Atlanta Injury Lawyer Blog
Last night at the Lawyers Club of Atlanta dinner, I had the distinct honor to raise a “wee deoch and doris” in memory of dear friend and Lawyers Club Past President, J.D. Humphries. He died on January 3, 2026 at the age of 81. We were in shock at the news of his passing. At his funeral, we were told that J.D. had written his own obituary. It starts like this: “J.D. (James Donald) struck his tent, died and passed over the river to rest under the shade of the trees on January 3, 2026. He was born September 27, 1944.” Although J.D. and I had been close friends for many years, his funeral was the first time I learned we shared a birthday. He never missed a Lawyers Club meeting, or a Lawyers Club Golf Tournament, or a Lawyers Club Past Presidents Dinner. He often traveled to England and Scotland to play golf with his buddies. He was an incredible person.
In his obituary, J.D. said this: “In lieu of flowers or contributions to charities, he wishes his friends to have “A Wee Deoch An’ Doris” until he meets them again.” And I said to myself, “OK, J.D., what the heck is a “Wee Deoch An’ Doris?” So I did some searching, and found a Scottish song by Harry Lauder from 1912. Here are the lyrics:
There’s a good old Scottish custom
That has stood the test o’ time.
It’s a custom that’s been carried out in ev’ry land and clime.
Where brother Scots foregather, it’s aye the usual thing,
For just before they say “good nicht,”
They fill their cups and sing:
[Chorus]
Just a wee deoch an’ doris, just a wee drop, that’s all.
A wee deoch an’ doris afore ye gang awa’.
There’s a wee wifie waitin’ in a wee but an ben.
If ye can say, “It’s a braw, bricht moonlicht nicht,”
Then yer a’richt, ye ken.
[Verse 2]
I like a man that is a man; a man that’s straight and fair.
A sort o’ man that will and can in all things do his share.
I like a man, a jolly man, the sort o’ man, “ye know,”
The chap that slaps your back and says,
“Mon Jock, before we go”: [Repeat Chorus]
So I knew that was what J.D. wanted us to do to remember him and his friendship. So we raised a “Wee Deoch An’ Doris” to J.D. last night and the whole room of 200 lawyers said “Slàinte mhath.” J.D., we will miss you. Until we meet again.
Robin Frazer Clark is a trial lawyer who pursues justice for those who have personal injury claims as a result of being injured in motor vehicle wrecks, trucking wrecks, defective products, defective maintenance of roads, premises safety, medical malpractice and other incidents caused by the negligence of others. Ms. Clark was the 50th President of the State Bar of Georgia, a Past President of Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, a Past President of the Lawyers Club of Atlanta and has practiced law in Georgia for 38 years. She is a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Ms. Clark is listed as one of the Top 50 Women Trial Lawyers in Georgia and is a Georgia Super Lawyer. Ms. Clark is the co-host of the podcast “See You In Court.”
Robin Frazer Clark ~ Dedicated to the Constitution’s Promise of Justice for All.
