Robert K. Nead, trial attorney who practiced for 70 years and active churchman, dies

Robert K. Nead, a trial attorney who practiced law for seven decades and earned a reputation for being a prolific litigator, died Nov. 6 from multiple organ failure at Gilchrist Center in Towson. The Lutherville resident was 93.

"Bob was a true gentleman in a world full of difficult people," said H. Barritt Peterson, a State Farm Insurance Co. lawyer, who often shared cases with Mr. Nead.

"Adversaries, judges, lawyers and clients respected him. He was always a pleasure to be around and in our profession, you can't say that about everybody," Mr. Peterson said.

Robert Kenneth Nead, son of Robert Andrew Nead, a Glenn L. Martin Co. aviation worker, and Mildred Irene Dodson Nead, who managed the family home, was born in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, and moved with his family in 1939 to Dundalk.

After graduating from Sparrow Point High School in 1948, he joined his father at the old Glenn L. Martin Co. in Middle River assembling airplanes while attending college at night at the University of Baltimore, where he earned an associate's degree in 1951.

Mr. Nead went to work in the claims department of the old United States Fidelity and Guaranty Co. while obtaining his law degree in 1954 and a master's of law degree in 1956, both from the University of Baltimore where he was a summa cum laude graduate.

After passing the bar in 1954, he joined the Allstate Insurance Co., and in 1966, the law firm of O'Doherty, Gallagher and Hegarty, specializing in civil litigation on behalf of defendants.

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In 1969, he was made a partner at the firm, where he worked for the next 30 years until becoming a founding partner of Nead, Karey & Minton in Towson.

When he was in his 80s, Mr. Nead left to become a solo practitioner.

A bulk of his career was representing State Farm insureds, which made him a familiar presence in courthouses throughout the state.

He enjoyed recounting the time a judge pleaded with him "settle some of his cases because he had so many concurrent cases it was making scheduling very difficult," said a daughter, Kim Nead of Washington.

A career highlight came in 1971 when he won a case against the celebrated lawyer Melvin Belli, who was known as the "King of Torts."

"His law partners were reportedly taking bets on how much he'd lose by, when he surprised them all by winning the case," Ms. Nead said. "At the trial's conclusion, Belli shook his hand, congratulated him on a masterful defense of his client, and invited him to visit his California home."

Mr. Nead was considered an expert on automobile liability insurance and uninsured motorist coverage. He "testified in court on standard care for lawyers and insurance companies in bad faith cases on several occasions," his daughter said.

In 2004, he was honored by the Baltimore City Bar Association for having practiced law for 50 years. He retired earlier this year.

"I learned a lot from his approach that you could disagree without being disagreeable," said Mr. Peterson, a friend and colleague of 40 years.

Mr. Nead, a Democrat, made a brief foray into politics when he mounted a campaign in 1962 for the House of Delegates.

"He was a very humble person who was proud of his work," Ms. Nead said. "He loved people and loved interacting with them."

A jazz fan and a dog lover, Mr. Nead enjoyed vacationing in Ocean City, New Jersey, with family.

He left his body to the Maryland Anatomy Board.

Mr. Nead was a communicant of St. Mark's on the Hill Episcopal Church, 1620 Reisterstown Road, in Pikesville, where a memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Dec. 14.

In addition to his daughter, Mr. Nead is survived by his wife of 70 years, Josephine Wedderien, an educator and co-owner of an art gallery, and two more daughters, Nancy Smith of New York City and Amy Emke of Pawling, New York; a brother, Arthur Nead of Dallas; and four grandchildren.