilyn), Kathleen McAniff Banta (Bradford); grandchildren Whitney and Reiss McAniff; Cordell and Deaglan Johnson; Timothy, Erin, and Allison Annick; and Jack and Andrew McAniff; Jane's siblings; nieces and nephews; and grand nieces and nephews. Ted was pre-deceased by his dear sisters Mary McAniff Kresky and Anne McAniff Graham, their husbands Edward M. Kresky and C. Terrence Graham, respectively, and Ted's and Jane's beloved parents.

A funeral Mass will take place on Friday, September 27, 2024 at 11am at St. Andrew Catholic Church at 311 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, California, 91103, with a reception to follow.

The McAniff family invites you to share memories of Ted and his wonderful life by writing to Jane or any of Ted & Jane's children at: tedmcaniffmemorial@gmail.com. You can also use this email address for additional information regarding the service or, more generally, to reach out to the family.