InRe Magazine Winter 2022

THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON

InRe

READY TO WIN! Advocacy students, STCL Houston faculty members prepare alumnus for U.S. Supreme Court

WINTER 2022

“Leadership success comes from service. If we’re giving of ourselves and our money and our talents, then it comes back tenfold.”

– Benny Agosto, Jr. ’95

THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON

WINTER 2022

CONTENTS Message from the President and Dean Unity in Diversity

With a generous $3 million gift from Nichole and Benny Agosto, Jr. ’95, South Texas will build a unique, mission-driven diversity center at the law school.

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Diverse Perspective: A Word for the Legal Profession

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U.S. Supreme Court, South Texas Style

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Justice for Jamail

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Joining Forces

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Message Sent, Papers Served

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Connecting to Clients

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In Service to a Cause

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Dedication to Community

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3L Chanae Williams interviewed the first Black South Texas Law Review editors Kenesha Starling ’20 and 3L Eric Williams II for a lively Q&A aimed at the legal profession.

Rick Morris ’91 prepared his case for the U.S. Supreme Court with the help of Professor and Vice President Rob Galloway ’91, 20 students and South Texas expert professors.

Brad Gilde ’04 spent nearly a decade seeking justice for a Houston family. A lot of determination, and two fellow alumni, helped him to finally find it.

The NAACP Houston Branch and STCL Houston continue to fight for clemency for Camp Logan soldiers unjustly convicted and punished in 1917.

In his family law practice, clinical teaching fellow Carlos Calderon utilizes innovative digital and social media approaches to interact with clients and serve subpoenas.

Tommy Kherker ’18 started his own law firm at age 24 and built a huge social media following with his videos spotlighting different legal issues.

Rene Sigman ’02 discovered a new way to use her advocacy skills when she fought to save her son’s life following a devastating medical diagnosis.

As a public-service attorney, Courtney Carlson ’08 uses the skills she learned at South Texas to advocate for Harris County residents.

ONE TO WATCH | ON THE RECORD

3L Jose Pablo Salas

REUNION WEEK 2021 IN BRIEF STACKS |

Recommended reading from South Texas faculty and staff

CLASS NOTES

FACULTY NOTES MY TESTIMONY | CHAMBERS

The Legal Writing Center writing specialist Cara Shaffer

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SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON ADMINISTRATION

Randy Marak Vice President, Information Systems

Michael F. Barry President and Dean

Shelby A.D. Moore Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Steve Alderman Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel

Cherie O. Taylor Vice President and Associate Dean for Academics

Catherine Greene Burnett Vice President and Associate Dean for Experiential Education Darcy Douglas ’07 Vice President, Advancement and Alumni Engagement Ted L. Field Vice President and Associate Dean for Faculty Robert L. Galloway Vice President, Advocacy, W. James Kronzer Jr. Distinguished Professor of Advocacy Mandi Gibson Vice President, Student Services and Support

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Genora Boykins ’85 Chair J. Kenneth Johnson ’86 Immediate Past Chair Darryl M. Burman ’83 The Hon. Theresa Chang ’96 Michael Cokinos Aparna Dave ’02 Ephraim del Pozo ’97 Stewart Gagnon ’74 Chris Hanslik ’95 Michael Hays ’74 Randy Howry ’85 Don Jordan ’69 Nick Lanza, Jr. ’89 Joseph Lopez ’78 Mary-Olga Lovett ’93 The Hon. Debra Ibarra Mayfield ’99

Michael Milich ’97 Catina Haynes Perry ’06 Andy Sommerman ’86 Randy Sorrels ’87 Jim Thompson III ’86 Ruthie Nelson White ’96 Advisory Directors Larry Baillargeon ’74 The Hon. Robert Eckels ’93 Imogen Papadopoulos ’84 Gordon Quan ’77 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Catina Haynes Perry ’06 President Aaron M. Reimer ’07 Immediate Past President Tonya Rolland ’06 Vice President, Admissions Committee Jennifer O. Stogner ’06 Vice President, Development Committee Byron C. Alfred ’12 Tim W. Ballengee ’09 Rick D. Berlin ’06 Kyrie K. Cameron ’15 Melanie R. Cheairs ’89 Robert W. Cowan ’01

Paul A. Darrow ’07 Eric A. D’Olive ’11 Samantha E. Frazier ’11 Hon. Keith Giblin ’89 Bradford J. Gilde ’04 Katherine M. Gonyea ’08 Alex Gonzalez ’12 Ronald W. Haggerty ’96 Misty A. Hataway-Coné ’01 Ryan K. Haun ’06 James R. Helton ’14 Christine D. Herron ’10 Lisa A. Ketai ’84 Gabe Lerner ’10 E. Xerxes Martin, IV ’11 W. Troy McKinney ’86 Chris W. Miner ’94 Lindsey C. Moorhead ’11 Avi Moshenberg ’12 Ryan H. Newman ’06 Bill Pritchett ’14 Lisa R. Ray ’99 Hon. Donna Roth ’87 Jenna D. Rudoff ’12 Trey G. Sandoval ’04 Sharon M. Schweitzer ’89 Donald S. Sepolio ’89 Carl D. Shaw ’90 René M. Sigman ’02 The Hon. D’Lisa Simmons ’90 Bradley S. Tegeler ’02 Samantha Torres ’13 Paul B. Wyatt ’13

COPYRIGHT 2022, SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

INRE STAFF

Michelle Morris, Ed.D. Associate Vice President, Marketing and Communications Amanda Simonian Director, Multimedia Pete Vogel Director, Creative Services, Graphic Designer CONTRIBUTORS

Amber Ambrose, Todd Green John Luedemann, Lauren McDowell, Lauren Patterson, Chanae Williams PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Everett, Arturo Olmos, Felix Sanchez InRe is published by South Texas College of Law Houston for the law school’s alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends. Please direct correspondence and inquiries to Michelle Morris at mmorris@stcl.edu or 713-646-1794

A Message from the President & Dean

Diana Davila, Eddie Michel, VP and Professor Shelby Moore, Dean Barry and Eric Williams II snap a selfie on the terrace during a Houston Chronicle photoshoot.

When I think of South Texas College of Law Houston, the word that always comes to mind is “community.”

Community has been defined as “a group of people

having a particular characteristic in common” and “a feeling of fellowship with others as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals.”

At South Texas, our community shares a common mission: to provide a diverse body of students with the opportunity to obtain an exceptional legal education, preparing graduates to serve their community and the profession with distinction.

Our internal sense of community — our common bond — drives us to serve and lead in the greater community, finding ways to give back, to lift others up and to shine a spotlight on injustice wherever we find it. This feeling of connection and desire to give back continues beyond the campus through our 15,000-plusstrong alumni base across the state and around the world.

We are proud of the many ways our exceptional graduates enhance the communities in which they live and work.

This issue of InRe highlights alumni who successfully teamed up to right a legal injustice. It features alumni who are using their advocacy skills to fight for health rights, who are giving their all to public service, and who are using technology in innovative ways to ensure clients have access to legal services.

The cover photo illustrates the teamwork behind the effective argument Rick Morris ’91 made to the nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court in November. The feature story about Nichole and alumnus Benny Agosto, Jr. ’95 highlights the impact Benny has made in fostering more diversity in the legal community.

From current students who helped resettle refugees and prevent illegal evictions to faculty who build and lead national championship teams, the South Texas community is quietly and positively changing the world. As we near our centennial — next year! — in 2023, we will keep shining a light on the tremendous impact of our strong, connected South Texas community.

I hope you will stay involved with South Texas. You are a welcome and important part of our community, and I am honored to serve as your dean.

Stay safe, and all the best,

Michael F. Barry President and Dean

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UNIFIED IN OUR DIVERSITY

$3 million gift establishes The Benny Agosto, Jr. Diversity Center at STCL Houston n fall 2021, Nichole and Benny Agosto, Jr. ’95 made a $3 million gift to South Texas College of Law Houston to establish a diversity center — one of the largest gifts for this purpose ever made to a law school and the largest single gift the Agostos have made to any nonprofit.

The gift supports STCL Houston’s efforts to become the most intentionally and successfully diverse law school in the country.

“The Agostos understand the importance of diversity to the legal profession,” said President and Dean Michael F. Barry.

“They care deeply about helping more diverse students enter the field of law and succeed in their professional lives.”

As a response to the generous gift, South Texas is naming the center The Benny Agosto, Jr. Diversity Center. It will place South Texas at the forefront of the conversation on diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession and allow STCL Houston to invest in the students who will provide legal services in the most diverse city in the nation.

The funding will create a new location to house The Benny Agosto, Jr. Diversity Center and permit the hiring of a program director. Agosto’s gift also will support diversity scholarships and the development of relevant diversity programming aimed at the

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legal profession. In addition, the law school will be able to expand the STCL Houston Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy.

Knowing the hurdles that can exist for individuals from diverse backgrounds, Agosto has spent his career helping others succeed in the legal profession. He is managing partner of Abraham Watkins Nichols Agosto Aziz and Stogner in Houston, the longest-standing plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm in Texas.

When he was hired there 26 years ago, he was the first Hispanic attorney. Since that time, he has worked hard to help the firm become much more diverse.

“The legal field is sorely lacking minorities, and I have been proactive in my career to try to change that, starting in the law firm where I work,” Agosto said. “I also advocate for the fair treatment of Hispanics in the justice system.”

Born in New York City and raised in Puerto Rico, Agosto said his parents’ emphasis on hard work, determination and education laid the foundation for his ongoing efforts.

“Both my parents had a sixth-grade education,” Agosto said. “Every day, they would tell my four siblings and me to get an education. My father often said no one can ever take that away from you. My parents knew the struggles of being a migrant family without a formal education.”

Benny Agosto, Jr. ’95 has played a key role in expanding the diversity of his firm, Abraham Watkins Nichols Agosto Aziz and Stogner, and the legal profession.

“We can learn so much from each other.

I want to focus on what unites us.

The country needs this; we all need this.”

Agosto took his parents’ admonitions to heart. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Houston Baptist University, attending on a soccer scholarship, then began graduate school in microbiology at the University of Houston, thinking he would become a teacher and a soccer coach.

When the HBU soccer program where he was coaching was discontinued, he decided his next step was law school. He chose South Texas College of Law Houston, and he has never looked back. During law school, Agosto competed in intramural mock trials, served in a clinic that allowed him to successfully present a social security benefits case before a judge, and published an article in two external journals prior to graduating.

His sons have followed in his footsteps, with both graduating from STCL Houston. Agosto said he knows not every student has the advantages his sons have had, which he believes makes the diversity center even more important.

Professor of Law Shelby Moore, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, expects the new STCL Houston center funded by the Agostos to impact future students significantly.

“We are the guardians of justice, so we need to be the standardbearers for diversity, equity and inclusion,” Moore said. “This generous gift will continue to advance our mission in this direction.”

Of course, making a difference in the broader community is the ultimate goal, Agosto said.

“If we don’t do anything differently, 30 years from now, the legal profession will look the same as it does today,” he said.

– Benny Agosto, Jr. ’95 “I am personally working to change things, and I believe South Texas College of Law Houston is playing a key role in this transformation. It is one of the most diverse law schools in the nation, and I value the school’s mission and emphasis on ensuring all students have access to an exceptional legal education.”

Agosto has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Texas and is board-certified in personal injury trial law. A current member of the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas and the past president of the Houston Bar Association, he founded the MABATx Scholarship Foundation and co-founded the HNBA Legal Education Fund, both of which benefit Hispanic law students.

He also has been honored by the Texas Minority Council Program as the Trailblazer Outside Counsel of the Year and was appointed by the ABA president to serve as a member of the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession.

Agosto wants to ensure the Agosto Diversity Center brings together people from all backgrounds and all types of diversity.

“We can learn so much from each other,” he said. “I want to focus on what unites us. The country needs this; we all need this. If we can focus on what unites us, we can deal with our differences. This will make us all better. This will make the world better.”

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Eric Williams II

Chanae Williams

Professor Shelby Moore

Kenesha Starling ’20

Michael F. Barry

MAY 2022 J.D. CANDIDATE

MAY 2022 J.D. CANDIDATE

VICE PRESIDENT OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

JUDICIAL LAW CLERK, U.S. DISTRICT COURTS, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS

PRESIDENT AND DEAN

A DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE South Texas College of Law alumna Kenesha Starling ’20 served as the first Black editor in chief of the South Texas Law Review in 2019-20. Eric Williams II, a May 2022 J.D. candidate, is the current editor in chief of the Law Review. Encouraged by Dean Barry and Vice President Moore, Chanae Williams, a May 2022 J.D. candidate and articles editor for the South Texas Law Review, captured a candid discussion with Starling and Williams that explores diversity, equity and inclusion within the legal profession.

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Q&A

WHAT WE WISH THE LEGAL PROFESSION KNEW CW: What are some misconceptions about Black law students and attorneys that need to be dispelled?

EW: The first misconception is that articulate and intelligent Black and Brown law students are some sort of anomaly. I can speak to this from personal experience during my on-campus interviews with a particular firm. I went through the entire interview process with the associates and senior counsel, and I was finally interviewing with the managing partner. I gave my “elevator pitch” as we are taught to give, and the first words out of his mouth were not “Thank you for that!” or “Let me tell you a little about myself.” The first thing he said was, “Wow, you are so incredibly articulate!” It was like he was ... shocked.

Why wouldn’t I be articulate? What would make him think that I would be something other than that? Black legal professionals are just as qualified as our counterparts and will completely “wow” you in large part because of the unique perspectives and experiences we carry with us.

The second thing is that I am not the sole representative for the Black community. Although I am a Black man, the Black community consists of a diverse array of backgrounds, expectations and political views. So, the best thing to do is not to make generalities or to make assumptions.

Instead, approach each person as a unique individual because that’s what they are.

KS: I agree. Black and Brown law students and attorneys are expected to learn to navigate an environment led by and full of people who don’t look like us. I would implore the legal community to exert the same effort for us. We don’t all come from the same walks of life, and we don’t all have the same experiences. It shouldn’t be assumed that someone is a “diamond in the rough” because they speak, dress or walk ... what, better than you expected? You have to consider people and their unique experiences. There has to be a little bit of introspection to make certain that people are not jumping to conclusions.

Also, I take issue with the too-common usage of adjectives like “aggressive,” “angry” or “defensive” to describe Black attorneys and law students.

Speaking louder than you does not make me

aggressive. Explaining something after you asked me a question does not make me defensive.

The situation shouldn’t be described differently because I’m Black and you’re not.

Speaking of unequal standards, from a young age Black people are told that another’s “A” is equal to our “A+.” We have to shine brighter to get equal, or oftentimes less, recognition. Therefore, we strive for unattainable levels of perfection, creating expectations of ourselves that are impossible to maintain. Our high-performance work ethic can cause high rates of burnout because everyone else expects a lot from us as well.

Finally, I would also say that there is no need to stop a conversation about race when a Black person walks in the room. I may have a perspective on that conversation, but maybe I don’t; it depends on my personal experience.

It’s very uncomfortable to be in a room having a professional legal conversation and then have somebody say, “Oh, we’re not going to discuss the

Sometimes being in those spaces is hard. But don’t be afraid to be the only Black attorney at your law firm or in your practice area because it won’t be too long before others follow the pathway you created and join you.

It’s important because it means the seats at the table are not taken by people who all look the same. It becomes a more diverse and true representation of our population. With more diverse perspectives shaping our legislature, the law will work better for everyone.

EW: Yes, I think the impact is further reaching than Kenesha or I can see now. Progress ripples out from these singular instances and moments — like Kenesha being the first Black editor in chief of the South Texas Law Review, and now I’m the first Black male editor in chief and the only Black judicial intern at the federal courthouse.

When you walk in those places where, traditionally, Black people have not been, there is a sense of pride, like I am representing something bigger — showing what’s possible for other Black law students. It makes me want to continue to do these things so other people have even better opportunities. What Kenesha has done for me has been extremely impactful, and I hope to do the same for others.

“The more Black and Brown people we have at the table creating laws, becoming prosecutors, and facilitating billion-dollar M&A deals, the better the legal profession ... will be.”

– Eric Williams II, 3L ‘race thing.’ ” If the case was about Black people, we can’t just gloss over the ‘race thing.’ Don’t be afraid to talk about race. Just be respectful and include diverse perspectives in the conversation.

CW: What impact does your presence have in law firms, law schools, courtrooms and all other legal spaces?

KS: When Vice President Kamala Harris was elected and so many little Black and Brown girls around the country said, “That could be me” — it’s like that. Because when you get in-person interview opportunities, when you’re in a courtroom as the law clerk, when you’re the intern in the appellate court, or when you’re the associate at a big firm and other Black students see that — it opens a whole new world of possibilities for the future.

The more Black and Brown people we have at the table creating laws, becoming prosecutors, and facilitating billiondollar M&A deals, the better the legal profession and our society in general will be. Houston is the most diverse city in the country, so there should be no reason why the legal profession should not reflect that diversity as well.

KS: We, as a legal community, have to change the narrative and eliminate any hesitation about the positive impact of having Black attorneys at a firm. When a firm or company hires one Black attorney — and somebody has to be willing to be that one — that business or firm tends to be more open to hiring more Black attorneys. Just in the last few years, I have seen firms starting to make this change. It gives me a lot of hope for the future of the Houston legal community.

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U.S. SUPREME COURT, SOUTH TEXAS STYLE

hen students enter the advocacy program at South Texas College of Law Houston, led by Robert Galloway ’91, the W. James Kronzer Jr. Distinguished Professor of Advocacy, they prepare for everything from contract disputes to oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court.

That rigorous education serves students long after their last moot court competition and graduation, as alumnus Richard “Rick” Morris ’91 demonstrated when he recently presented an oral argument on behalf of his client in Houston Community College Foundation v. Wilson before the nation’s highest court.

Morris presented a confident, well-honed case in Washington, D.C., in early November, following an intense period of preparation with STCL Houston professors and 20 students in the Appellate Litigation Clinic. With the guidance of Galloway, who also serves as vice president for advocacy, the students helped Morris prepare for the biggest case of his career.

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Making the case

In the years since graduating from law school, Morris made a name for himself specializing in education law. Now a partner at Rogers, Morris and Grover, his successful track record includes a long history representing public school boards and community colleges, in addition to governmental entities.

On Nov. 2, Morris engaged in the highest form of representation for the HCC Foundation when he advocated to the U.S. Supreme Court on the school’s behalf.

The case focused on a dispute between the foundation and a former HCC Foundation trustee, David Wilson. Made up of nine elected trustees, HCC’s board members voted to censure Wilson after years of discord, multiple lawsuits, and, according to the petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, “a laundry list” of controversies that ultimately ended in a letter from the college’s accrediting agency expressing concern over the public disputes.

Wilson alleged in a state court case against the trustees that the censure violated his rights under the First Amendment and

“When the time came to discuss getting prepared for the argument, I couldn’t think of a better program with all the resources it has to offer. I was thrilled Rob was willing to offer his support.”

– RICK MORRIS ’91

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Advocacy students line the judge’s bench to listen to Rick Morris ’91 present his argument in the T. Gerald Treece courtroom.

the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

HCC’s stance, and Morris’ argument, was that the foundation’s own First Amendment rights allow free speech in the form of censure.

The central question of the case, according to the U.S. Supreme Court, was “whether the First Amendment restricts the authority of an elected body to issue a censure resolution in response to a member’s speech.”

The decision of the justices, expected in summer 2022, will be closely watched by First Amendment advocates and lawyers representing government entities, and as with any U.S. Supreme Court case, the stakes are broader than simply winning for a client.

The result could set precedent for years to come.

From moot court to Supreme Court

When Morris learned the court accepted the certiorari review and would hear the case, he recalled the exceptional — and similar — preparation he received at South Texas in the renowned advocacy program.

When Galloway and Morris were moot court partners at the law school in the late 1980s, they were promising students who worked hard to win moot court championships.

Their natural abilities as advocates — in addition to long hours spent researching, writing briefs and practicing oral arguments — earned their team the moot court tournament win.

That experience laid the groundwork for many years of rewarding law careers after graduation, and was the impetus for working together on a U.S. Supreme Court case.

“When the time came to discuss getting prepared for the argument, I couldn’t think of a better program with all the resources it has to offer,” Morris said. “I was thrilled Rob was willing to offer his support.”

Galloway saw Morris’ request as an incredible opportunity, and he immediately wanted to involve students in the process by forming a special Appellate Litigation Clinic. Despite the much higher stakes for an actual case argued before SCOTUS,

Rick Morris ’91 (right) discusses strategy with Professor Rob Galloway ’91 and one of his legal colleagues.

Galloway said the preparation process is similar.

“Rick did the same thing our students are doing to prepare for moot court competitions each year,” Galloway said. “The approach students are taking is exactly what got Rick to the U.S. Supreme Court, as is the process he used to get ready.

“Ready is a term we use when we stand up and say we’re ready to go,” Galloway said. “You announce ‘ready’ when you start an argument. Rick’s always gotten ready in the same way, using stcl.edu

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“As they participated and watched us prepare for the argument, I hope they recognized that they may have a similar opportunity one day.” – Rick Morris ’91 the process he learned here. It’s the way he trained lawyers at his law firm. You are the product of the way you learn. The information he assimilates to get prepared for the argument may change, but the process doesn’t.”

The 20 students in the Appellate Litigation Clinic took a deep dive into prescribed roles intended to mimic what Morris would experience in Washington, D.C. As part of that plan, 18 students took on the nine justices’ personas. To do that, each student read what each of the justices wrote in areas related to the case, listened to past arguments, and gathered information to make a list of questions the justices would likely ask.

Brigette A. Dechant, a 3L participating in the class, was assigned to Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

“My role was to conduct a deep dive of Justice Kavanaugh’s areas of interest as applicable to political speech,” she said. “I want to learn from Rick and Rob’s process. I want to learn how

to communicate and advocate such that I will be where they are one day. I never dreamed I would get to work on a U.S. Supreme Court case, but here I am, learning South Texas style from a South Texas alum.”

Two students studied the lower-court circuit split and helped guide practice rounds with Morris. One student tasked with that role was 3L Gavin O'Brien, who coordinated with STCL Houston professors Charles W. “Rocky” Rhodes, Josh Blackman and R. Randall Kelso to facilitate their roles in the clinic and to gain greater First Amendment knowledge.

During Morris’ preparation, the students held practice rounds, competing against each other, devising arguments and troubleshooting the arguments they expected Morris would make.

They also acted like advance scouts, researching how each of the nine justices had approached the First Amendment philosophically over the years. That research helped Morris prepare well for the questions he received from the justices.

A variety of South Texas professors and alumni helped Rick Morris ’91 test his argument in the weeks preceding his visit to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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An external film crew followed Morris, Galloway and the Appellate Litigation Clinic students throughout the process to document the extraordinary experience.

Nancy Wade, 3L, said it was been exciting to watch Morris practice in front of First Amendment experts and to craft his arguments.

“It made me excited to realize what we’re doing here in the advocacy program really is so similar to what someone at his level is doing,” she said. “He’s just at a much higher level than we are.”

Her classmate, 2L Harrison Cass, said watching Morris prepare has shown him how much work he needs to put in to reach a similar level someday in his career. And 3L Dillon Breazeale, who had originally wanted to be an attorney for the experience of courtroom trials, now sees the appeal of, well, appellate work — particularly arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“I have added that to my bucket list,” Breazeale said.

For Wade, she has enjoyed talking with her two pre-teen kids about her role in the case because it’s part of history.

“I look forward to having grandkids one day, and being able to say, ‘Look, that case you heard about… grandma worked on that.’ That’s pretty great,” she said.

A higher level of preparation

Morris said he wanted to involve the students not only because of the assistance they would provide him, but also to give them a glimpse of what it takes to get to this point themselves.

“As they participated and watched us prepare for the argument, I hope they recognized that they may have a similar opportunity one day,” Morris said. “They will see the level of preparation and dedication it takes. Going through this experience will make them better lawyers when they get out in the real world and begin practicing law.”

STCL Houston First Amendment scholars talked with Morris and the students about trends in First Amendment law, how certain cases have developed, and where they have diverged. Scheduled practice rounds of arguments incorporated the students’ research, South Texas professors’ expertise, and detailed debriefs.

– Rob Galloway ’91 All the hours of work culminated in the short time Rick was given to argue before the justices, with the bulk of his time spent answering their questions.

“You get 15 minutes to make an impression, and you want to make it power packed with the best stuff you’ve got,” Galloway said. “You only get that one opportunity.”

While the results of the case are likely months away, Morris was proud of the case he built — with some strong assistance — and his presentation of it.

“It is professionally rewarding to be able to argue a First Amendment case because the principles are so fundamental to our democratic government,” Morris said. “To be able to have a voice in that debate was special for me. We were pleased to be able to make a strong argument and grateful for the opportunity to add our voice to the body of First Amendment constitutional law.”

“You get 15 minutes to make an impression, and you want to make it power packed with the best stuff that you’ve got.”

“If South Texas College of Law Houston were a sports team, it would be called a dynasty.”

– MARCUS DINITTO, HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, 2018

THE PRESTIGIOUS HISTORY OF THE SOUTH TEXAS ADVOCACY PROGRAM

Consistently ranked in the top 10 for trial advocacy

by U.S. News & World Report 136 national advocacy championships, more than twice the number of any other law school in the country 15 American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Championships South Texas College of Law Houston named “Best of the Decade” in moot court competitions, 2006-2016

Advocacy students prepare for their questioning during a work session in the T. Gerald Treece conference room adjacent to the advocacy hall of champions.

Every year, hundreds of alumni return to South Texas College of Law Houston to coach and judge practice rounds, which helps students prepare for competition. The rigorous program allows students to test arguments and hone strategy before they launch their careers. The process helps them sharpen their skills and learn the ropes in a low-stakes setting where making mistakes won’t have severe consequences.

A major point of pride for the law school, the South Texas tradition of unparalleled advocacy education develops outstanding lawyers who graduate ready for their professional careers in the courtroom. Some of Texas’ most formidable litigators cut their teeth in STCL classrooms.

If you are a former advocate at STCL Houston, or if you are interested in providing feedback to the students preparing for competitions, we want to stay connected!

Email alumni@stcl.edu to stay connected! stcl.edu

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Jose Pablo Salas, 3L

ONETOWATCH

Jose Pablo Salas

Experiential learning leads to “Big Law”offer hen South Texas 3L student Jose Pablo Salas These early mentors would inspire Salas to make law school applied for a coveted internship position with the next step in his educational and professional journey. Initially Apple’s Products and Services Legal Group, drawn to STCL Houston because of the many successes of its he knew he was competing with other top-tier advocacy program, he eventually used the program as a springlaw students from across North America. board to launch his career.

“I got my first iPod when I was young and Gaining experience remember thinking what a huge, grand company Apple was,” Salas said. “I always imagined people in California getting to Salas quickly took to moot court and became an integral part experience work at a company like that. I never imagined a kid of the South Texas College of Law Houston competitions team, from Matamoros, Mexico, could do it.” helping lead the charge to the naBut hard work and a penchant tional finals last year. He also won for leaning into challenges are par an award for writing the best brief in for the course for Salas. Through an a national moot court competition. extensive vetting process, his applicaAcknowledging the law school’s tion stood out, he aced the interviews, long history of dominance in advoand he got the job. cacy, Salas attributes his successes to Getting a peek behind the curtain absorbing as much as he could from at Apple provided Salas with greater his professors. He credits Professor —JOSE PABLO SALAS confidence about his future work.

Rob Galloway, vice president for ad“I was dealing with everyone from vocacy, and Professor Amanda Peters’ business teams to engineering teams to marketing departments,” Legal Research and Writing class with impacting the trajectory he said. “Having that knowledge of how to work with different of his career by pushing him to hone his skills. internal stakeholders will be crucial to my success as an attorney.”

In his second year at South Texas, Salas took his skills to the Now with two major internships under his belt — at Baker courts as an intern for U.S. District Judge David Hittner. That McKenzie in Houston and Apple headquarters in Cupertino, experience taught him about the inner workings of a courtroom.

Calif. — Salas’ resume is impressive, and he is on track to achieve But it was ultimately his time at a private law firm as part of his lifelong dream. a secondment, a type of job rotation in another area, that led to Salas becoming a legal intern with Apple.

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“South Texas pushed me to become the best lawyer I could be, and I believe I will start my career with a huge advantage.”

From the South Texas border to South Texas College of Law Houston

Big companies, big law

Though he was born in Brownsville, Salas grew up in Matamoros, Mexico, where he lived for 12 years with his grandparents.

From a young age, he was a dedicated student. Salas crossed the border every day to attend school in Texas. He woke up as early as 5:30 a.m. to get to his elementary and middle schools, at times waiting for up to two hours to cross the border.

When Salas turned 12, he moved back to Brownsville. That’s where he first became interested in government, citing his stepfather as a major influence. “He’s a lawyer in Brownsville who first studied political science, so I thought it would be useful to follow his path,” Salas said.

That path eventually led him to The University of Texas at Austin. As a government major, Salas gravitated to working at the Texas Capitol, where he met lawyers and lobbyists who helped shape his aspirations.

That Apple internship solidified Salas’ desire to go into “Big Law” after graduating from South Texas. “It’s not stressful if you love what you do and the people you work with,” Salas said.

The exact details of the Apple position cannot be disclosed because Salas is bound by confidentiality, but he says he appreciated the in-house experience he gained.

“It was fascinating to get a look at how a giant company like Apple works,” he said. “I got to see what the legal needs are for a company of that size.” All his experience-based learning has proven to have direct value on his future. The 3L recently accepted an offer from Baker McKenzie as an associate attorney in the transactional practice group post-graduation.

“South Texas pushed me to become the best lawyer I could be, and I believe I will start my career with a huge advantage,” Salas said. “I am grateful and excited to take the next step.”

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Working in triplicate, alumni team up to win settlement in new era of law enforcement accountability Andrew Bender ’12, Brad Gilde ’04 and Sharon McCally ’90

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South Texas College of Law Houston

JUSTICE FOR JAMAIL The case

While the similarities of what happened to Jamail Amron and George Floyd are apparent, a significant difference created one of Gilde’s biggest hurdles.

“Amron’s death happened in September 2010, before cell phone cameras were omnipresent, so we had to rely on the eyewitness testimony of one person,” Gilde said. “The cameras and mics that were in place should have been on and recording at the time of the incident, according to police policies. But they were not.”

Not surprisingly, the political, social and tactical realities of trying these cases only add to their unpopularity among attorneys.

“When I began litigating the case in 2012, everything was met with hostility from Harris County,” Gilde said. “Everything was met with motions to compel. When we got information, it was boxes and boxes and boxes we had to sort through. Also, if you’re suing a city or a county where you live, where you pay taxes, you’re perhaps inflicting pain on yourself. And if you end up on appeal, you have to roll the dice on whose courtroom you’re going to land in and how that impacts your likelihood 42 U.S.C. §1983 of success.”

Ten years before videos of a police officer suffocating George Floyd launched nationwide protests, Jamail Amron called 911 asking for help. Paramedics arrived, followed by deputies with Harris County Constable Precinct 4.

From there, the details diverge, depending on who is telling the story. Regardless, it ends with Amron being pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later. Understandably, Amron’s parents struggled to see how the events, as described by law enforcement, could have led to their son’s death. Their search for clarity connected them with South Texas College of Law Houston alumnus Brad Gilde ’04.

An accomplished trial attorney, Gilde would spend nearly a decade pursuing justice for Amron’s family. Along the way two additional STCL Houston alumni, Andrew Bender ’12 and Sharon McCally ’90, would join the fight. Though their time at the law school spanned nearly 25 years, the passion and talent cultivated in the advocacy program was both an important bond and a tactical advantage.

The trial

The Civil Rights Act of 1871 is a federal stat-

The team Despite the challenges that come with ute, numbered 42 U.S.C. § 1983. It provides pursuing a 42 U.S.C. §1983 civil rights Knowing the odds were not necessarily legal protections against civil rights violacomplaint, Gilde signed on as lead attorney in his favor, Gilde enlisted the help of a tions by the government. Sometimes called in fall 2012, just before the statute of fellow STCL Houston graduate he knew Section 1983 lawsuits, these cases allow limitations expired. to be an outstanding brief writer and individuals to sue when their constitutional Gilde had extensive litigation expeappellate attorney. Bender came on board or federal rights are deprived by someone rience. He knew these types of cases in 2015 to assist with an interlocutory acting "under color of" a state-level or local were unique and the options for finding appeal during the pre-trial phase. law. It is often invoked to argue excessive representation were limited. Amron’s “This case really checked all the force by law enforcement officers. parents, Ali Amron and Barbara Coats, boxes for me,” Bender said. “Even at that had previously approached several other time, we were in the wake of the unrest in attorneys, and they all declined to take Ferguson, and there was already a national the case. movement underway regarding police brutality and people of color.

“I find constitutional law, and specifically civil rights cases, I knew this was an important opportunity to help a family seekto be the most complicated and difficult from a legal and a trial ing justice, and also to develop better law.” standpoint,” Gilde said. “We’ve got some of the best lawyers in Bender would remain part of the team as the trial began in the world in this city, but I can count on one hand the number 2017. At the conclusion of the arguments, a jury deliberated six of lawyers I would feel comfortable sending a civil rights or hours before unanimously awarding just over $11 million to Amconstitutional case.” ron’s parents. The win was a long time coming.

“I find constitutional law, and specifically civil rights cases, to be the most complicated and difficult from a legal and a trial standpoint.”

– BRAD GILDE ’04

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“I knew this was an important opportunity to help a family seeking justice, and also to develop better law.”

–ANDREW BENDER ’12

Unfortunately, it was also short-lived.

An appeal by Harris County resulted in Gilde turning to the South Texas alumni network yet again — this time for, in his words, “the best oral advocate on the planet.”

Gilde and Bender asked McCally to assist with the post-trial appellate phase. A former justice on the Texas 14th District Court of Appeals, McCally had worked with Bender previously, both via the STCL Houston advocacy program and in private practice since her retirement from the judiciary.

“I read portions of the transcript of the trial and was impressed with Brad and Andrew’s handling of all aspects of the case,” McCally said. “The South Texas fingerprint was evident in their work, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 so I agreed to join the team.”

The outcome

JAMAIL AMRON 23 YEARS OLD

hopefully see more accountability and In February 2020, a state appeals court internal enforcement of policing so we n Amron called 911 to report a bad reaction reduced the initial verdict to $1 million. don’t have these issues.” to cocaine, but refused treatment when However, the work of the attorneys from Regardless of where the future paramedics arrived.

Houston’s oldest law school continued of civil rights cases is heading, Gilde, until the saga concluded in April 2021.

Bender and McCally all agree their n Deputies from Harris County Constable Harris County agreed to a $4.75 million past training at South Texas brought Precinct 4 also responded and found him seated in a nearby parking lot. He resisted settlement with the trio’s clients. incredible value to this case. They were their efforts to return to the ambulance.

While Amron’s parents had waited all active in the school’s advocacy promore than a decade for a resolution, and grams under the late Dean T. Gerald n During a struggle, Amron was injected Gilde’s involvement dated back nearly Treece and are unwavering on the twice with a sedative and restrained on the as long, he pointed to his clients’ determieffectiveness of that experience. ground. A witness reported one of the depunation as a critical factor.

“There is no substitute for prepaties placed his boot over Amron’s mouth and nose and pressed down hard for several “The family was extremely motivated ration,” McCally said. “Countless minutes. Subsequently, he stopped breathing to see this to the end,” Gilde said. “What hours of moot court practice rounds and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. kept me strong and kept me going was shaped and refined my arguments the client’s desire to see it through. It was and my thinking on the case, and n None of the equipment that could provide their desire to get answers. That strength there is no shortcut for that kind of clarity — dashboard cameras in all the and stamina was very important.” preparation in private practice.” responding cruisers and audio recorders on each officer — were recording the incident.

Gilde also said the current emphasis Bender added, “What’s special on police reform, along with more visible about South Texas is that we don’t just cases of police brutality, are having a sit around and talk about the theory positive impact. behind issues. Instead, we actually engage in the appellate pro“Sadly, these cases are almost always turned down — not cess by writing briefs, delivering oral arguments and presenting because the case is weak or because you don’t have a victim who the case to a jury, just to learn the strategy behind how it’s done. was harmed and deserves some measure of justice, but because And there’s just not a better way to prepare than that.” they seem too difficult,” Gilde said.

Gilde agrees completely. He’s convinced the outcome they achieved is owed, in large part, to the connection they share The future as alumni.

Going forward however, Gilde is optimistic that success in the “It was an interesting case that was nearly impossible to courtroom, along with the greater awareness and social pressures, win,” Gilde said. “But I think what made it possible was the will result in the willingness of more attorneys to pursue cases like classical education we received at South Texas, the experience Amron’s. In fact, he’s already seen evidence to support his hope. we gained from Dean Treece, and the combined effort of three “More recently, a number of successful firms began taking generations of successful South Texas alums. Without all that, these cases, and that gives me some happiness,” Gilde said. this case would not have been won, and this family would not “Not only will fewer victims be swept under the rug, but we’ll have received their answers or justice.”

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South Texas College of Law Houston

Camp Logan

Joining Forces

Seeking clemency for Camp Logan soldiers unjustly convicted, punished in Houston in 1917 large crowd of community leaders gathered at South Texas College of Law Houston Dec.17 to commemorate the law school’s ongoing collaboration with the NAACP Houston Branch.

The organizations are fighting for clemency for the 110 soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment convicted by General Courts-Martial for their alleged role in the 1917 Camp Logan uprising.

Michael F. Barry, STCL Houston president and dean, and Dr. James Dixon, NAACP Houston Branch board president, signed a memorandum of understanding outlining some of the ways the organizations plan to enhance their ongoing efforts to right a wrong. The signing ceremony, and the tragic story prompting it, received significant local, regional, national and military press coverage, helping further raise the profile of the issue.

“This incident was one of the first projects the NAACP Houston Branch ever investigated a century ago, and it continues to be important to us today,” Dixon said. “We must address this past injustice and educate people about the wrongs that occurred so they don’t happen again. We are determined to seek clemency for these soldiers because it is never too late to do the right thing.”

Geoffrey Corn, the Gary A. Kuiper Distinguished Professor of National Security Law at STCL Houston and retired U.S. Army JAG officer, explained the Camp Logan history leading to this work.

“On Aug. 23, 1917, members of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment — an all-African American Army unit with a distinguished history of combat service (often called the Buffalo Soldiers) — marched out of its encampment in Houston to confront what it believed was a white mob setting upon the soldiers,” Corn noted at the event.

The incident, which resulted in the deaths of 11 locals and six soldiers, was the culmination of weeks of racially charged confrontations between members of the unit and the local Houston police.

“The actual violence that night lasted approximately three hours, but the implications of the unjust convictions and punishments that occurred afterward have lasted a century,” Corn said. “These soldiers — regardless of the circumstances of the violence that occurred — did not receive due process and had no opportunity to appeal. The justice system failed them.”

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The signing ceremony, and the tragic story prompting it, received significant local, regional, national and military press coverage, helping further raise the profile of the issue.

Dr. James Dixon, NAACP Houston Branch board president, shakes hands with STCL Houston President and Dean Michael F. Barry shortly after an MOU signing ceremony.

“The NAACP Houston Branch and South Texas College of Law Houston share a common priority: a focus on justice,” Barry said.

Angela Holder, great-niece of Cpl. Jesse Moore, one of the soldiers convicted and executed in 1917, said, “These 24th Infantry Regiment soldiers are not just names in history. They are real people.

They sacrificed for our country, and now they deserve clemency.”

Because of their shared commitment to equal justice under the law, the NAACP Houston Branch and STCL Houston will continue collaborating to fulfill the mission of obtaining clemency for these Camp Logan soldiers, Barry said.

The NAACP Houston Branch led an effort, initiated on the 100th anniversary of the incident in 2017, to seek a pardon for the 13 soldiers sentenced to death in the first trial. Unfortunately, that effort stalled without a successful outcome. Corn was asked to provide advice to the NAACP group working on this effort, and he continues to be actively involved. Dru Brenner-Beck — also a retired U.S. Army JAG officer who will join the STCL faculty this summer — has led an effort along with historian John Haymond to conduct a comprehensive review of the records related to this incident and these military trials, based on extensive historical records at the law school and other records throughout the country.

South Texas librarians and law students working in the Actual Innocence Clinic have contributed substantially to this effort by providing important research and narratives of the many soldiers convicted in the trials.

“This effort is about the past, about righting a historic wrong,” Barry said. “But this effort benefits us all tomorrow, as well, helping ensure the violations of due process of a century ago will never be repeated.” stcl.edu

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Creative innovation in modern civil law

Message sent, papers served hen Carlos Calderon graduated from Cornell University Law School in 2012, he never imagined he’d eventually be serving divorce papers and subpoenas via Facebook in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. But challenging times call for creative solutions.

In the years prior to and immediately following his time at Cornell, Calderon worked in government, where he gained exposure to public relations and an appreciation for the nuances, mediums and styles of communication.

He then made his way to South Texas College of Law Houston as a clinical fellow, practicing family law while teaching classes, and he is now celebrating his five-year anniversary with South Texas.

Calderon noticed that most of his students are absorbed by social media, and he relishes introducing them to alternative methods of service, particularly through Facebook. “It sparks a moment of commonality,” he said.

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Legal basis for service via Facebook

On Aug. 21, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court approved amendments to Rule 106 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure outlining method of service. The new changes allow for electronic service in cases where documentation cannot be delivered physically through personal service or via mail. This means in Texas, 20

South Texas College of Law Houston

During the pandemic, technology has become more important in legal services.

Carlos Calderon

serving divorce papers or subpoenas via email, social media or other technology is an acceptable method of service.

“Most people seeking to duck papers being served don’t know they can be served via Facebook,” Calderon said. “But even people who don’t have a mailing address usually have a social media account.”

Changing times, changing methods

Service over Facebook correlates with a rise in Zoom court that was seen across the country as the justice system adjusted to the new realities of COVID-19. But you won’t hear Carlos Calderon complaining.These innovations have increased the efficiency with which he can do his job.

“You have to account for your time as an attorney, so the more efficient you are, the better,” he said. “Time-wise you could hypothetically serve more clients in a day through electronic delivery because no physical travel is required to serve papers.”

To meet the threshold for recognized, certified service, the only requirement is to prove that the social media profile belongs to the person in question. They don’t have to receive or open the message. As Calderon said, “They don’t even have to open the metaphorical door.”

Embracing innovation

Calderon is a strong proponent of electronic service. He believes it is more effective than the common method of delivery without an address, which is to place a public posting in the Daily Court Review newspaper. That process places the burden to document any attempts to contact on the client seeking legal relief, and leaves room for subjective interpretation on the part of the overseeing judge.

At his Family Law Clinic, many of Calderon’s clients are women fleeing an abusive or contentious marriage.

Some haven’t seen their husband in years and others are domestic abuse survivors bravely seizing the opportunity to get out of the relationship.

In the most disturbing cases, women have been sold into marriage by their parents.

– CARLOS CALDERON Though the stories vary, these clients are indigent and at risk — meaning that often the traditional method of non-delivery fails them.

“Because of the vulnerable client base we serve, electronic delivery is crucial to getting the legal action they deserve rather than prolonging their suffering due to bureaucratic red tape,” Calderon said. “It makes the process safer, both for attorneys and for clients. There’s less face-to-face interaction and fewer chances for physical violence.”

“I knew this was an important opportunity not just to help a family seeking justice, but also to develop better law.”

Carlos Calderon enjoys engaging in person, when the pandemic eases.

he sees as “really positive results” so far for his clients.

His first success was with an English-as-a-second-language client who, prior to coming to the clinic, had filed for divorce.

She got halfway through the process, but stalled when she couldn’t find her husband to serve him the papers. Calderon and his team were able to find the husband through his interactions on Facebook Marketplace within a few months and delivered the divorce papers, much to the client’s joy and relief.

With more Facebook services scheduled for clients and the legal field fully embracing digital advances, this innovation in civil law will likely continue to expand.

Bringing the real world into the classroom

Improving client outcomes

Of course, this creative approach to law permeates Calderon’s lesson plans, and students are shifting their understanding of the legal practice.

Alternative methods of service are regularly emerging, and this is just the next iteration. “People think that law is stiff and stagnant, but the practice of law is all about adjusting on the fly,” Calderon said.

Calderon believes exposing his students to many nuanced areas of the law is vital. “They will inevitably face unusual challenges in their careers,” he said. “I want them to know that when you hit a roadblock, you just need to figure out how to navigate around it.”

Though electronic service, and especially service via social media, is still being pioneered, Calderon is hopeful and inspired by what

Carlos Calderón, Clinical Teaching Fellow, Attorney; 713.646.2986, ccalderon@stcl.edu stcl.edu

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“As law professors who have studied crime victim compensation programs around the nation, we contend traumatized eyewitnesses and victims of unlawful police violence need to be classified as crime victims.”

professor njeri mathis rutledge “traumatized witnesses and victims of police violence get shut out of compensation funds” usa today, may 4, 2021

“As we reflect on Spears’ journey from breakdown, to conservatorship to freedom, we can celebrate her victory, and we can also celebrate wise decisions that judges in our courts make every day regarding these difficult matters.” crystal washington ’14 staff attorney at randall o. sorrels legal clinics the end of britney spears’ 14-year conservatorship stcl houston blog, november 15, 2021

“These Afghan refugees are wonderful people …

They said again and again how grateful they are to be in this great country … I have always felt that same sense of profound gratitude, and I came to believe the way I could show my love for my country was through service. For the rest of my life, in whatever legal role I play, that’s what I want to do.

I want to serve, and I want to make this world a better place for my kids.” tam “tom” pham, u.s. army veteran and december 2021 south texas graduate

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“This is why we exist as a law school… to produce well-educated, highly skilled attorneys with the talent and passion to make the world a better place. Working together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish through our zealous and compassionate efforts.” president and dean michael f. barry

“Right now, we’re helping the tenants with the CDC declaration but believe as a society we have to think, ‘What’s the impact on the mom and pop who have three or four rental properties, and that’s how they’re funding their retirement?’ They’re people, too.” catherine burnett, associate dean for experiential education eviction crisis looms as millions rely on federal moratorium expiring this month msn / abc news, december 12, 2020

“Working with the Advanced Immigration and the Landlord-Tenant clinics at STCL Houston provided me with hands-on experience to help the underserved people in our community by providing comforting care and legal aid. As an individual I may not be able to change the world, but I know to some, I helped change their world. For that, I am grateful for South Texas College of Law Houston.” kathryn “kate” g. tavakoli december 2021 graduate

“We are doing good work, and there is no end to that work in sight.” eric kwartler, public interest attorney, randall o. sorrels legal clinics regarding efforts to fight illegal evictions in greater houston

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ALUMNIPROFILE

Tommy Kherkher ’18

Connecting to Clients:

Young social influencer builds independent law firm ommy Kherkher ’18, a young alum who started his own law firm at age 24, was one of the most-watched attorneys on social media this past year. His 398,000 YouTube subscribers have viewed his videos more than 240 million times, and his 700,000 TikTok followers have given his posted work 18 million likes.

This level of popularity requires tremendous ongoing effort.

An old Hollywood saying declares “it takes 20 years to make an overnight success.” Kherkher achieved his social-media storytelling success in just two years by producing and sharing 1,500 videos — two videos a day, every single day.

“Until I hit that tipping point, my videos didn’t earn me anything,” Kherkher said. “Although I had posted lots of videos, they only had about 600 views each.”

While perseverance and video skills have played key roles in this South Texas alumnus’s fast-growing renown, Kherkher said his real secret to success is authenticity.

“When I first started making videos, I put on this fake persona,” he said. “I wore a suit during the first 100 I shot.

I didn’t feel like myself, but that was the image I had of a lawyer.

As a young attorney, I thought I needed that persona to fit in and not rock the boat.”

Eventually, Kherkher ditched the suits and started recording

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videos about topics he really wanted to discuss. He realized clients wanted to work with someone they trusted, not someone who “acts like a lawyer should act.” That eye-opening realization was the foundation for the advice he now gives new lawyers and law students: “Focus on becoming the type of lawyer you want to be.”

Kherkher began making videos as a way to build his business.

He had dreamed of becoming a lawyer since he was 8, when his dad, Steve Kherkher ’89, began bringing him to the courthouse.

His parents met at South Texas, his sister Samantha ’18 also attended, and he grew up around other STCL Houston law school alumni.

“South Texas was a natural choice for me, and it was the right choice,” he said. After graduating cum laude from STCL Houston in just 2 1/2 years, Kherkher started his own law firm.

“I took a different path than most law school alumni,” Kherkher said. “Most people pad their resumes and build up their professional experience and reputation before flying solo. It’s an uphill battle to start your own business, no matter your age.”

As a “hungry young lawyer with no clients,” Kherkher knew he needed to find a way to stand out among his peers and competition and prove he was ready to take on significant legal cases.

While studying political science as an undergraduate at the University of California Santa Barbara, Kherkher did not learn marketing or videography. His only side hustle was golf, joining

FIRST VIDEO

MOST-WATCHED VIDEOS

FAVORITE VIDEO

Kherkher’s first focus while making videos was in reviewing real-life, newsworthy cases. From a marketing perspective, this was a smart decision, both from a search engine optimization standpoint and as a way to connect with his new viewers and followers on issues they’re likely more familiar with. In his first video, he analyzed a potential personal injury case against Dak Prescott, quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Prescott’s dog had gotten loose and attacked a neighbor.

Kherkher discussed liability as it pertains to Texas law, as well as possible compensation.

Videos don’t always cover clients he’s represented and cases he’s won, or hypothetical legal advice for high-profile celebrities, like Dak Prescott.

Kherkher also covers topics that bridge the law with social issues, including interacting with police and inappropriate social media conduct.

“How to Act When Pulled Over By the Police” and “Don’t Post Illicit Content on Social Media” have more than 12 million views each on YouTube.

They’re also less than a minute long, showing Kherkher’s ability to make a huge impact multiple times a day through his video work.

When you’re producing thousands of videos every year, it has to be hard to single out your absolute favorite video, right? Not for Tommy Kherkher. He quickly points to “Legal Analysis of the Astros/Cubs Foul Ball Incident (Little Girl is Struck by Line Drive),” which he notes was an extremely important video to both his legal and content creation career. The video led to him being interviewed by a local news outlet and landing a catastrophic personal injury case 30 minutes after someone watched the interview on TV. He credits Professor Walter T. Champion’s Baseball and the Law class at South Texas as a major reason he was able to make this video. The video is a great example of Kherkher’s ability to entertain and educate a wide range of viewers. It was his first affirmation that making videos could be a valuable tool in career development.

“I started making videos out of pure necessity, but now it’s pure joy.”

– TOMMY KHERKHER

the UCSB team after winning a state championship with St. Thomas High School in Houston.

“I was told I was an idiot for starting my own firm so young,” he said. “Nobody wanted to give me the time of day or trust me. I knew I had to launch myself into the market, so I decided to use two tools I had right in front of me: my webcam and keyboard. I started making videos out of pure necessity, but now it’s pure joy.”

His unique marketing strategy seems to be working well.

Thanks in part to the success of his videos, Kherkher recently opened a second office in Louisiana with five employees.

Because Kherkher’s videos on YouTube and TikTok are so popular, he now lives a dual life: that of a practicing attorney and a social media influencer. Every day, he divides his time between helping “the little guy” win personal injury cases and producing multiple videos. He now has two full-time video editors on staff to help him.

Kherkher said his excellent South Texas education made it possible to launch a successful, independent law firm in his mid20s. He particularly credits Professor Ted Field’s Torts class and Professor Geoffrey Corn as major inspirations.

His greatest inspiration and mentor, however, is his dad. The two have partnered on several cases through his dad’s practice, Kherkher Garcia.

Tommy Kherkher ’18 has become a legal superstar on social media.

“Tommy has taught me more than I have taught him,” said Steve Kherkher. “When I was in law school, success was based solely on reputation. We weren’t taught about taking out ads or marketing. What Tommy’s done really impresses me, and his videos keep getting better and better. All my partners and friends are impressed with what he’s done too.”

Kherkher’s video skills have come in handy during collaborations with his father. He has helped record client testimonials after a big case is won or settled.

“When clients brag about how well we take care of them,” Kherkher said, “it makes a huge difference.” stcl.edu

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ALUMNIPROFILE

Rene Sigman ’02

In service to a cause Alumna Rene Sigman uses advocacy skills for most important ‘case’ of her life hen Rene Sigman ’02 learned her 9-year-old son Blake had cancer in 2015, she had no idea the advocacy skills she learned at South Texas and honed as a litigator would become so valuable in her personal life.

Blake’s diagnosis of rare and aggressive stage-4 lymphoma led Sigman into an unwanted crash course in medications, hospital procedures, transplant lists and insurance battles.

“After Blake’s relapse, he ended up back in the hospital,” Sigman said.

“I had to fight to get him on a nonFDA-approved drug that the insurance wouldn’t cover. I knew I would have to pay for it and fight the insurance carrier along the way.”

Sigman, Of Counsel at Williams Hart Boundas Easterby LLC, knows her tenacity and background in advocacy helped save her son’s life. While greatly relieved that Blake is now cancer-free,

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she recognized a bigger issue while going through all the medical challenges: many other sick children didn’t have the advantage of an experienced advocate to fight for their best interests with insurance companies, doctors and hospitals.

Since her family’s experience, Sigman has made it a high priority to help others in similar situations. In addition to her work as the head of litigation in Texas at a plaintiff law firm, Sigman serves as a family advisor for Texas Children’s Hospital and is a board member of Be the Match Foundation, which is the national organization in the U.S. in charge of finding, funding and researching stem cell and bone marrow transplants.

Be The Match also helped facilitate her son’s bone marrow transplant.

“There’s a whole village that lives in these hospitals that we don’t think about day-to-day,” Sigman said. “There are children who don’t leave hospitals for years.

I won the fight for my son, but I knew some children didn’t have a parent who

could effectively navigate these types of situations. Now I advocate for others who don’t have the same training.”

In addition to her experience-based learning in advocacy while at STCL Houston, Sigman later served three years as an adjunct professor, teaching Mock Trial Litigation under the leadership of the late South Texas Advocacy Director and Associate Dean T. Gerald Treece.

“Who would have thought my journey in advocacy through the law – RENE SIGMAN ’02 school would come full circle?” Sigman said. “My work is important, but my service in the community is also very meaningful to me. I’m truly happiest when I’m giving back.”

“Who would have thought my journey in advocacy through the law school would come full circle?”

ALUMNIPROFILE

Courtney Carlson ’08

Dedication to community Alumna Courtney Carlson makes positive difference as a public-service attorney eginning in second grade, Courtney Carlson ’08 dreamed of becoming a lawyer because she believed they helped people.

Today, she is living that dream as an assistant county attorney in the Harris County Attorney’s office.

Carlson became interested in transitioning to public-service law after Christian Menefee was elected as a new Harris County attorney in November 2020.

“I was impressed by his ideas, energy and areas of focus,” Carlson said. “I was blown away by his approach to altering the county attorney’s office to be more impactful for the community.”

Carlson believes her career has been built on the strong foundation she built while attending law school. “I was fortunate to gain valuable experience and build wonderful relationships through moot court,” she said. “Because of that program, as well as the great teaching by my professors, I felt confident when I started practicing. I also knew I still had a lot to learn.”

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When Carlson graduated from STCL Houston, she clerked Texas Supreme Court Juative David Medina ’89. She witnessed the Texas Supreme Court justices in conference, analyzed incoming cases, helped prepare and sat in on oral arguments, and assisted in research.

After her clerkship, Carlson gained appellate experience at a boutique firm, then successfully practiced litigation at Jackson Walker for more than a decade.

Over the years, Carlson realized her judicial clerkship had made a lasting impression, and that type of work greatly appealed to her.

At the Harris County Attorney’s office, Carlson works in the affirmative legislation division, assisting with consumer protection, nuisance, fraud claims, contractual claims, and environmental

“The leaders in the county attorney’s office, and my fellow team members, are inspiring.”

– COURTNEY CARLSON ’08

regulatory enforcement. She advocates for the safety and wellbeing of Harris County residents through initiatives and litigation, including amicus briefs.

Part of what keeps Carlson excited about her role is working with a dedicated group of attorneys.

“The leaders in the county attorney’s office, and my fellow team members, are inspiring,” Carlson said. “We come from different experiences and backgrounds, but we all want to make a difference in the community.”

Carlson is excited to tackle the challenges she will inevitably face as an advocate for the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the United States.

“I want to continue to give back to the city that has given me so much,” Carlson said. “Part of my work is to develop new partnerships between our office and the legal community. Because of South Texas and key mentors along the way, I have the skills to make positive changes. I know my colleagues and I can do so through dedicated advocacy.” stcl.edu

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Bringing alumni and friends back together in 2021 brought joyful reunions of former classmates and reingnited passion for South Texas and its beloved professors.

2

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“ thanks

coach ”

1. Sue Treece 2. Trent Cooper ’21, Meredith Clark ’19, Ryan Cunningham ’17, Ximena Kuri ’17 3. Dave Louie ’10, Andrew Pearce ’07, Tony Taft ’98 4. J. Ken Johnson II ’86 & Dale Jefferson ’86 5. Rob Galloway ’91, Kaylan Dunn ’10, Jill Young ’96

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lobster dinner 6. Kathy Kronzer, Wally Kronzer III ’87, Sari Kronzer ’07, Chris Kronzer ’07, Corey Kronzer ’15 7 . Dean Barry, Sue Treece, Mary-Olga Lovett ’93 8. Hunter Barrow ’99, Kara Barrow ’99, Tammy Kidd ’99, Twila Grooms ’99, Don Kidd ’91 9. Brant Stogner ’06, Jennifer Stogner ’06, Jennifer Bickley ’06, Ryan Haun ’06 10. Dominique Hinson ’14, Christian Dewhurst ’13, Zaid Husain ’14, Nida Usmani 11. Genora Boykins ’85, Chris Hanslik ’95 10

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Reunion Week 2021

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alumni luncheon 12. Dean Michael F. Barry, Catina Perry ’06, Derek Pershing ’13, Hon. Kyle Carter ’00, Aaron Reimer ’07 13. Mitchell Katine ’85, Stephany Alvarez ’17 14. Samantha Frazier ’11, Tony Taft ’98, Vanessa Winton ’14 15. Tonya Rolland ’06, Aaron Reimer ’07, Eric D‘Olive ’11, Christine Herron ’10, Paul Wyatt ’13 16. Misty Hataway-Cone ’01, Chris Tritico ’88, Hon. Donna Roth ’87, Judith Snively ’86, Prof. Pamela George 16

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Reunion Week 2021

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gala 2021 17. Alice Lee, Mark Lee, Hon. Robert Eckels ’93, Hon. Theresa Chang ’96, Dr. Peter Chang, Elaine Zhang 18. Benny Agosto, Jr. ’95, Nikki Agosto, Jessica Wahlquist and Jessica Rodriguez-Wahlquist ’17 19. John Warren ’93, Mary-Olga Lovett ’93, Karen Garcia, Roland Garcia ’86, Dax Faubus ’98, Steven Higgenbotham ’21 20. Nick Lanza ’89, Hon. E.J. Salcines Jr. ’63, Pamela Medina, Hon. David Medina ’89 21. Regina Bynote Jones ’98, Kevin Jones 22. Randy Sorrels ’87, Alex Farias-Sorrels 21

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IN BRIEF Virtual Coffee with the Dean events South Texas alumni from nine cities or regions were invited to enjoy “coffee with the dean” during online chats with President and Dean Michael F. Barry and popular professors. Often the events were hosted by local-area alumni. The locations were Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, East Texas, Dallas-Fort Worth, the Gulf Coast, the Golden Triangle and Tampa, Fla. These gatherings helped the South Texas community stay connected during the pandemic and allowed alumni to keep up with the latest happenings at the law school.

J. Ken Johnson ’86, board chair from 2014-21, passes the mace to Genora K. Boykins ’85 in a leadership-transfer tradition.

for 31 years. She now co-owns La Maison in Midtown.

Immediate Past Chair J. Ken Johnson ’86, Of Counsel at Martin | Walton LLP, was recognized at the meeting for his seven years of distinguished service as chair and 20 years of board service. He will continue on the board.

Earlier in 2021, five new members joined the board of directors: Michael E. Cokinos and STCL Houston alumni Aparna Dave ’02, Ephraim del Pozo ’97, Mary-Olga Lovett ’93 and Aaron M. Reimer ’07 (one term while Alumni Association board president), each of whom bring a wealth of business and legal experience to their roles.

STCL Houston Board of Directors welcomes new chair, members; thanks immediate past chair In December 2021, alumna Genora K. Boykins ’85 took the helm as chair of the STCL Houston board of directors, becoming the first woman and first Black individual to serve in that role for the law school.

Boykins has served on the board since March 2012. She previously served as regional assistant general counsel of NRG Energy, Inc. and Reliant Energy

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South Texas College of Law Houston

LOVETT

CARTER

PERSHING

Alumni Association honors outstanding achievements STCL Houston was proud to honor three exceptional graduates Sept. 28 at the 2021 Alumni Association Annual Luncheon. Recognized were Mary-Olga Lovett ’93, senior vice president of

Greenberg Traurig LLP and a South Texas board member, Distinguished Alumni Award; the Honorable Kyle Carter ’00, judge of the 125th District Court in Harris County, Public Service Award; and Derek Pershing ’13, shareholder at Wilson Cribbs + Goren and STCL Houston adjunct professor, Young Alumni Award.

Competition rankings, wins and advocacy bragging rights The ABA Law Student Division ranked South Texas No. 6 in the nation on its 2021 Competition Champions list.

Under the leadership of Professor of Law Rob Galloway, vice president for advocacy and W. James Kronzer Jr. Distinguished Professor of Advocacy, STCL Houston students won three national advocacy championships in the first three months of 2021, bringing the law school’s total to 136. STCL Houston extended its dominance in advocacy competition, having earned more than twice as many national championships as any other law school in the country.

STCL Houston is one of only three U.S. law schools consistently ranked in the Top 10 for trial advocacy by U.S. News & World Report.

IN BRIEF

E.J. Salcines receives prestigious Dean’s Medal at The Gala 2021 Two standing ovations from a crowd of 400-plus marked the emotional climax of The Gala 2021 as Emiliano Jose “E.J.” Salcines ’63 received the Dean’s Medal from President and Dean Michael F. Barry.

Salcine’s many contributions to South Texas includes creating a pipeline of approximately 500 students from Florida, as well as mentoring many young lawyers and serving on the STCL Houston Board of Directors with distinction for 14 years.

President and Dean Michael F. Barry, and Gala co-chairs Jill Willard Young ’96 and Chris Hanslik ’95

THANK YOU TO OUR GALA 2021 SUPPORTERS STCL Houston’s annual fundraiser, The Gala, drew more than 400 guests to The Revaire in October, raising more than $275,000 for student scholarships. Chris Hanslik ’95 and Jill Willard Young ’96 co-chaired the successful event that featured a wine pull, a “paddles up” auction, and touching accounts from two grateful scholarship recipients.

The Gala was the culmination of the law school’s Reunion Week, which celebrated faculty, alumni and the school’s nationally ranked advocacy program, with a total of nine events over the course of the seven days.

RECEPTION SPONSOR

BARBARA J. JORDAN AND DON D. JORDAN ’69

PLATINUM SPONSORS

THE LANIER LAW FIRM, PC

RICHARD ANDERSON, JR. ’82

LAURENT A. BAILLARGEON ’74

DEBBIE BECK ’92 AND ANNIE BECK ’11 RICHARD ANDERSON, JR. ’82

Innovative Commencements, December Hooding Ceremony In May, with the pandemic a significant factor, South Texas innovatively offered multiple Commencement ceremonies to allow much smaller groups to gather and social distance during the special events.

In December, a traditional Hooding Ceremony was hosted on campus for December 2021 graduates.

South Texas community helps provide more than 63,000 meals STCL Houston’s Student Bar Association continued the decade-long tradition of serving as the largest academic contributor — continued on next page

JENKINS & KAMIN, LLP

BOYAR MILLER

SALLY J. LANGSTON ’91

LAW OFFICE OF JOSE R. LOPEZ II, PC

MARTIN|WALTON, HON. D’LISA SIMMONS/J. KEN JOHNSON QUAN LAW GROUP PLLC SORRELS LAW

LAURENT A. BAILLARGEON ’74

VINSON & ELKINS LLP

CHRIS HANSLIK ’95 AND JILL WILLARD YOUNG ’96

SILVER SPONSORS

DEBBIE BECK ’92 AND ANNIE BECK ’11

KATINE NECHMAN MCLAURIN LLP GOLD SPONSORS ABRAHAM, WATKINS, NICHOLS, AGOSTO, AZIZ, & STOGNER BAKERHOSTETLER

HON. TERESA W. CHANG ’96 AND DR. PETER CHANG

COKINOS ENERGY CORPORATION APARNA M. DAVE ’02

FROST BROWN TODD LLC GRAY REED

THE ALFRED FIRM

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS BAKER HUGHES

GENORA K. BOYKINS ’85

JUDGE KYLE CARTER ’00 FOLEY & LARDNER, LLP

PROFESSOR ROBERT GALLOWAY ’91 BRADFORD J. GILDE ’04 MICHAEL K. HURST ’90

STEVEN J. KHERKHER ’89

HON. DEBRA IBARRA MAYFIELD ’99

BENJAMIN ’06 AND REBECCA MILLER

GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP

DISTRICT ATTORNEY KIM OGG ’85

HAYNES BOONE

HON. E.J. SALCINES ’63 AND ELSA SALCINES

HAUN MENA PLLC

NAIMEH SALEM & ASSOCIATES

MICHAEL S. HAYS ’74

THE TAFT LAW FIRM, PC

HUSCH BLACKWELL

HON. LESLIE & TERRY W. YATES

HOWRY, BREEN & HERMAN, LLP

TINDALL ENGLAND PC

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IN BRIEF

Tam “Tom” Pham (second from left) joins fellow veterans to help resettle Afghan refugees in the U.S.

Recent STCL Houston grad, Army veteran helped resettle Afghan refugees Tam “Tom” Pham, 11-year U.S. Army veteran and December 2021 STCL Houston graduate, loved serving his country in the Middle East for multiple tours from 2005-16, but he always felt his service wasn’t complete.

When the Travis Manion Foundation called for veterans who had served in the Middle East to help resettle Afghan refugees into the U.S., Pham jumped at the chance. “Everyone encouraged me

to go – my wife, my professors and the judges I work for. My wife said, ‘Go; this is important, and you need this.’ ” So in the midst of his final two classes, Pham — the son of refugees himself — flew to New Mexico and was driven to a huge “city” of air-conditioned tents housing Afghan men, women and children. For two weeks, Pham teamed up with seven other veterans to load a truck full of items like clothes, water,

personal-care products, toys for the children. Every day, 12 hours a day, they would personally deliver supplies to as many as 500 families.

“We helped more than 10,000 people in just two weeks,” Pham said.

“It meant so much to the families, but it meant as much to me. I felt a sense of closure, and I got to serve. That’s what I want to do for the rest of my life — find a way to serve.”

contributors and donated more than 225 pounds of food.

Because $1 provides three meals, the South Texas community helped provide more than 63,000 meals to people in need this holiday season.

“The goal was to help feed the hungry, and that’s exactly what we did!” said 2L Javon Cole, SBA vice president. “I am proud to be a student at South Texas.”

clinical studies at STCL Houston. Recently, her excellence in teaching and success as director of the nationally recognized alternative dispute resolution program BERMAN culminated in a grant of tenure and promotion to full professor of law. Under her leadership, South Texas students have earned 21 first-place finishes at national and international ADR competitions.

In 2021, STCL professor Robert L. “Rob” Galloway ’91 was named vice president, advocacy, honored as the W. James Kronzer Jr. Distinguished Professor of Advocacy, and granted tenure and promotion to professor of law. Galloway was honored for his outstanding service

2L Javon Cole, SBA vice president

Four clinical studies faculty receive tenure, promotions

— continued from previous page to the ABC13’s Share Your Holidays 2021 food drive, benefiting the Houston Food Bank.

When the drive officially ended Dec. 4, the STCL Houston community had raised $21,024 from 387

Debra Berman, director of the Frank Evans Center for Conflict Resolution, is passionate about helping students develop their legal skills through experiential opportunities. In 2020, Berman received an AALS Teacher of the Year award for her contributions as a professor of

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IN BRIEF with an STCL faculty excellence award for 2020-21. Throughout his career, he has led advocacy competition teams to countless victories, keeping South Texas consistently GALLOWAY ranked among the nation’s best by all those who rank advocacy programs.

Elizabeth A. Dennis has served and led at STCL Houston for 35 years.

She received tenure and promotion to professor of law in 2021. She has taught courses including Comparative Refugee and Asylum Law, International Criminal Law, and Law Office Management.

Dennis also provides outstanding service as director of academic internships, domestic and international, and the DENNIS Animal Law Clinic.

She is faculty advisor to the South Texas Law Review, Currents: Journal of International Economic Law and Construction Law Journal.

Professor Betty Luke ’92 received tenure and promotion to professor of law in 2021. For many years, she has focused on legal skills courses. At STCL Houston, she merged her interests in teaching and community service, becoming the second LUKE managing attorney and leading the integration of several discrete clinics into what became the law school’s unified civil legal clinics.

She currently teaches Family Law Advanced Clinic, Estate Planning Clinic, and Client Interviewing and Counseling.

Luke performs pro bono legal services as a licensed practicing attorney and has gifted her time and talent far in excess of the State Bar recommended 50 hours per year.

Texas Access to Justice Commission honors student for service Kathryn “Kate” G. Tavakoli, a December 2021 STCL graduate, received a special student commendation for her

“outstanding contributions to the provision of legal services to the poor” from the Texas Access to Justice (ATJ) Commission. She was nominated for the 2021 ATJ Law Student TAVAKOLI Pro Bono Award by Eric Kwartler, public interest attorney with the Landlord-Tenant Clinic.

Tavakoli poured her time, knowledge and passion for helping others into ensuring underserved Houston-area residents were able to stay in their homes.

Clinic prevents evictions, faculty and students serve community In 2021, the Landlord-Tenant Clinic helped approximately 1,200 families fight illegal evictions. Through more than 20 Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics, students and licensed attorneys continue to provide roughly 35,000 hours of pro bono legal services annually to underserved Houston residents, valued at $1.8 million. They assist veterans, fight human trafficking, help immigrants and more.

New full-time South Texas faculty In fall 2021, two scholars joined the fulltime South Texas faculty. Ryan H. Nelson is an assistant professor of law. Before coming to South Texas, he completed a research fellowship with the Harvard Law School Project on Disability and taught on the adjunct NELSON faculty at Boston University School of Law, New England Law | Boston, and New York Law School. His expertise includes employment law and discrimination.

D’Andra Millsap Shu SHU is an assistant professor of law. Prior to joining the STCL Houston faculty as an assistant professor of law, Shu taught legal writing and served as the co-director of the Legal Writing program at Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Her legal expertise includes legal research and writing, appellate litigation, and disability law.

Beloved Shaun Devine retires after three decades When Shaun Devine ’93 walked on the South Texas campus as a first-year student in 1990, she couldn’t have known she’d be staying 32 years. Devine, who retired in January, recalled fondly how her efforts to organize a student event sparked an opportunity to work closely with the late Dean T. Gerald Treece for the next three decades as the South Texas advocacy program grew into one of the most dominant in the country.

“I was in the Student Bar Association, and one of my thoughts was to have a faculty debate luncheon for students,” Devine said. “Dean Treece was one of the featured participants, and that’s where I first got to know him. He was an exciting, fascinating person to deal with, and we started working together while I was still a student. I enjoyed helping him so much, and I just stayed.”

In January 1992, a few months before her graduation, Devine accepted a full-time position assisting Dean Treece with the development of the school’s advocacy program. Devine recalled the excitement of winning a prestigious national title shortly after joining the staff full-time.

“One of the highlights for me was our first win at the National Moot Court Competition in New York City,” she said.

“We had been knocking on the door but weren’t able to kick it in until 1994. Several of us were in the office late, waiting for the results, when we got the good news.

It was incredible.”

See Shaun’s online congratulatory book at stcl.edu/shaun.

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Levels of Incapacity 5

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South Texas College of Law Houston

South Texas faculty and staff are always learning, reading and listening. Their thought-provoking media recommendations for this winter include something for everyone, from powerful memoirs to legal podcasts, and even a lighthearted children’s book.

Meagan McNeil Public Interest Attorney, Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics

1 Know My Name (2019) by Chanel Miller After her victim impact statement goes viral, Chanel Miller, formerly known only as Emily Doe, reclaims her identity and her power. After being sexually assaulted, Miller was reduced to a nameless victim by the media and criminal justice system. In “Know My Name,” Miller tells the story of her life before and after the assault. While the story is powerful in its own right, Miller’s writing is beautiful and elicits an array of emotions as she walks you through the trauma of both the assault and the legal system. While uncomfortable to read at times, this is a story of resilience. By sharing her story, Miller empowers victims, reclaims her identity, and even changes California law. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to feel inspired.

Monica Ortale

Associate Director for Public Services, Fred Parks Law Library

2 Forget The Alamo, The Rise and Fall of an American Myth (2020) by Brian Burrough, Chris Tomlinson and Jason Stanford A well-written and highly entertaining interrogation of what truly went on in the early 1800s, Burrough, Tomlinson and Stanford pull together the factual events that led to the Battle of the Alamo. They

examine the Texan side of issues but also present the viewpoint of the Tejanos and the Mexican government as they dealt with these early American settlers. Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, William Barret Travis and Sam Houston are discussed as men with varied backgrounds who made their way to Texas and into history for specific economic reasons — not for noble reasons of liberty and freedom as has often been the narrative.

Ryan H. Nelson Assistant Professor of Law

3 Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus! (2003) by Mo Willems Got kids? Hate boring, predictable children’s books? Enjoy intransigent wildlife and/or alluring modes of public transportation? Then, boy howdy, do I have the book for you.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! is the perfect children’s book for young readers, ages 2–6. It’s ideal for kids and grown-ups alike because it’s silly, unexpected and legitimately funny. It begins with a bus driver asking you, the reader, to watch his bus for him while he steps away for a bit. He only asks one thing — don’t let the pigeon drive the bus. The trouble is, this pigeon really, really wants to drive the bus. And it’ll say and do anything to get its way.

D’Andra Milsap Shu

Assistant Professor of Law

4 Make It Stick (2014) by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, Mark A. McDaniel In Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, the authors set out to teach the reader about learning and, in doing so, debunk some of the most cherished beliefs about how people best learn.

Drawing on an impressive array of empirical studies, they explain how one of the most common learning methods — rereading source material and notes — is not nearly as effective as self-quizzing to force recall. Though the entire book is fascinating and packed with stories and supporting data, readers can get a lot of value from reading just the first two chapters. So before that next big oral argument or closing statement, when you need to retain a wealth of information but don’t want to rely on notes, check out this book for some techniques to help that information stick.

Crystal Washington

Public Interest Attorney, Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics

5 Levels of Incapacity (2005) by Judge Steve M. King, Tarrant County Probate Court One

term "incapacity" in the history of Texas law and lays out the different standards of capacity by which a person's mental state might be evaluated. The article also narrows in on the cognitive functioning one must be able to display in order to be considered capacitated for certain important life tasks. A nonexhaustive list of tasks mentioned in the article include executing a last will and testament, signing a contract, making a donation and hiring an attorney. The article also briefly touches on restorations and interesting issues such as the competency of a witness in trial. I highly recommend this article for anyone who plans to practice in elder law, specifically guardianships.

Cara Shaffer Legal Writing Specialist

6 National Security Law Podcast hosted by Bobby Chesney and Steve Vladeck This year, I’ve enjoyed listening to The National Security Law Podcast hosted by two law professors from The University of Texas, Bobby Chesney and Steve Vladeck. Professors Chesney and Vladeck are insanely well-versed in all sorts of legal issues — and their differing political views make for some fascinating and fun (but always good-natured) debates. Listen at nationalsecuritylawpodcast.com.

This 2015 article written by Tarrant County Probate Judge Steve M. King highlights the evolution of the stcl.edu

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CLASS NOTES 1970-1979 Judge Damon J. Faldowski ’76, a mediator/ arbitrator with Noblemediation LLC, will begin a three-year term on the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Board of Governors at the conclusion of the association’s May 21 House of Delegates meeting.

One of 12 zone governors who serve on the PBA Board, Faldowski will represent Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland county lawyers.

William Torrey ’76 has been re-elected to his third term as Milam County District Attorney in Cameron, Texas.

1980-1989 Judge Robert G. Fegers ’83 earned an honorable mention award in the General Nonfiction category and in the Biographies category in the 2021 Los Angeles Book Festival for his debut book “Grant Justice: The Untold Story of the Finest Attorney of a Generation.” The biography chronicles the life of Los Angeles attorney Grant B. Cooper from his days as a high school dropout to when he defended Sirhan Sirhan, the man who murdered presidential candidate Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.

Cooper is noted for delivering the finest closing argument in modern times during one of the most significant trials in the history of the United States.

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Roland Garcia ’86 was renamed a Super Lawyer in Texas by independent research and peer review this past year. He was also lead counsel in a complex jury trial that was selected for inclusion in the Texas Lawyer’s Hall of Fame as one of the highest-grossing verdicts in Texas from 2014 to 2018. The jury verdict and $15.7 million judgment also was named a Top 20 Verdict in 2018

by Texas Monthly Magazine, and the number two verdict for all contract cases. The two-week jury trial included 19 witnesses, 10 experts, thousands of exhibits, and millions of documents.

Steven Laird ’80 has been named the recipient of the 2021 Blackstone Award, the Tarrant County Bar Association’s most prestigious honor.

The Blackstone Award is presented annually during the TCBA’s Law Day Celebration to an attorney whose career embodies ethical ideals, courage, and service to the legal profession. The award is named after British jurist and judge Sir William Blackstone. His "Commentaries on the Laws of England" is considered the foundation of legal education in England and North America.

Judge Robert Schaffer ’85 has been named to the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee to assist in developing rules and procedures for Texas Courts.

Randall Sorrels ’87, Partner at Sorrels Law has been named to the Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers list, the Top 100: Houston Super Lawyers

South Texas College of Law Houston

list, and the Texas Super Lawyers list for 2020. This marks his 18th year to be recognized on the Texas Super Lawyers list, his 15th year on the Top 100: Houston Super Lawyers list, and his 14th year on the Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers list. Following the selection process that considers nominations, independent research based on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement, and peer evaluation by practice area, only the top 5% of attorneys practicing in Texas are selected to the annual Super Lawyers list.

Fred Wahrlich ’81 has been named to the 2020 Texas Super Lawyers list.

Super Lawyers is a rating service of notable lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who achieved a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

1990-1999 Andrew Bevan ’96 is running for the U.S. House of Representatives, District 17 of Florida, for 2022.

Joseph Gutheinz ’96 was extensively quoted in a March 2021 National Geographic story about his 1997 investigation of both the Russian Space Program and the Russian Mir Space Station fire and collision. Gutheinz conducted these investigations as a senior special agent with NASA OIG, in part when studying for and taking the bar exam. The name of this March 22, 2021, story is “Remembering near-death dramas on a Russian space station” by Bill Newcott.

Michael K. Hurst ’90 has been named Lawyer of the Year in com-

mercial litigation for Dallas by Best Lawyers, Top 100 Lawyers in Texas for the 11th time

by Texas Monthly and Law & Politics magazines, Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, and One of the Best Lawyers in America by U.S. News & World Report. Hurst has consistently been recognized as one of the top trial lawyers in the country for large and high-stakes commercial and intellectual property litigation and has won many high-profile verdicts. Hurst has also been named as a member of The International Society of Barristers.

Stephen J. Hyland ’96 has returned to practice in Texas, joining the Werner Law Group in Victoria, Texas, after taking early retirement in 2012. His legal practice focuses on estate planning, probate, trusts and estates, family law, elder law, and LGBT law. In addition, he will be establishing an elder law practice and farm and ranch law practice for the firm. Hyland joins the firm with a diverse legal background having practiced estate planning, elder law, and LGBT family law at several New Jersey firms and as a solo practitioner there. He also served as legislative liaison for the NJ State Bar Association, for which he was honored with the 2007 Distinguished Legislative Services Award by the NJSBA Board of Trustees. In 2004-05, he authored "New Jersey Domestic Partners: A Legal Guide (Rutgers University Press). Stephen continued legal studies following graduation from STCL Houston, earning a 2009 Estate Planning Certificate from Temple University School of Law: Graduate Tax Program, and studied estate planning at Cornell Law School.

CLASS NOTES As a co-founder of the Gay and Lesbian Law Students group at South Texas College of Law Houston, he continues to be an active advocate for LGBT civil rights as a member of the National LGBT Law Association.

Michael Lyons ’99, co-founder of the trial firm Lyons & Simmons, LLP, has earned recognition among the Top 100 attorneys in Dallas-Fort Worth in the 2020 edition of Texas Super Lawyers. Lyons earned additional recognition among the state’s leading plaintiffs lawyers for general personal injury litigation. Selection is based on a statewide survey of lawyers and extensive review by the editorial staff of Super Lawyers. The honor comes on the heels of Lyons & Simmons’ recognition as the top personal injury law firm in Dallas by the readers of Texas Lawyer magazine.

Reid WM. Martin ’91 of Martin Walker PC has earned recognition in the 11th edition of Best Law Firms for the firm’s work in medical malpractice litigation. Selection among the 2021 edition of U.S. Nwews’ Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms rankings are based on evaluations and direct feedback from clients and peers, and only given to those firms with at least one attorney listed among the Best Lawyers in America. Reid was recognized in the guide’s 2021 edition for his successful work on behalf of plaintiffs in medical malpractice matters.

Bridgett Matthes ’99 was honored by AIG Life & Retirement, a division of American International Group, Inc., with the AIG Life & Retirement Community Spirit Award, along with a $7,500 grant for Child Advocates, Inc., in honor of her significant volunteer dedication.

A 20-year volunteer, Matthes has served as an advocate on four cases,

each of which lasted two years or longer.

Tiffanie McDonald ’97 was promoted to vice president of inclusion and diversity at Cox Enterprises. Since joining Cox in 2019, McDonald has helped the company set actionable inclusion, diversity and equiyt (ID&E) goals, including improving people of color executive representation by 50% over the next five years, expanding inclusion capability through education and training, and establishing an ID&E policy for Cox employees.

T. Jason Smith ’98 has joined Elevate Services as managing director in the firm’s Houston office.

John F. (Jack) Walker, III ’92 of Martin Walker PC has earned recognition in the 11th edition of Best Law Firms for its work in medical malpractice litigation. Selection among the 2021 edition of U.S. News’ Best Lawyers and Best Law Firms rankings is based on evaluations and direct feedback from clients and peers, and only given to those firms with at least one attorney listed among the Best Lawyers in America. Walker was recognized in the guide’s 2021 edition for their successful work on behalf of plaintiffs in medical malpractice matters.

2000-2009 James Alpert ’04 is a shareholder in Posz Law Group, PLC, a small patent preparation and prosecu-

tion firm in the Washington, D.C. suburbs. The firm was recently recognized by patentbots.com, a well-known patent statistics enterprise, as being one of the top firms nationally for patent quality.

Thad H. Armstrong ’02 was selected for inclusion in the 2020 Super Lawyers list.

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area.

Matthew D. Cavenaugh ’07 was selected for inclusion in the 2020 Super Lawyers list. No more than 5% of the lawyers in Texas are selected by Super Lawyers.

Eddy L. De Los Santos ’03 joins Munsch Hard Kopft & Harr, P.C. as a shareholder.

De Los Santos practices a wide variety of commercial litigation, including health care, construction, toxic tort, product liability, personal injury, transportation, maritime, real estate, commercial collections, subrogation, and general business law in both federal and state courts.

Luka Erceg ’02 was certified as an Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA) by The Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors (AIRA). Erceg is the Managing

Director of Erceg Partners in San Diego, California. The firm focuses on turnarounds and restructurings of investment funds for investment managers, institutional investors, and asset managers when faced with “zombie” fund issues. To receive this coveted certification, Erceg successfully completed an in-depth financial insolvency and restructuring examination which covered all aspects of bankruptcy cases, reorganization plan development, insolvency accounting, financial reporting, and related tax issues.

Christopher ’Bryan’ Fears ’03, co-founder of Fears Nachawati Law Firm, has been recognized as an agent of change by Texas Lawyer magazine in its 2020 listing of Texas Trailblazers. Fears was selected for his leadership in transforming the North Texas law firm, co-founded in 2006, into one of the top products liability plaintiffs firms in the nation. The firm remains focused on high-stakes litigation that includes representation of state and public entities on a contingency basis, pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, business-interruption insurance disputes, in addition to catastrophic injury and death litigation.

Juan C. Garcia ’04 has been named officer and vice president of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Joel R. Glover ’05 was selected for inclusion in the 2020 Rising Stars list. Each year, no more than 2.5% of Texas lawyers are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to be named to the Rising Stars list.

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CLASS NOTES Rachel Palmer Hooper ’02 became partner at BakerHostetler in January 2021. She is a trial lawyer who concentrates her practice on civil and litigation with broad experience in various industries and an emphasis on multifaceted investigations, criminal issues, and state and federal constitutional and statutory questions. Hooper also served as a Harris County assistant district attorney and was previously an associate at the firm. She is a member of the Litigation Practice Group.

Jared Howenstine ’09 has been promoted to partner at Cantor Colburn LLP, the number four patent law firm in the country. He focuses his practice on patent prosecution, counseling, licensing and patent infringement litigation, representing companies from a broad range of industries, with clients of all sizes, from solo inventors to start-up companies to Fortune 100 companies.

Lewis S. Kasner ’05 was selected for inclusion in the 2020 Super Lawyers list.

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. No more than 5% of the lawyers in Texas are selected by Super Lawyers.

Marianne G. Robak ’04 was promoted to partner at McCathern, PLLC in July 2021.

Marianne’s

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practice focuses on business disputes, oil and gas law, real estate, and fraudulent transfer litigation.

Brant Stogner ’06 partner at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner, has been named to the Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers list, the Top 100: Houston Super Lawyers list, and the Texas Super Lawyers list for 2020. This marks his eighth consecutive year to be recognized on the Texas Super Lawyers list and his second consecutive year to be recognized on both Top 100 lists. Following the selection process that considers nominations, independent research based on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement, and peer evaluation by practice area, only the top 5% of attorneys practicing in Texas are selected to the annual Super Lawyers list. Attorneys who earn the most points during the patented multiphase selection process are recognized on the Top 100 lists.

Matthew Talley ’08 has been promoted to shareholder at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. Matthew is a member of the Firm’s Construction and Litigation practices. His construction practice focuses on providing advice to clients throughout the various phases of construction projects, and routinely drafts and negotiates complex construction contracts and professional service agreements. Talley also represents owners, general contractors, design professionals, and subcontractors in complex litigation and disputes.

In addition to his construction practice, he assists corporate policyholders in the evaluation of insurance coverage issues for both

South Texas College of Law Houston

first-party and third-party insurance and reviews and drafts risk management-related provisions in commercial agreements.

Glenn P. Valentine ’07 was recently named to the 2021 Texas Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers.

Super Lawyers recognizes up-andcoming attorneys in each state who are under the age of 40 or have practiced law for 10 years or less. Of those nominated, only 2.5% of all lawyers per state are named on the Rising Stars list.

Lauren E. Waddell ’02 founded the firm Waddell Law Firm, P.C. in Houston, which focuses solely on family law issues. The firm was recognized as a Best Law Firm for 2020

by U.S. News’ Best Lawyers, and Waddell was also named a Best Lawyer in America by Best Lawyers for the fifth consecutive year.

Waddell is also a contributing editor to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers’ Financial Issues in Divorce, A Client Handbook, published in 2020, and is a past president of both the HBA Family Law Section and Association of Women Attorneys. She was a panelist for the HBA Gender Fairness Committee on "Business Development for Women: How to Overcome Obstacles and Thrive" and the Nerdy Girl Success nonprofit’s "Breaking Barriers — Career and Leadership Summit for High School Girls."

2010-2019

Rene Amaya ’17 was selected to be General Counsel by Texas State

Representative Penny Morales Shaw, District 148.

Stephanie Grace Crump ’12 is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, having earned that distinction in 2020.

Gwyndolene Elliott ’16 had her second baby, a girl named Lachlan Leigh Elliott, Nov. 21, 2020. She joins her big brother Holden, who was born in 2018.

Nancy Flores ’19 has joined the law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner as an associate. Her current legal practice at Abraham Watkins focuses on a wide range of personal injury matters, including catastrophic injuries, workplace injuries, premises liability, wrongful death, and 18-wheeler, commercial vehicle and automobile accidents.

Cody Gomora ’16 has opened a family law practice in Arlington, Texas. He served in law enforcement for four years after graduating from STCL Houston.

Gomora looks forward to the new challenges that come with running a law firm. He will continue to practice law and grow his firm in Tarrant and surrounding counties while promoting the advocacy skills and prominence that STCL Houston graduates show in court on a daily basis.

Jared Grodin ’12 was promoted to Partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. Grodin focuses his

CLASS NOTES practice on commercial lending, finance, and real estate transactions.

Iris Guillen ’18 gave birth to Walker Nolan Onassis on Oct. 21, 2020.

Carey L. Hain ’11 was selected for inclusion in the 2020 Rising Stars list. Each year, no more than 2.5% of Texas lawyers are selected.

Christine D. Herron ’10 joined Edwards Law Firm PLLC as Of Counsel.

Herron specializes in energy, business litigation, and insurance law.

Christopher M. Jordan ’13 was recently named to the 2021 Texas Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers. Super Lawyers recognizes up-and-coming attorneys in each state who are under the age of 40 or have practiced law for 10 years or less.

Teia Moore Kelly ’10 has been promoted to shareholder at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. Teia is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Construction practices, where she provides counsel on commercial litigation matters within the construction, energy and surety industries. Kelly routinely handles construction defect and equita-

ble adjustment claims, payment and performance bond claims, and breach of contract claims on behalf of owners, general contractors, and sureties involved in complex construction projects.

She has been named to Thomson Reuters’ Texas Rising Stars list four consecutive years.

Clint Kolby ’17 was elected Mayor Pro Tem of the Brenham City Council.

Evan Korngold ’16 and Ana Beatriz Korngold are thrilled to announce the birth of their son, Feivel Alexander Korngold, born Feb. 23, 2021.

Emily T. Krone ’14 started her own law firm in October 2020. The firm’s practice focuses primarily on commercial real estate and business transactions.

Lena Laurenzo ’15 of the personal injury law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner has been recognized on the Texas Rising Stars list for 2021. This is Laurenzo’s fifth consecutive year to be included on this annual list, which is published in the Texas Rising Stars issue of the Super Lawyers magazine and Texas Monthly magazine.

Christopher Lemons ’14 recently joined the Houston office of the national law firm, Chamberlain Hrdlicka, as an associate in the Commercial Litigation practice.

Lemons brings more than five years of commercial litigation experience, representing a wide variety of clients and companies in numerous practice areas of litigation, including insurance law, medical malpractice, and personal injury defense. At Chamberlain Hrdlicka, his practice will focus on complex commercial litigation, business litigation, energy litigation, securities litigation, professional malpractice claims, complex tort litigation, and insurance coverage involving errors and omissions, directors and officers, commercial general liability, commercial property, and commercial auto and garage.

Lindsey C. Moorhead ’11 was selected for inclusion in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide. Each year, Chambers and Partners identifies leading practitioners and law firms in the United States and around the world through the culmination of thousands of interviews with attorneys and clients conducted by more than 200 research analysts.

Criteria for selection include recommendations by clients, the attorney’s visibility in his or her area of law, and the volume, complexity, and size of work undertaken.

Nicholas O’Conner ’18 joins McGlinchey Stafford PLLC in Houston, Texas as an associate in the firm’s national Consumer Financial Services Litigation and Commercial Litigation divisions. O’Conner represents McGlinchey’s financial services clients, including auto lenders, banks, and mortgage loan servicers in federal and state courts in a wide variety of commercial litigation and financial services litigation matters,

with a primary focus on defending consumer financial services litigation claims in lender liability actions.

Derek Pershing ’13, a shareholder with Wilson Cribbs + Goren in Houston, was named to the Houston Business Journal’s 40 under 40 class of 2020, which celebrates young professionals who have significantly contributed to their companies, industries and communities.

David A. Polsinelli ’13 was promoted to shareholder Jan. 1, 2021, at Crain Caton & James, P.C. Polsinelli focuses his practice on commercial litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. He regularly handles disputes involving contracts, construction, oil and gas, real property, and trade secrets. Polsinelli has worked on several appeals and jury trials with successful results. While Polsinelli takes pride in achieving victories for his clients in court, he also enjoys helping clients find solutions that do not require litigation. Polsinelli’s work has been recognized by Texas Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), as he was named a Rising Star for the years 2019 and 2020.

Ryan Revisore ’12 has joined Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C.’s Health Care practice division.

Revisore most recently served as Legal Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Principle Health Systems, where he advised the company on regulatory issues, mergers and acquisitions, and organizational structures.

Michelle Rice ’12 is now a senior associate at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz &

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CLASS NOTES

Nearly 1,000 students from 29 states and three countries are engaged in the lively classes and distinctive education offered at South Texas.

Stogner and will be serving as a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Rice will be the first female attorney added to the firm’s management team.

Rachel Sechelski ’18 joined Lone Star Legal Aid’s Rebuild Texas team in March 2019. As part of the Rebuild Texas team, she provided a variety of legal services to survivors of natural disasters in Southeast Texas. In less than two years of practice, Sechelski has established her place as one of the rising stars within Lone Star Legal Aid by providing direct client legal

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services in practice areas varied as landlord-tenant, family law, probate, title clearing work, and helping low-income Texans access public benefits. In January 2020, she joined Lone Star Legal Aid’s Foreclosure Prevention Project. Here her focus narrowed to legal issues affecting homeowners and helping her clients prevent the loss of their homes. Sechelski has accomplished much for her clients in just over a year with the Foreclosure Prevention Project. Sitting as first chair counsel, she obtained injunctive relief to stop illegally scheduled foreclosure auctions on two different occasions. She successfully obtained her most recent injunctive relief virtually, getting one of the

South Texas College of Law Houston

first Zoom TROs within the firm. She also sat second chair in a virtual trial with a homeowners association that sought to force the sale of her client’s home. Additionally, she is currently handling federal cases in both the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, sitting first chair in both.

G. Braxton Smith ’19 joins the law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner as an associate. His current legal practice at Abraham Watkins focuses on a wide range of personal injury matters, including catastrophic injuries, premises liability cases, and serious automobile, 18-wheeler, and motorcycle accidents.

Jonathan Sneed ’12 of the personal injury law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner has been recognized on the Texas Rising Stars list for 2021. This marks Sneed’s first year to be included on this annual list, which is published in the Texas Rising Stars issue of the Super Lawyers magazine and Texas Monthly magazine.

Susan Soto ’10, a staff attorney at Lone Star Legal Aid, has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2021. Super Lawyers, a division of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from

CLASS NOTES

Student Services reorganized in 2021, combining enrollment services, student financial services, student engagement and student support.

more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. While up to 5% of the lawyers in the state are named to Super Lawyers, no more than 2.5% are named to the Rising Stars list.

Angelina Wike ’16 of the personal injury law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner has been recognized

on the Texas Rising Stars list for 2021. This marks Angelina’s second consecutive year to be included on this annual list, which is published in the Texas Rising Stars issue of the Super Lawyers magazine and Texas Monthly magazine.

Timothy Word ’20 joins Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. as a first-year associate. Word is a member of the Firm’s Litigation practice, with an emphasis on the construction industry.

Have you visited our updated website yet?

Create an account now for our new online community at my.stcl.edu/login

n Enjoy 24-hour access to the alumni directory, news and the calendar of events. n Refer a case. Use the online directory to find alumni by city and area of practice. n Find a friend. Use the online directory to find former classmates. n Stay up-to-date. Check the STCL Houston news and blog pages via the new Alumni site.

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Our graduates are ready.

Ready to fight injustice. Ready to win.

Ready to practice law.

With an advocacy program consistently recognized as the nation’s best, South Texas College of Law Houston produces exceptional attorneys who advocate for clients like champions. STCL Houston prepares students from diverse backgrounds to become successful, practice-ready attorneys in business, real estate, tax law, family law, criminal law and more. More than 15,000 STCL Houston alumni now proudly serve across the country and around the globe.

www.stcl.edu/inre

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South Texas College of Law Houston

FACULTY NOTES JAMES ALFINI Dean and Professor Emeritus

Lexis Law Publishing has published the sixth edition of Dean Alfini’s, “Judicial Conduct and Ethics,” co-authored with Charles Gardner Geyh and James Sample. He also authored "Contrasting Lawyer Ethics and Mediator Ethics: Critical Issues," in Omer Shapira’s “Mediation Ethics: A Practitioner’s Guide” (ABA Publishing). At the 2021 ABA annual meeting, he received the Chair’s Award from the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution.

JOSH BLACKMAN Professor of Law

Professor Blackman is co-authoring a 10-part series in the South Texas Law Review on the offices and officers of the Constitution, with Seth Barrett Tillman. Blackman recently had several articles accepted for publication, including: “Unreviewable: The Final Installment in the ‘Epic’ Obamacare Trilogy,” in the Cato Supreme Court Review; “Is the President an ’Officer of the United States’ for Purposes of Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment”

by NYU Journal of Law & Liberty; “Corpus Linguistics and Heller”

by Wake Forest Law Review; “The ‘Essential’ Second Amendment”

by Texas Review of Law & Politics; and “Can President Trump run for re-election if the Biden Administration prosecutes and convicts him for insurrection?” by the Illinois Law Review Online. Additionally, his article, co-authored with Tillman, “The Unresolved Threshold Issues in the Emoluments Clauses Litigation: The President Has Three Bodies and There Is No Cause of Action for Ultra Vires Conduct,” was accepted

for publication in the Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy.

ELAINE A. CARLSON Professor of Law

Professor Carlson recently completed her annual update of her six-volume treatise, “McDonald & Carlson, Texas Civil Practice,” published by Thomson Reuters.

She also presented at several academic and public conferences, including “Procedure Update for Litigators” at The University of Texas 44th Annual Page Keeton Civil Litigation Conference; “Superseding and Enforcing Judgments at the State Bar of Texas CLE“ for the Soaking Up Some CLE 2021: A South Texas Litigation Seminar; and “Superseding Civil Judgments in Texas” for the Houston Bar Association Appellate Section Webinar, which she copresented with Justin Kevin Jewell, of the 14th Court of Appeals for the State of Texas.

RICHARD R. CARLSON Professor of Law

Professor Carlson’s article, “COVID-19 and Our EmploymentBased Medical Insurance System,” was accepted for publication in the Journal of Labor and Employment Law. AMANDA HARMON COOLEY Vinson & Elkins Research Professor and Professor of Law

Professor Cooley was recently awarded the South Texas College of Law Houston Vinson & Elkins Research Professorship based on her outstanding record of scholarship.

Her article, “The Powerful Problem of Prayer at Public School Board Meetings,” will be published in the Cardozo Law Review in 2022. As the

co-chair of the Faculty Scholarship Committee during the 202021 academic year, she spearheaded the creation of a junior faculty mentorship program.

Finally, Cooley continues to remain an active member of the Houston Bar Association Lawyers for Literacy Committee, where she has served as a Law Week and Constitution Day Reader as part of the HBA’s efforts to promote constitutional literacy and civic education in elementary schools in the Greater Houston area.

Morrissey-Berru,” in the UCDavis Online Law Review. She also published “Courts’ Failure to Use Religion Experts to Decide Difficult Fact Questions Concerning Who Is a Minister for the Ministerial Exception: A Holy Mess” in the Baylor Law Review.

R. RANDALL KELSO Professor of Law

Professor Festa’s court citations, “The Origins and Constitutionality of State Unit Voting in the Electoral College,” was cited and discussed this year by both the Washington Supreme Court in Chiafalo v. Washington, and by the Tenth Circuit in Baca v. Colorado.

The U.S. Supreme Court consolidated the cases and upheld the rationale in Chiafalo in July 2020.

Professor Kelso has written four related articles on constitutional interpretation: “The Structure of Rational Basis and Reasonableness Review” will be published in Southern Illinois University Law Journal (2021); “The Structure of Intermediate Review” will be published in Lewis & Clark Law Review (2021); “Justifying the Supreme Court’s Standards of Review” will be published in St. Mary’s Law Journal (2021); and “The Structure of Strict Scrutiny Review.”

An additional article, “Substantive Toleration and Viewpoint Discrimination” was published in the South Texas Law Review.

DEREK FINCHAM

CHRIS KULANDER

Professor of Law

Professor of Law

Professor Fincham’s article, “The Personal Rights of Artists,” was accepted for publication in Volume 59 of the Houston Law Review.

Professor Kulander’s article, “Political and Economic Feasibility of Contracted American Liquefied Natural Gas for Energy Security in Poland and the Baltic States — Can the American Government Help?” was published by Białostockie Studia Prawnicze (Bialystok Legal Studies Journal — Poland). Other articles accepted for publication include: “From Downton Abbey to Dallas: the Rule Against Perpetuities and Oil & Gas Properties in Texas,”

MATTHEW FESTA Professor of Law

MAXINE GOODMAN Professor of Law

Professor Goodman recently published her article, “The Expanding Role and Dwindling Protection for Private Religious School Teachers During the Pandemic: Rethinking the Ministerial Exception after

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FACULTY NOTES in the Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section Report of the State Bar of Texas, and “The Executive Right to Lease in Texas and Louisiana,” published in the proceedings of the LSU Law 67th Mineral Law Institute.

KATERINA LEWINBUK Professor of Law

Professor Lewinbuk’s article, "True Perestroika or Still Perfunctory?: A Decade of Developments in Russian Law Practice Reform," was accepted for publication by the Florida Journal of International Law. RYAN H. NELSON Professor of Law

Professor Nelson’s article, “Substantive Pay Equality: Tips, Commissions, and How to Remedy the Pay Disparities They Inflict,” will be published later this year by the Yale Law & Policy Review. In his article, Nelson makes the argument that many employers’ tipping practices might constitute unlawful race discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because those practices often cause workers of color to take home less in tips than their white coworkers (e.g., due to customer biases), and such tipping practices may not be job related and consistent with business necessity. Shortly after publishing an early draft of the article online last year, Nelson was called upon to represent the article in Title VII litigation raising the type of claim that he had theorized.

AMANDA PETERS Godwin Lewis PC Research Professor

Professor Peters’ article, “When Coaching Becomes Criminal,” will be

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published in the New Hampshire Law Review later this year. The article examines novel criminal and tort laws being used to hold coaches and sports organizations criminally and civilly liable for athlete abuse.

CHARLES W. “ROCKY” RHODES Charles Weigel II Research Professor of State and Federal Constitutional Law

Professor Rhodes was recently invited to participate in the Stetson Law Review’s symposium on the Civil Procedural Transformation after Fifteen Years of the Roberts Court, where he presented his article, “The Roberts Court’s Jurisdictional Revolution Within Ford’s Frame.”

He and his co-authors, Professors Cassandra Burke Robertson and Linda Sandstrom Simard, were invited to author a review piece in the annual American Constitution Society’s Supreme Court Review entitled “Ford Motor Co.: The Murky Doctrine of Personal Jurisdiction.” His co-authored article with Professor Howard Wasserman, “The Procedural Puzzles of Exclusive Private Enforcement: On Texas’ Fetal-Heartbeat Law and Its Imitators,” is forthcoming in the American University Law Review.

This article has received national attention, with invitations to present the article at several academic conferences, requests to author columns and op-eds, and media interviews. He and Professor Paul McGreal recently completed the third edition of their book “Skills and Values: The First Amendment,” and are presently working on the fourth edition of “Questions & Answers: Constitutional Law,” which will be published next year. He has

South Texas College of Law Houston

contracted to author a two-volume treatise for Matthew Bender entitled “State Constitutional Law: Individual Rights and Structural Liberties.” He has made several recent presentations to fellow academics, including presenting papers on personal jurisdiction and federal courts during the annual conference of the Southeastern Association of Law Schools and participating in an academic panel at The University of Texas on masks and vaccine mandates. He has continued his frequent public presentations and commentary, presenting his annual recap to federal judges and practitioners in the Southern District of Texas regarding the Supreme Court’s recently completed term, authoring and presenting a paper on the Erie doctrine as part of a State Bar course, participating on Supreme Court review panels, discussing state constitutionalism and federal constitutionalism with civic groups, and providing commentary to national, statewide, and local print and broadcast media on numerous constitutional and procedural issues.

VAL RICKS Professor of Law

Professor Ricks’s article, “Fraud Is Now Legal in Texas (for Some People),” was published last fall in the Texas A&M Law Review. It has been downloaded nearly 500 times from SSRN and the journal’s website. A follow-up article, “Misreading Menetti: The Case Does Not Help You Avoid Liability for Your Own Fraud,” will soon appear in the St. Mary’s Law Journal. Ricks also published the fourth edition of his casebook for Contracts I, “The Story of Contract Law: Formation,” with CALI’s eLangdell® Press.

NJERI MATHIS RUTLEDGE Professor of Law

A member of USA Today’s Board of Contributors, Professor Rutledge published two op-eds with USA Today this summer, including: “Overturning Bill Cosby Sex assault conviction is difficult to accept, but the right decision,” and “Tweens are too young for their own Instagram platform.” Additionally, her article, "Justice for Breonna – Re-envisioning Knock-and-announce," was accepted for publication with Southwestern Law Review.

D’ANDRA SHU Professor of Law

Professor Shu’s article, “The Coming Causation Revolution in Employment Discrimination Litigation,” is forthcoming in the Cardozo Law Review. Last summer, Shu presented in two legal writing conferences for the Association of Legal Writing Directors. She also served on the editorial board for the Legal Writing Institute’s publication The Second Draft. The book she co-authored with fellow South Texas professor Katherine T. Vukadin, “The Legal Memo: 50 Exercises for Mastery,” is now in print with Carolina Academic Press.

MARK SIEGEL Professor of Law

Professor Siegel’s article, “Extending Abatement to Non-Probate Succession,” was accepted for publication in the Estate Planning & Community Property Law Journal.

FACULTY NOTES MARK STEINER

DRU STEVENSON

KATHERINE T. VUKADIN

Professor of Law

Professor of Law

Professor of Law

Professor Steiner is a member of the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas for the sixth year in a row. The Pro Bono College recognizes attorneys who have far exceeded the State Bar’s aspirational pro bono goal.

Attorneys are eligible to join the Pro Bono College if they have completed at least 75 hours of qualified pro bono services in the preceding year.

Professor Stevenson’s newest article, “In Defense of Felon-in-Possession Laws,” has been accepted for publication in the Cardozo Law Review. The working draft is available on the Social Science Research Network site. His article, “Litigating the Bump Stock Ban,” co-authored with Mia Romano, was accepted for publication in the Kansas Law Review.

Professor Vukadin’s book, “The Legal Memo: 50 Exercises for Mastery,” is now in print with Carolina Academic Press. The book is co-authored with Dean Cassandra Hill of Northern Illinois University Law School and Professor D’Andra Shu of South Texas College of Law Houston.

Additionally, Professor Vukadin’s article, “Delayed & Denied: Recalibrating the Attorney’s Fee Factors for ERISA Healthcare Claims,” was accepted for publication in the Villanova Law Review. Professor Vukadin presented at a symposium

on accessing care for substance use disorders, at a workshop on innovative teaching, and at the Association of Legal Writing Directors biennial conference. She also served on the boards of the Journal of the Legal Writing Institute and the Monograph Series of the Legal Writing Institute, and was asked by Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law & Ethics, to serve as peer reviewer for a health law article they are considering publishing.

40 YEARS OF SERVICE South Texas College of Law Houston congratulates Professors David East and Pamela George on their recent 40-year anniversaries. Our students, faculty, and staff are grateful for their contributions during more than 80 years of combined service to the law school.

Professor East, who has taught Bankruptcy, Commercial Law (UCC) courses, Contracts, Commercial Law and Human Rights, and various Property Law courses, became a professor at STCL Houston in 1981. He served as associate dean for Academic Affairs from 1987-90 before returning to full-time teaching.

DAVID EAST East developed and taught courses Professor of Law in Transactional Skills beginning in 1999, which led to the development of the Transactional Practice Center. The center teaches and equips law students to become business lawyers. East has provided extensive service as a member of the ABA’s Section of Business Law; the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, which he chaired in 2001-02 while also leading the Council of Chairs; and as an advisory member of the Texas Business Law Foundation. He co-authored Anderson, Bartlett & East’s Texas UniformCommercial Code Annotated (Thomson/ Reuters, current ed. 2021-22).

Professor George began teaching at STCL Houston in 1981, directed the legal writing program from 1984-87, and has taught subjects including Family Law, Marital Property, Texas Trial and Appellate Procedure, Legal Research, and Legal Writing I and II. She is board certified in both family law and civil appellate law by the Texas PAMELA GEORGE Board of Legal Specialization, and Professor of Law she has been the lead or co-counsel in more than 100 appellate cases. To recognize 25 years teaching, alumni and family law practitioners created the Pamela E. George Family Law Award at STCL Houston.

George personally created a scholarship in honor of a former student, Benny Agosto, Jr., which recognizes students who show promise in appellate law. She has led and served at South Texas and in the profession in numerous ways. She was twice named Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine in the area of civil appellate law and named by H Magazine as an Outstanding Family Law Lawyer.

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My Testimony Cara Shaffer

Legal Writing Specialist, STCL Houston Legal Writing Center

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South Texas College of Law Houston

I once heard a judge claim he could

accurately predict an advocate’s fashion sense from a single paragraph of legal writing. rom that one passage, said the judge, he could tell the bow-tie wearing dandies from the overall-sporting men-of-the-people. He could tell which attorney might jauntily display a pocket watch and which attorney might forget their watch (and the time) altogether. While perhaps we are not all as skilled at sartorial prediction as the judge, his whimsical speculation reveals a truth: Writing reveals character. Indeed, most attorneys can glance at a piece of writing and divine many qualities of the author — including whether the writer is competent, combative, arrogant, generous, careful, or confident.

F

Writing offers a vehicle through which advocates accomplish two parallel goals:

First, it allows us to fulfill the calling of our field — to zealously represent our clients to the best of our ability. South Texas students will soon be called upon to represent those in need, articulate solutions to crises, and persuade skeptics of their claims.

Second, in this age of global crisis, writing offers a pathway to thinking through the most complex ideas and challenges of our time. As author David McCullough put it: “Writing is thinking. To write well is to think clearly. That’s why it’s so hard.”

The Legal Writing Center was launched in fall 2020 to help students polish the tool of thinking through writing. At the center, students practice articulating positions, logically organizing their thoughts, and concisely explaining complex ideas.

Strong writing is the benchmark of powerful, persuasive advocacy. At the same time, developing strong writing skills clarifies students’ ability to define their own philosophies and beliefs.

As the Legal Writing Center develops and expands, I hope it will continue to be a place of constructive critique, skill-building and mentorship. My goal is to foster an environment where students will gain confidence in their abilities to advocate on behalf of their clients and themselves. This skill will allow them to meet the challenges of advocacy in our turbulent age.

As the next generation of lawyers begins their careers, I expect South Texas students will be well-poised to adapt to the challenges at hand — in part through their ability to powerfully communicate their ideas about the world.

In this InRe feature, we share firsthand stories, opinions, and interviews from South Texas staff, faculty and alumni.

Want to share your experiences or insights? Email us at news@stcl.edu with the subject line: “My Testimony.”

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chambers Professor Josh Blackman | A popular source for national media and constitutional law expert, Blackman has created his own media control room at his home office.

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South Texas College of Law Houston

South Texas College of Law Houston is grateful for the incredible generosity of our community. Through your financial support, we are able to achieve our mission: to provide a diverse body of students with the opportunity to obtain an exceptional legal education, preparing graduates to serve their community and the profession with distinction.

Your continued commitment to South Texas makes a difference for so many.

To learn more about ways to support our students and programs, visit:

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PERMIT NO. 8451 HOUSTON, TX

THINK SOUTH TEXAS FIRST! We educate practice-ready interns and attorneys who are eager to apply their knowledge and skills in the workplace.

When you fill summer, part-time or permanent positions, please think about our highly qualified South Texas College of Law Houston students and alumni.

Contact cso@stcl.edu to connect with our students and graduates.

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South Texas College of Law Houston provides a diverse body of students with the opportunity to obtain an exceptional legal education, preparing graduates to serve their community and the profession with distinction.