Irwin “Buddy” Herz represents a wide variety of nonprofits, financial institutions and private business entities, advising his clients on corporate formation and restructuring, fundraising, corporate governance and fiduciary administration.
Over Buddy’s significant career he has guided his clients through all manner of transactions and corporate events. From representing non-profits and charitable foundations in the procurement of large-scale funding, to representing the purchaser of a national bank and overseeing its transformation into a bank holding company, he is a trusted corporate advisor to numerous organizations. For example, Buddy oversaw the formation of a tourist-oriented nonprofit, including advising on local taxation and corporate structuring of the project. In addition, for over four decades, he has served as a director of the largest life insurance company incorporated in the state of Texas, as well as several of its subsidiaries.
Buddy was recognized by Thomson Reuters as a Super Lawyer in Texas Monthly.
A retired Captain in the United States Army Reserve, Buddy is civic and community- minded, dedicating significant portions of his professional career to the University of Texas, Texas A&M, and the City of Galveston and numerous of its agencies, as well as chairing its Economic Development Corporation.
Education
- The University of Texas School of Law – J.D., 1964
- Rice University – B.A., 1961
Admissions
- Texas
Recognition and/or Publications
- Recognized as a Super Lawyer (2004-2009) in Texas Monthly. Super Lawyers is a Thomson Reuters
Professional Activities and Memberships
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Texas
- Galveston County Bar Association
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Member
Civic Involvement
- American National Insurance Company, Director (1981-Present)
- American National Property & Casualty Company, Director
- Farm Family Life Insurance Company, Director
- The Moody Foundation, General Counsel
- Galveston Housing Authority
- Chairman (1997-1998)
- Chairman (2012-Present)
- University of Texas Medical Branch Development Board
- Vice Chairman (2012-2014)
- Chairman (2014-2016)
- City of Galveston Finance Committee, Member
- Board of Visitors of Texas A&M at Galveston
- Galveston Economic Development Corporation, Chairman (1992-1998)
Representative Cases
- Represented a charitable foundation in obtaining multi-million-dollar grants.
- Represented the purchaser of a national bank in a transaction and through to its ultimate transformation into a bank holding company.
- Handled the formation of a tourist-oriented nonprofit, including advising on local taxation issues, and corporate structuring of the project which attracts approximately 2 million visitors per year.
- Served for more than 40 years as a director of the largest life insurance company incorporated in the state of Texas, and several subsidiaries of the insurance company.
