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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South Texas College of Law Houston
