Don Keenan
Painting a subject without their knowing it, a surprise portrait, is always fraught with danger… and in the case of Don Keenan, doubly so. A larger than life character, electrifying, the trial lawyer community with his “Reptile Theory” of practice, a TV personality, renowned children’s advocate, often to be found unshaved wearing shorts, T-shirt, and always those sunglasses. An ex-marine of Irish blood and creator of the Kids Foundation and Bono aficionado. All this and more went into this painting. It was with relief that I saw it was warmly and enthusiastically received at its unveiling in Houston. Kudos to the courage of the man brave enough to commission this painting!
Painting a subject without their knowing it, a surprise portrait, is always fraught with danger… and in the case of Don Keenan, doubly so. A larger than life character, electrifying, the trial lawyer community with his “Reptile Theory” of practice, a TV personality, renowned children’s advocate, often to be found unshaved wearing shorts, T-shirt, and always those sunglasses. An ex-marine of Irish blood and creator of the Kids Foundation and Bono aficionado. All this and more went into this painting. It was with relief that I saw it was warmly and enthusiastically received at its unveiling in Houston. Kudos to the courage of the man brave enough to commission this painting!
Don Keenan
Keenan, Don. 16" x 20". 2015. Collection of Keenan Law Firm. Atlanta, GA. Portrait on canvas. Commissioned by HMR Funding, Dean Chase.
Keenan, Don. 16" x 20". 2015. Collection of Keenan Law Firm. Atlanta, GA. Portrait on canvas. Commissioned by HMR Funding, Dean Chase.
"I'll never instigate getting the media involved in a case."
Thomas A. Mesereau is a trial lawyer who achieves remarkable success in high stakes criminal trials. His celebrity criminal defense work is balanced by his commitment to seeking justice for victims of overzealous criminal prosecution and he devotes his time and money to notable pro bono legal services to the African-American communities of Los Angeles and the American South.Born in West Point, New York in 1950 Mesereau earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University whilst actively protesting the Vietnam War.
He gained an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics, and a law degree from the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law.
Thomas A. Mesereau
Mesereau,Portrait on canvas. 30"x21",Collection of the artist. Montreal, Canada.
He worked for several years with prestigious corporate litigation firms until 1985 when he embraced criminal defense work and entered private practice in Los Angeles.
Mesereau was lead counsel for the actor Robert Blake accused of murdering his wife in 2003, winning Blake his right to freedom while awaiting trial, and having the murder charge dismissed. As Michael Jackson’s attorney, Mesereau navigated the case to achieve exoneration on all counts against the rock star. Mike Tyson and A.J. Johnson are two other famous former clients.
Mesereau regularly donates two Sundays a month to serving low income, indigent, and minority clients at a legal clinic in South Los Angeles and he gives his time, money, and criminal defense skills once a year to represent low income, African-American criminal defendants facing the death penalty in Alabama and Mississippi.
Mesereau has been named “Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year” by the Century City Bar Association, Los Angeles, and has been listed as one of the “One Hundred Most Influential Attorneys in California” by the Los Angeles Daily Journal.