Mr. Haller was born in New York to William Haller and Malleville Emerson Haller. He lived in France for several years as a child. He graduated from Amherst College in 1938, and from Columbia Law School in 1941.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he became a captain in the U.S. Army Air Force. As a B24 pilot, he flew 51 bombing missions to the Ploesti oil fields in Romania and industrial sites in Germany while stationed in Italy.

Upon his return, Mr. Haller began his legal practice, specializing in maritime law. He became a partner in the New York firm of Hill Betts and Nash, and represented the French government against Exxon-Mobil in the massive oil spill caused by the wreck of the Amoco Cadiz, concluding the case successfully in 1990 after years of litigation.

He enjoyed amateur theater, musical theater and bicycling. Following years of retirement in Holland, Mass., he and his wife moved to Montclair in 2001 to be closer to family.

Mr. Haller is survived by his wife of 70 years, Margaret Haller (née Ekern), now of Brooklyn; six children, Richard Haller of Holland, Mass., Barbara Makowski of Uncasville, Conn., Peg Haller of Brooklyn, Kate Haller of Montclair, Bill Haller of Williston, Vt., and Tom Haller of Manhattan; ten grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.