H. Lee Hetherington, 76, a retired professor at the Mississippi College School of Law, passed away September 24, 2024.
A member of the Murrah High School class of 1966, Professor Hetherington earned a B.A. Degree from Millsaps College in 1970 and a J.D. from the University of Mississippi in 1973. He also held an LL.M. with a specialty in trade regulation from the New York University School of Law. He is admitted to the bar in New York and Mississippi.
He began his legal career with Peermusic in New York City, the largest independent music publisher in the world, where he was an assistant to the CEO and house legal counsel. Returning to his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, in 1976, he partnered with Mike Frascogna to form the law firm of Frascogna & Hetherington, representing clients in the entertainment industry throughout the country.
He and Frascogna authored three books, This Business of Artist Management, the award-winning work, now in its fourth edition, and This Business of Internet Law (co-authored with Frascogna and Howell) - both published by Billboard Books. A third collaboration, The Lawyer’s Guide to Negotiation, now in its second edition,was published by ABA Publishing in 2011.
In 1978, he began his teaching career as a law professor at the Mississippi College School of Law. In 1984, he accepted a position as vice-president of administration for Columbia Pictures Television in Burbank, California, where he was responsible for the day-to-day administration of Columbia's television operations. While at Columbia, he also served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Professor Hetherington returned to Jackson in 1987 to focus on his teaching career full-time. As a member of the faculty at MC Law, Professor Hetherington chaired and served on numerous important committees over the years including Academic Standards, Dean Search, Faculty Appointments, Student Recruitment along with many others. His long-time service and dedication have played an important role in the development of the law school and its programs.
During his 42-year tenure at MC Law, he contributed numerous scholarly and professional articles on intellectual property, negotiation and torts. In addition to numerous scholarly articles, Professor Hetherington’s first published work was an in-depth interview with country music legend, Merle Haggard.
A five-time selection as one of MC Law’s outstanding professors, Hetherington officially retired from Mississippi College in 2021. He returned Nov. 18, 2022, to receive the ultimate coda to a long and distinguished career - emeritus status at the Christian University - an honor bestowed upon retired Mississippi College faculty or staff members who have made significant contributions to the University. A devoted mentor to countless numbers of students, his unique and colorful teaching methods were legendary and his passion for his work never faded.
Professor Hetherington is survived by his wife, Michelle, brother, Brad, niece Kathleen, nephew Sean and brother-in-law, Vincent.
A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, October 15, 2024, from 4:30 to 6:00, at MC School of Law.
