Robert Leon Sonfield Jr.

Robert was the cherished companion of Alexanderia Kelsey Blankenship and adored uncle of Gileaña Dorothy Sonfield and Sandra Lane Martinez. He was beloved amongst his wide circle of friends and extended family and will be missed beyond measure.

His subtle sense of humor showed when asked if he had lived his whole life in Houston. He would grin as he replied: “Not yet.” Born on October 28, 1931, Robert Leon Sonfield, Jr. has now lived his whole life in Houston, Texas.

This proud Houstonian graduated from the University of Houston College of Law in 1959 and attained certificates in securities law studies and federal taxation studies from Harvard University Law School, and New York University respectively.

Revering his Texas heritage, Robert started his long and illustrious career at the family firm, Sonfield & Sonfield, launched by his grandfather, Honorable Judge Leon Sonfield and father, Robert Leon Sonfield, Sr. where he worked alongside his uncle, George McNeil Sonfield and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr.

As Senior Managing Partner of Sonfield & Sonfield, Robert provided specialized legal services in the areas of securities regulations, federal income taxation, financial services consulting, and regulatory consulting as well as consultation on emerging issues concerning innovative and complex financing, IPO’s, mergers and acquisitions, and capital markets.

As a testament to Robert’s professional competence, experience, and integrity, for over 25-years he was honored to receive Martindale-Hubbell peer-reviewed ratings of “AV Preeminent” which is the highest rating awarded. This rating signifies that his peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for his legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.

Throughout his distinguished career he continued to learn and regularly attended Continuing Legal Education conferences. His clients would often poke fun that Robert would forget more securities law than they, themselves, could possibly ever learn during their lifetime.

Robert’s dedication to his profession was demonstrated through his passion for teaching, training, and mentoring budding attorneys as well as attorneys from other areas of practice that desired to venture into securities law. He dedicated time to them all and welcomed the challenges of mentorship with a smile; for the particularly difficult ones, he would laugh and say: “We kiss all the frogs.” It was clear to all who knew him that he had an abundance of both patience for teaching, and a love of sharing his knowledge.

In his free time Robert enjoyed researching his ancestry and connecting with his Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity Brothers, family members and learning the history of his family lineage. Until his death he served as Executive Director and Parliamentarian for the Chapman Family Association.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Leon Sonfield, Sr., mother, Dorothy Harriett Huber Sonfield and brother, Richard Huber Sonfield and too many to mention dear friends and compatriots. A private funeral service will be held for family and close friends. The family is hosting a community gathering to Celebrate Robert’s Life on the day that would have been his 92nd birthday, Saturday, October 28, 2023. Join us for this Celebration of Robert’s glorious Life from 2-4pm at The Nathaniel Center in Kingwood, Texas. Please register here: http://evite.me/Hdzh2VbN3e

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Houston Regional Veterans Chamber of Commerce (HVCC), a non-profit whose mission is to encourage the economic growth and development of the Veteran Business economy: https://www.givesignup.org/DonationWebsite/HVCFDonations/DonationForm/HVCCFoundation