Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
The founder of Whitner Law Firm, who served as a mentor to young African-American lawyers, has died.
Funeral services will be Friday for Eric L. Whitner, who died Saturday at Immanuel Medical Center, said Phillip McClain-Smith, spokesman for the Whitner family. Whitner was 49 and died of a heart attack, said McClain-Smith.
“He was a great friend to the community, as well as a mentor to many,” said McClain-Smith.
Echoing that was Omaha attorney Brenda Council.
Whitner “aided a number of African-American lawyers to start their careers by working out of his office,” Council said, and he was “well-respected in the community.”
“He was one of the most generous people I ever met in my life,” said Council.
She highlighted Whitner’s professional involvement:
“He was president of the Midlands Bar Association for many years. As president, he established tutorials at Creighton University law school for minority students. And he established a diversity luncheon” for lawyers and students.
“He worked closely with the Nebraska Bar Association in terms of improving minority access to the profession.
“He was an active member of the National Bar Association, which is an African-American Bar association.”
Whitner, an Omaha native, served on many boards.
He was former chairman of the board of directors of the Butler-Gast YMCA and a member of the Planned Parenthood Board of Directors.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, his law degree from Washburn University School of Law and an advanced law degree from Emory University School of Law.
Before founding his firm, Whitner was general counsel to the Omaha Housing Authority and a deputy Douglas County attorney.
He is survived by son Eric Fant, daughter Lameca Williams, mother Ruby L. Woods, father James “Big Jim” Warren and four grandchildren, all of Omaha.
Eric Whitner was preceded in death by son Ernest Harrington.
Services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Salem Baptist Church, 3131 Lake St.
Contact the writer:
444-1165, sue.truax@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
