J. Edward Day - Return To Private Practice

Return To Private Practice

After leaving the federal government, he returned to private law practice, with clients that included the Advertising Mail Marketing Association, an organization that particularly benefited from the ZIP code's use in targeting mass marketing campaigns by income level. He helped established the Washington, D.C. office of Sidley & Austin. Day remained an underwriting partner with Sidley & Austin from 1963 until December 1972. Day's departure resulted from a perceived slight by his partners following the merger of Sidley with the Chicago law firm Liebman, Williams, Bennett, Baird and Minow. Day sued his former partners in a case that went to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Day v. Sidley & Austin, 548 F.2d 1018 (D.C.Cir. 1976). The court found that Day suffered from a bruised ego but that the facts failed to establish a legal cause of action. Day joined Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in 1973, where he remained until he retired in 1984. Day also served as legal counsel for the Association of Postal Commerce for a number of years until 1986; the association subsequently established the annual "J. Edward Day Award", given in recognition of "distinguished service to the nation's postal community."

Day died of a heart attack on October 29, 1996 in Hunt Valley, Maryland.