Practical Education. Lifelong Connections. ADMISSIONS BULLETIN 2019-2020
Location Opportunity Instruction Alumni
South Texas College of Law Houston mission statement 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.
Four attributes make South Texas College of Law Houston unique. LOCATION
South Texas College of Law Houston’s location in the heart of downtown facilitates our students’ unparalleled access to internships and job opportunities in the nation’s fourth-largest city. OPPORTUNITY
Through hands-on client work in both internships and externships, students develop “practice-ready” skills to open many doors of opportunity in their chosen fields. INSTRUCTION
STCL Houston faculty members care about each individual’s academic success and remain accessible mentors throughout our students’ law school tenure. ALUMNI
The law school’s successful alumni base – more than 15,000 strong in all 50 states and 21 countries around the globe – provides lifelong connections and support.
3
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Location STCL HOUSTON
4
South Texas College of Law Houston
2016 | 2017
An ideal location | For nearly 100 years, South Texas College of Law Houston has operated in downtown Houston, within walking distance of the city’s courts, law firms, and Fortune 500 corporations. This offers students access to externships with judges, law firms, and nonprofit organizations, in addition to the law school’s on-site legal clinics. Texas Lawyer reports that Houston ranks No. 10 in the nation on the list of “Best Cities for a Young Lawyer.” Legal professionals make up 1.6 percent of the population in Houston, which has more than 4,700 law firms (more than Dallas or Austin) and a mean salary of $127,902.
5
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
South Texas College of Law Houston
2016 | 2017
5
Opportunity Students provide legal assistance to Houston-area residents through the following 19 Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics:
Civil Practice Clinics Estate Planning Clinic Family Law Basic Clinic Family Law Advanced Clinic Guardianship Clinic Probate Clinic Veterans Clinic Youth Advocacy Clinic Transactional Clinics Trademark Clinic Patent Clinic Special Focus Clinics Access to Justice Clinic Animal Law Clinic Asylum and Human Trafficking Clinic Actual Innocence Clinic Domestic Violence Clinic Immigration Clinic Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic Mediation Clinic Marshall-Brennan Clinic VITA Tax Clinic
6
South Texas College of Law Houston
2016 | 2017
The Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics housed on the school’s 10th floor provide students with opportunities to interview, counsel, and advise low-income clients across
19 legal practice areas. By participating in these clinics, students gain invaluable experience working alongside seasoned attorneys.
Each year students in the Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics provide free legal services to the Houston community. This year students provided more than 35,000 hours of direct client services valued at $1.7 million. Students mediate more than 150 disputes (including Justice of the Peace and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission cases) and assist with filing more than 40 trademark applications annually. The Veterans Clinic, the Immigration Clinic, and the Tax Clinic significantly benefit many residents in our community each year. Externships create opportunity | Externships provide STCL Houston students the opportunity to develop practical lawyering skills and build a professional network. Our downtown location provides easy access to federal, state, and county courts, prosecutors’ and public defenders’ offices, legal departments in the medical center and museum district, and a host of nonprofit and legal-aid organizations. Career opportunities | As a graduate of STCL Houston, you will be prepared to pursue a wide range of
career options. Our alumni have successful careers in traditional roles as attorneys at private law firms, corporations, and government agencies. Our graduates also excel in more unconventional sectors, such as nonprofit organizations, university administration, healthcare regulation, energy, and finance. Still others go on to work as sports agents, journalists, or real estate brokers. With a well-rounded legal education, the possibilities are endless. With one you get four | STCL Houston is a member of the Consortium for Innovative Legal Education (CILE). As one of four private, independent law schools that constitute CILE, we offer our students the unique opportunity to take courses for credit at any other member school. Take a summer to study family law at California Western School of Law, while learning to surf in San Diego. Or study intellectual property or immigration law in Boston at New England Law|Boston, touring national landmarks in your free time. You also may choose to take an online course in healthcare law, offered by Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. You might even end up sitting alongside students from these schools who choose to immerse themselves in oil and gas law at STCL Houston!
This past year: 269 students provided
35,640 hours of direct client services giving $1,782,000 of pro bono representation to Houston.
7
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
7
Instruction
8
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Our top-notch faculty are leaders in their fields, they will inspire your learning, and you will be impressed by their level of investment in your success. At South Texas College of Law Houston, your professors will know your name, and you will find them remarkably accessible. Students often note that the law school has a particularly supportive, friendly atmosphere that inspires a true sense of community. Will you have to work hard? Definitely. Will you need to be prepared for class? Absolutely. Our faculty has a reputation for focusing on teaching first. But for students who want to succeed, you’ll find a strong support system and a lifelong connection with faculty members who will inspire you. STCL Houston offers a focused curriculum through seven institutes of excellence.
only 21 law schools in the nation to have tenured and tenure-track faculty teaching in this program.
Legal Research and Writing
law school in the U.S.
In law, writing is paramount. Few law schools can compete with STCL Houston’s Legal Research and Writing Program. In fact, our program is a leader in the nation, evidenced by our unprecedented number of “Best Brief ” awards from the American Society of Legal Writers’ Scribes competition, the most prestigious legal writing competition in the country.
Advocacy Program
When it comes to teaching the art of advocacy, no law school can compete with South Texas College of Law Houston. One of only three schools to rank consistently in the nation’s top 10 for trial advocacy by U.S. News & World Report, STCL Houston offers a rigorous curriculum taught by some of the country’s best current and former litigators.
15 American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition championship wins. More than any other
Our students receive in-depth, intensive training in the art of trial and appellate advocacy. Professors and coaches, including working trial and appellate lawyers at
the height of their careers, bring their knowledge of real-world, contemporary legal issues into the classroom and devote significant one-on-one time to students.
130 National Advocacy Championship wins. No other law school has won half as many.
Seven Institutes Highlight Areas Of Excellence The Advocacy Program The Frank Evans Center for Conflict Resolution The Harry L. Reed Oil and Gas Law Institute Institute for International Legal Practice and National Security Legal Research and Writing Program The Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics Transactional Practice Center
Professor Vanessa Browne-Barbour joined the STCL Houston faculty in 2011 and has expertise in tort law, family law, international family law, and forensic science. In addition to teaching
5 First-Place Best Brief
law, she currently serves as the associate dean
awards. No other law school
the STCL Houston faculty, Professor Browne-
has won more than one.
Barbour was an associate dean of academic
for academic administration. Prior to joining
affairs and an associate professor at Duquesne
Our Legal Research and Writing Program develops students along the entire spectrum of writing ability into some of the country’s best legal writers. STCL Houston is one of 9
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
University School of Law. She also previously served as a litigation associate at Reed Smith and as a law clerk with the Pennsylvania Superior Court. She is admitted to the bars of the United States Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania.
2019 | 2020
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
9
Instruction
10
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Frank Evans Center for Conflict Resolution As the practice of law evolves, attorneys spend considerably more time in negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations than in the courtroom. As a result, it is critical that law students possess effective skills in these contemporary methods of legal representation. South Texas College of Law Houston offers eight alternative dispute resolution (ADR)-related courses, including a mediation clinic and a 40-hour basic mediation training that is open to both students and professionals. In addition, the Center sponsors student teams for national and international competitions annually with the concentration and focus on representing clients in a variety of dispute resolution processes. Our ADR teams have garnered the school 17 national and international first-place wins in recent years, including the prestigious ICC Mediation Competition in Paris. The Harry L. Reed Oil and Gas Law Institute offers students interested in oil and gas law a practical third-year curriculum centered on real-world strategizing, problem solving, writing, and negotiating. Year-three coursework mirrors present-day legal work in mineral title examination, transactional practice, energy litigation and negotiation, and other relevant practice areas. The Institute for International Legal Practice and National Security, founded in 2015, is an intellectual hub for legal scholars and practitioners working in the rapidly growing fields of international trade and investment, human rights, maritime 11
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
law, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, immigration, antiquities trade, and other similar arenas. South Texas College of Law Houston’s national and international security law professors are productive and respected scholars. Recognized as experts in their fields, they inform policy, provide expert testimony to courts and Congress, serve as members of high-level commissions, contribute to discourse in the national media, and advise a variety of organizations on international legal topics. Students benefit from these professors’ real-world expertise as they build their own proficiency in critical international and security law. The official publication of the Institute is the student-edited Journal of International Economic Law. The Transactional Practice Center. Transactional lawyers work on deals rather than cases. They counsel individuals and organizations on legal issues arising from their business dealings, including commercial, corporate, energy, finance, international business, real estate, and tax matters. The law school formed the Transactional Practice Center in response to the increasing need for lawyers skilled in structuring, negotiating, and documenting business transactions for their clients. The Center is home to the Texas Journal of Business Law and also sponsors the Transactional Law Practice Certificate Program. The Certificate Program provides students with intensive, hands-on instruction in the knowledge, skills, and values essential to business transactional lawyering, thereby positioning South Texas College of 2019 | 2020
Law Houston as a first choice for employers seeking graduates who can immediately add value to their firm’s practice and to their clients’ business dealings. The Transactional Law Practice Certificate Program recognizes students who have completed a multi-course sequence of advanced business law doctrine and practice. Read more about the certificate program on page 25.
Professor Geoffrey S. Corn was one of 10 experts who contributed to the revision of the Commentaries to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, which address critical issues of international humanitarian law. The revisions were intended to give people an understanding of these important documents as they are interpreted today.
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
11
Alumni
12
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Known for the lifelong connections created among students, faculty, and alumni, South Texas College of Law Houston provides ongoing opportunities to strengthen this network. More than 15,000 alumni live and work across the U.S. and the globe. Alumni often return to campus to train, coach, and support current students in competitions, continuing our championship legacy. Our alumni demonstrate their passion for the law school and our students by generously giving of their time and talents. Alumni support continues into the employment realm
South Texas College
as well. Our alumni return to campus to hire interns and graduates because they know firsthand the quality of education provided at STCL Houston. Alumni know that hiring a graduate from their alma mater will deliver an employee who has a strong work ethic, is prepared to practice law, and can hit the ground running.
NORTHWEST
121
of Law Houston alumni work in all
NORTHEAST
443
CENTRAL WEST
50 states,
206
CENTRAL EAST
221
and in
21 countries
SOUTHWEST
270
around the globe.
TEXAS
SOUTHEAST
12,674
DFW
940 ALASKA
860
AUSTIN
765
6
HOUSTON
8,539
TAMPA
140
HAWAII
10 13
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
13
The Fred Parks Law Library
Fred Parks Law Library quick facts:
90+ databases 591,147 volumes 197,542 titles 58 study rooms 2 computer labs 74,000 square feet 117 hours of operation per week 6th-floor terrace with downtown view 14
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
As a student and alumnus, you will have access to one of the most outstanding law libraries in the state. The Fred Parks Law Library provides students with more than 74,000 square feet of beautiful, well-lit space for studying, preparing for class, and performing research. More than 90 databases are available to students, nearly all of which are accessible off campus. Students also have access to an ever-growing list of resources, including more than 594,000 volumes of books, 58 study rooms, and two computer labs. The sixth floor of the library hosts an outdoor terrace with a breathtaking view of downtown Houston.
Unique to the Fred Parks Law Library is an extensive rare books and special collections room, featuring 240 titles published prior to 1800. The bulk of the rare book collection is from the period of 1800-1900, with the oldest book being the Vocabularius iuris vtriusque, a legal dictionary printed in 1481, just 29 years after Gutenberg used his printing press for the first time. History buffs will enjoy the library’s extensive collection of Texas legal documents, including a compilation of ordinances and decrees issued under the Spanish Constitution of 1812, which has greatly influenced Texas law. Our library staff is committed to protecting and preserving this one-of-a-kind collection. 15
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Professor Elaine Carlson is an appointed member of the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Practice and Procedure, Evidence and Professionalism, and served on the Texas Supreme Court Task Forces on Ancillary Proceedings, Code of Judicial Conduct, Judicial Speech, and Civil Justice Reform. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute. Professor Carlson is the author of the six-volume treatise “Texas Civil Practice,” a renowned work routinely cited by Texas appellate courts. Professor Carlson is frequently invited to present at conferences designed to educate the judiciary and practitioners on the nuances of the Texas civil litigation process.
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
15
Earning your degree
Flexible Start | Begin your legal education in the fall or in the spring semester
The J.D. degree
South Texas College of Law Houston offers flexible options for students seeking to earn a Doctor of Jurisprudence ( J.D.) degree or a combined J.D./MBA degree.
Full-Time Students
The three-year, full-time program offers all required courses during the day, with the option of taking evening coursework. Foundational curriculum is completed during the first half of the program, with remaining studies devoted to the student’s specific area of interest. Full-time students take 15 credit hours each 16
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
fall and spring semester. Due to the significant time commitment of the full-time program, the law school strongly recommends that students not be employed more than 20 hours per week.
Part-Time Students
Students in the part-time program must complete a minimum of eight to a maximum of 11 credit hours each fall and spring semester. Additionally, part-time students are required to take two classes during the first summer of the program, while subsequent summer classes are optional. Part-time students attend classes only in the evening for the first 30 hours of study, and typically complete the program in four to 4.5 years.
The part-time program is designed for students requiring a lighter schedule due to family or work obligations. Part-time students have the option of transferring to the full-time J.D. program after successfully completing the first 30 hours, on a space-available basis.
J.D./MBA Degree
Students can combine a legal education with advanced business study through our joint Doctor of Jurisprudence ( J.D.) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program. The MBA curriculum is offered through one of two institutions: The Mays Business School at Texas A&M University or the Cameron School of Business at the University 17
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
of St. Thomas. In both programs, full-time students will devote the first two years to law study at STCL Houston, spend the third year taking MBA coursework at the business school, and then return to the law school to complete their J.D. studies during the fourth year of enrollment. Both joint degree programs permit law students to earn the J.D. and MBA degrees in as few as four years, whereas completing both programs separately would typically require five years. Admissions requirements at each school vary. Please contact our Admissions office for information. Both the Mays Business School and the Cameron School of Business are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB). SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
17
Curriculum
Pathways to Practice Program | Through the Pathways to Practice Program, students can create an individualized curriculum to fit their desired career goals.
18
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Spring semester start
For students who begin their studies in the spring semester, the first semester for full-time students listed below is the spring semester, and the second semester is the fall semester. A spring-start student who takes one or more required courses during the summer following the student’s first semester can take fewer hours in the fall or take a third-semester course along with the required courses in the fall.
Full-time students First Semester course
Civil Procedure Contracts I Criminal Law Legal Research and Writing I Torts I Total hours
Part-time students First Fall Semester credit hours
4 3 3 2 3 15
course
Contracts I Legal Research and Writing I Torts I Total hours
credit hours
3 2 3 8
First Spring Semester Civil Procedure Criminal Law Legal Research and Writing II Total hours
Second Semester Constitutional Law 4 Contracts II 3 Legal Research and Writing II 2 Property I 3 Torts II 3 Total hours 15
4 3 2 9
First Summer Contracts II Torts II Total hours
Third Semester
3 3 6
Second Fall Semester
Evidence 3 Federal Income Taxation 3 Property II 3 Elective 3 Elective 3 Total hours (plus electives) 15
Constitutional Law 4 Evidence 3 Property I 3 Total hours 10
Second Spring Semester Federal Income Taxation 3 Property II 3 Elective(s) 3 Total hours (plus electives) 9
In addition, both full-time and part-time students will need to do the following: • Take the Professional Responsibility course before completion of the 60th credit hour; • Write a substantial research paper as a condition of graduation; and • Complete at least six hours of professional skills courses.
daytime classes.
Part-time students attend classes in the evening for the first 30 hours of study. Thereafter, on a space-available basis, they will have the option of registering for
For more information on admissions, visit www.stcl.edu.
19
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
A candidate for the Doctor of Jurisprudence degree is required to earn at least 90 semester hours of credit with a passing grade and a cumulative grade average of 2.3 or better within seven years of the date of first enrollment. No more than 30 semester hours may be earned at other law schools.
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
19
Curriculum continued
Choosing your unique direction
When considering a law school, you must examine its curriculum. This reflects its commitment to legal education by showing the resources it devotes to making graduates practice ready. The STCL Houston curriculum consists of three basic categories: n Required courses, which must be taken in the first 39 hours of instruction; n Elective courses, which make up the majority of the curriculum, offer students flexibility to focus on specific practice areas, as well as extensive bar exam preparation; and n Skills courses, including advocacy, drafting, research, and simulation classes; academic externships; direct representation clinics; and seminars. Business Law, Corporate Law, Commercial Law, Finance Law
Corporate Law – Stage 1 Contracts I Contracts II Federal Income Taxation Agency and Partnership Corporations Payment Systems Secured Transactions Corporate Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Contract Building Blocks Contract Negotiations and Drafting Corporate Finance Law Securities Regulation Corporate Taxation Partnership and Subchapter S Taxation Antitrust Law Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Corporate Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Transactional Skills – Corporate Transactional Skills – Energy Transactional Skills – International Business Transactions Business Bankruptcy Alternative Dispute Resolution Arbitration Corporate and White Collar Crime 20
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Pathways to Practice is an easy-to-use web tool that helps you tailor curricular choices to develop the skills and knowledge needed for your career goals. Developed by STCL Houston professors, the site contains suggested curriculum plans and accompanying resources. Pathways does not cover the entire STCL Houston curriculum. Instead, it allows prospective and current students to examine in depth 14 of the most common career paths for lawyers. For more information, visit pathways.stcl.edu.
International Business Transactions Judicial Process Clinic I/Academic Internship Judicial Process Clinic II/Academic Internship Law and Economics Seminar Commercial Law – Stage 1 Contracts I Contracts II Federal Income Taxation Agency and Partnership Corporations Payment Systems Secured Transactions Commercial Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Contract Building Blocks Contract Negotiations and Drafting Business Bankruptcy Consumer Bankruptcy and Debt Collection International Business Transactions Consumer Transactions Antitrust Law Judicial Process Clinic I/Academic Internship Judicial Process Clinic II/Academic Internship Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Commercial Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more 2019 | 2020
from below: Transactional Skills – Corporate Transactional Skills – Energy Transactional Skills – International Business Transactions Transactional Skills – Real Estate Corporate Finance Law Securities Regulation Alternative Dispute Resolution Arbitration International Commercial Arbitration Corporate and White Collar Crime Law and Economic Seminar Finance Law – Stage 1 Contracts I Contracts II Federal Income Taxation Agency and Partnership Corporations Payment Systems Secured Transactions Finance Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Contract Building Blocks Contract Negotiations and Drafting Business Bankruptcy Consumer Bankruptcy and Debt Collection Corporate Finance Law Real Estate Finance Law Securities Regulation Judicial Process Clinic I/Academic Internship
Judicial Process Clinic II/Academic Internship Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Finance Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Transactional Skills – Corporate Transactional Skills – Energy Transactional Skills – International Business Transactions Transactional Skills – Real Estate Corporate Taxation Partnership and Subchapter S Taxation Administrative Law Corporate and White Collar Crime International Business Transactions Alternative Dispute Resolution Law and Economics Seminar Civil Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Civil Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution – Stage 1 Civil Procedure Evidence Texas Pretrial Procedure Texas Trial and Appellate Procedure Alternative Dispute Resolution Torts I Torts II Contracts I Contracts II Property I Property II Civil Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Civil Pretrial Advocacy Deposition Skills Civil Trial Advocacy Mock Trial Litigation Moot Court/Mock Trial Competition Voir Dire/Jury Communication Class Actions and Other Advanced Litigation Case Assessment and Strategy Appellate Advocacy Arbitration Mediation Practice Mediation Theory and Practice 21
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Representation in Mediation Negotiation Interviewing and Counseling Judicial Process Clinic I/Academic Internship Conflict of Laws Remedies Civil Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Mediation Clinic Judicial Process Clinic II/Academic Internship Family Law Marital Property and Homestead Family Law Clinic – Basic Family Law Clinic – Advanced Family Law Trial Advocacy Agency and Partnership Corporations Business Bankruptcy Consumer Bankruptcy and Debt Collection Consumer Transactions Advanced Products Liability Seminar Insurance Intellectual Property Survey Trademarks and Unfair Competition Criminal Law
Criminal Law – Stage 1 Criminal Law Evidence Criminal Procedure Texas Criminal Procedure Criminal Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Criminal Litigation Drafting Criminal Trial Advocacy Criminal Process Clinic/Academic Internship Corporate and White Collar Crime Mock Trial Litigation Moot Court/Mock Trial Competition Voir Dire/Jury Communication Appellate Advocacy Ethical Dimensions of Criminal Practice Actual Innocence Clinic Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Death Penalty Seminar 2019 | 2020
Forensic Evidence Seminar Criminal Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: International Criminal Law and Procedure The Constitution and National Security Comparative Counter-Terrorism Law Immigration Law Law Office Management Energy Law
Energy Law – Stage 1 Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Property I Property II Contracts I Contracts II Civil Procedure Energy Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Domestic Petroleum Transactions Texas Oil, Gas, and Land Title Examination Domestic Energy Law Contract Negotiations and Drafting Contract Building Blocks Administrative Law State and Local Government Corporations Agency and Partnership Payment Systems Secured Transactions Arbitration Civil Pretrial Advocacy Deposition Skills Energy Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: International Petroleum Transactions Transactional Skills – Energy Government Process Clinic/ Academic Internship Environmental Law Natural Resource Management Law Water Law International Business Transactions International Commercial Arbitration Corporate Finance Law Business Bankruptcy Corporate Taxation
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
21
Curriculum continued
Partnership and Subchapter S Taxation U.S. Taxation of International Transactions Intellectual Property Survey Law Office Management Environmental Law
Environmental Law – Stage 1 Environmental Law Natural Resource Management Law Administrative Law Land Use Management and Control Property I Property II Contracts I Contracts II Criminal Law Torts I Torts II Evidence Federal Income Taxation Environmental Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Legislation State and Local Government Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Water Law Contract Building Blocks Contract Negotiations and Drafting Alternative Dispute Resolution Civil Pretrial Advocacy Civil Trial Advocacy Deposition Skills Criminal Process Clinic/Academic Internship Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Environmental Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: International Environmental Law Domestic Energy Law Public Interest Clinic/Academic Internship Professional Skills in Property Transactional Skills – Real Estate Corporations Agency and Partnership Corporate and White Collar Crime
22
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Estate Planning Law
Estate Planning Law – Stage 1 Wills, Trusts and Estates Federal Income Taxation Marital Property and Homestead Property I Property II Estate Planning Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Administration of Estates and Guardianships Estate and Gift Taxation Estate Planning Clinic Probate Clinic Guardianship Clinic Family Law Agency and Partnership Corporations Taxation – Advanced Income Corporate Taxation Partnerships and Subchapter S Taxation Representation in Mediation Estate Planning Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Estate Planning Interviewing and Counseling Taxation – Federal Procedure Family Law
Family Law – Stage 1 Family Law Marital Property and Homestead Texas Pretrial Procedure Texas Trial and Appellate Procedure Evidence Civil Procedure Federal Income Taxation Family Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Family Law Clinic – Basic Family Law Clinic Advanced Family Law Trial Advocacy International Family Law Wills, Trusts and Estates Interviewing and Counseling Representation in Mediation Mediation Theory and Practice Mediation Practice 2019 | 2020
Collaborative Law Training Civil Pretrial Advocacy Civil Trial Advocacy Deposition Skills Family Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Advanced Marital Property Seminar Estate and Gift Taxation Estate Planning Estate Planning Clinic Administration of Estates and Guardianships Probate Clinic Corporations Agency and Partnerships Consumer Bankruptcy and Debt Collection Secured Transactions Payment Systems Immigration Law Law Office Management Immigration Law
Immigration Law – Stage 1 Immigration Law Administrative Law Civil Procedure Constitutional Law Criminal Law Immigration Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Immigration Clinic Asylum and Refugee Law Asylum/Human Trafficking Clinic Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Judicial Process Clinic I/Academic Internship Judicial Process Clinic II/Academic Internship Legislation Interviewing and Counseling Criminal Procedure Immigration Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Immigration and Naturalization Law Seminar Family Law Civil Pretrial Advocacy
Civil Trial Advocacy Class Actions and Other Advanced Litigation Appellate Advocacy Public Interest Clinic/Academic Internship Law Office Management Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual Property Law – Stage 1 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Copyright Law Patent Law Trademarks and Unfair Competition Administrative Law Agency and Partnership Corporations Intellectual Property Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Intellectual Property Litigation Patent Office Procedure Trade Secrets and Related Interests Antitrust Law Entertainment Law Professional Sports Law Contract Building Blocks Contract Negotiations and Drafting Civil Pretrial Advocacy Intellectual Property Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Patent Licensing and Technology Transfer Patent Prosecution and Claim Drafting Patent Clinic Trademark Clinic Advanced Patent Law Seminar Transactional Skills – International Business Transactions International Business Transactions Internet Law International Law and International Economic Law
International Law – Stage 1 International Law International Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: International Human Rights Law International Humanitarian Law and 23
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
the Regulation of Armed Conflict International Process Clinic Academic Internship Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Criminal Process Clinic/Academic Internship International Criminal Law and Procedure International Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Comparative Counter-Terrorism Law International Environmental Law International Family Law Asylum/Human Trafficking Clinic Asylum and Refugee Law Art Law Seminar International Economic Law – Stage 1 International Business Transactions Contracts I Contracts II Federal Income Taxation International Economic Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: World Trading Systems Contract Building Blocks Contract Negotiations and Drafting Antitrust Law Intellectual Property Survey International Process Clinic Academic Internship Government Process Clinic Academic Internship International Economic Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Transactional Skills – International Business Transactions U.S. Taxation of International Transactions International Petroleum Transactions Alternative Dispute Resolution Arbitration International Commercial Arbitration Labor and Employment Law
Labor and Employment Law – Stage 1 Employment Law Employment Discrimination Collective Bargaining Law Constitutional Law 2019 | 2020
Contracts I Contracts II Torts I Torts II Labor and Employment Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Employee Benefits Law Administrative Law Class Actions and Other Advanced Litigation Trade Secrets and Related Interests Trademarks and Unfair Competition Labor and Employment Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Civil Pretrial Advocacy Civil Trial Advocacy Deposition Skills Legislation State and Local Government Texas Pretrial Procedure Texas Trial and Appellate Procedure Interviewing and Counseling Representation in Mediation Mediation Practice Mediation Theory and Practice Mediation Clinic Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Damages Remedies Entertainment Law First Amendment Law Law Office Management Public Interest Law
Public Interest Law – Stage 1 Criminal Law Civil Procedure Constitutional Law Criminal Procedure Evidence Texas Pretrial Procedure Public Interest Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Administrative Law Legislation State and Local Government Case Assessment and Strategy Interviewing and Counseling Contract Building Blocks Contract Negotiations and Drafting
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
23
Curriculum continued
Texas Trial and Appellate Procedure Civil Pretrial Advocacy Civil Trial Advocacy Mediation Practice Mediation Theory and Practice Representation in Mediation Public Interest Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Criminal Process Clinic/Academic Internship Government Process Clinic/ Academic Internship Judicial Process Clinic I/Academic Internship Judicial Process Clinic II/Academic Internship Public Interest Clinic/Academic Internship Access to Justice Clinic Actual Innocence Clinic Asylum/Human Trafficking Clinic Child Welfare Clinic Domestic Violence Clinic Estate Planning Clinic Family Law Clinic – Basic Family Law Clinic – Advanced Guardianship Clinic Immigration Clinic Mediation Clinic Probate Clinic Veterans Clinic
Agency and Partnership Contract Building Blocks Contract Negotiations and Drafting Administrative Law State and Local Government Environmental Law Natural Resource Management Law Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Wills, Trusts and Estates Marital Property and Homestead Real Property and Real Estate Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Public Interest Clinic/Academic Internship Urban and Poverty Law Seminar Legislation International Environmental Law Domestic Energy Law Water Law Construction Law Business Bankruptcy Consumer Transactions Solo and Small Firm Practice
Real Property and Real Estate Law – Stage 1 Property I Property II Land Use Management and Control Contracts I Contracts II Constitutional Law Real Property and Real Estate Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Texas Oil, Gas, and Land Title Examination Transactional Skills – Real Estate Professional Skills in Property Secured Transactions Corporations
Solo and Small Firm Practice – Family Law and Estate Planning Law Office Management Family Law Marital Property and Homestead Wills, Trusts and Estates Administration of Estates and Guardianships Texas Pretrial Procedure Texas Trial and Appellate Procedure Family Law Trial Advocacy Estate Planning Clinic Family Law Clinic – Advanced Representation in Mediation Corporations Agency and Partnership Federal Income Taxation Solo and Small Firm Practice – Immigration Law Law Office Management Immigration Law Administrative Law Asylum and Refugee Law Immigration Clinic
24
2018 | 2019
Real Property and Real Estate Law
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Asylum/Human Trafficking Clinic Immigration and Naturalization Law Seminar Solo and Small Firm Practice – Criminal Law Law Office Management Criminal Law Criminal Procedure Texas Criminal Procedure Evidence Criminal Trial Advocacy Criminal Litigation Drafting Criminal Process Clinic/Academic Internship Corporate and White Collar Crime Tax Law
Tax Law – Stage 1 Federal Income Taxation Agency and Partnership Corporations Wills, Trusts and Estates Tax Law – Stage 2 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Corporate Taxation Partnership and Subchapter S Taxation Taxation – Advanced Income Taxation – Federal Procedure Estate and Gift Taxation U.S. Taxation of International Transactions Federal Tax Research Corporate Finance Law Government Process Clinic Academic Internship Administration of Estates and Guardianships Estate Planning Clinic Employee Benefits Law Tax Law – Stage 3 Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below: Interviewing and Counseling Nonprofit Incorporation Estate Planning Probate Clinic
The Honorable U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (center) gathered with law students from South Texas College of Law Houston and STCL Houston President and Dean Donald J. Guter (far left of front row) in front of the Mediterranean Sea as part of the law school’s study abroad program in Malta.
Study Abroad
Take advantage of several opportunities to travel abroad and earn academic credit hours while studying comparative and international law. Challenging courses are coupled with exposure to another culture to provide students with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Summer-abroad and semester-abroad programs are available. Summer programs are structured so that students can return in time for a clerkship or some time off before fall classes resume. Study abroad sites include: n London, England; n Valletta, Malta; n Galway, Ireland; n Prague, Czech Republic; n Santiago, Chile; n Leiden, Netherlands (full semester abroad); and n Aarhus, Denmark (full semester abroad). For more information on study abroad programs, visit www.cile.edu.
Transactional Law Practice Certificate Program
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Twice in the past five years, the Texas Access to Justice (TAJF) Commission has honored South Texas College of Law Houston with its prestigious TAJF Law School Commitment to Service Award.
As part of the law school’s long tradition of excellence in practice-oriented legal education, the Transactional Practice Center has developed the Transactional Law Practice Certificate Program, a multi-course sequence (similar to an undergraduate college major) allowing 25
students to develop an academic concentration in business transactional practice. One of the first two programs of this kind in the nation and the only one of its kind in Texas, the Certificate Program is designed to provide law students with a strong background in basic business law concepts, an in-depth study of advanced business law doctrine and practice, and intensive practice-oriented instruction in the skills essential to business transactional law practice. Qualified students may join the Certificate Program after completing their first 30 hours of law study.
2019 | 2020
Dean Donald J. Guter accepts Access to Justice Award from Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman ’89.
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
25
Admissions
Diversity | STCL Houston
enrolls students who represent a wide range of backgrounds, ethnicities, experience levels, and ages.
26
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Each year, the Admissions Committee thoughtfully reviews the applications of hundreds of talented, enthusiastic, and diverse students who are considering attending South Texas College of Law Houston. We enroll students who represent a wide range of backgrounds, ethnicities, experience levels, and ages.
Admissions Deadlines
Applications are reviewed only upon completion of a candidate’s application file, and applicants are encouraged to apply early.
International applicants
Admissions Checklist
For a full description of all application materials, visit stcl.edu. Here is an overview of what you’ll need to do: 1. Take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), administered by the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). The test is offered multiple times each year. Visit www.lsac.org to register for the test. 2. Register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) to have transcripts assembled. 3. Complete an online application for admission. 4. Submit a resumé. 5. Attach a detailed personal statement setting forth your unique individual qualifications, interests, and aspirations for the study of law. Your personal statement should be two to three pages in length and double-spaced. 6. Submit two letters of recommendation through the Letter of Recommendation Service offered by LSAC. This service is included in your CAS registration fees. 7. Pay the $55 nonrefundable application fee. 27
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Fall Semester: March 15 Spring Semester: October 1 Our Admissions Office is available to answer your questions. Please contact the office at 713-646-1810 or admissions@stcl.edu
Applicants with degrees from foreign institutions are required to take the LSAT and register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Applicants are urged to use the J.D. Credential Assembly Service ( JDCAS). This service is available for all applicants who have completed work at any foreign institution outside of the U.S. or Canada, at no additional expense to the applicant beyond the standard CAS fees. Any student who is not a U.S. citizen and holds a temporary visa (F-1 or J-1) is classified as an international student. In addition to meeting standard admissions requirements, these applicants, if admitted, must submit the following: • Non-U.S. citizens must include a copy of immigration documents (such as current U.S. visa or permanent resident card) when submitting the application. • Letter of Financial Backing and Statement of Understanding (U.S. citizens and permanent residents are exempt).
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
27
Admissions continued
Academic Externships | A faculty-guided learning experience in which students work in the field under the direct supervision of a judge or attorney. Local, state, national, and international placements are available in the following areas of law: Public Interest, Government, Judicial, Criminal, Hospital, and International. 28
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Professor Kenneth Williams is a nationally recognized expert on criminal law and death penalty issues. He is a Fulbright Specialist, having taught on the American legal system at the University of Bahia in Brazil. He served as habeas counsel for eight Texas death row inmates, and authored a book analyzing the Supreme Court’s death penalty jurisprudence. He has been successful in the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas; the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; and the Supreme Court of the United States in obtaining new trials on behalf of individuals who were sentenced to death in violation of their constitutional rights.
TOEFL
(Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Applicants who obtained their degree from a country in which English is not the official language of instruction must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and submit results to South Texas College of Law Houston.
Transfer Application Deadlines Fall Semester: June 15 Spring Semester: November 15
4. Personal statement 5. Resumé 6. Official transcript reflecting all law grades earned If you are waiting for your final grades, we ask that you send your application, supporting documentation, and official transcript as soon as they are available. Decisions on transfer applications cannot be made until all of the above items are received.
Visiting Applicants
In order to be admitted with advanced standing, a transfer applicant must have earned credit for at least 24 semester hours at an ABA-accredited law school. The law school will not award credit for more than 30 semester hours earned at another law school. Transfer applicants are required to submit the following: 1. Completed application for admission 2. $55 nonrefundable application fee 3. An official letter of good standing from the law school from which the applicant is attempting to transfer
A student from another ABA-accredited law school may apply to South Texas College of Law Houston as a visiting student, subject to availability of space. Visiting students must submit the following: 1. Application for admission 2. $55 nonrefundable application fee 3. A letter of good standing from their law school, indicating that the transfer credit will be accepted toward the student’s current degree program.
Application Review Process When reviewing applications for admission, the Admissions Committee considers a variety of factors, including but not limited to LSAT scores, cumulative undergraduate grade point average, rigor of undergraduate coursework, performance in graduate programs, letters of recommendation, personal statements, addenda, extracurricular activities, work experience, demonstrated skills, diverse life experiences, and adversity. Applications are reviewed holistically. Applicant files are reviewed on a rolling basis; therefore decisions are made when the file is complete. All decisions are disseminated electronically. Review begins in late February for the fall class and mid-September for the spring class. The decision of the Admissions Committee is final.
from the law school or by subsequently being admitted to the bar of any state, an accepted applicant to the law school will become employed in a legal position or will receive a higher average starting salary than such applicant might otherwise be in a position to receive. While every effort is made to provide accurate and current information, South Texas College of Law Houston reserves the right to change, without notice, statements in the Admissions Bulletin concerning rules, policies, fees, curricula, or other matters. Publications of South Texas College of Law Houston are not contractual. The faculty and administration may make changes at any time and may make them applicable to students, regardless of when the changes are made with respect to the student's enrollment.
Admissions and Bar Information South Texas College of Law Houston admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, or other school-administered rights, privileges, programs or activities generally accorded or made available to students at the law school. South Texas College of Law Houston does not represent, warrant, or claim that by attending or graduating from the law school, an accepted applicant will pass the bar exam or be accepted to the bar in any state. In addition, South Texas College of Law Houston does not represent, warrant, or claim that by attending or graduating
Qualifications for the Bar In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners. It is the applicant’s responsibility to research the character, fitness and other qualifications for admission to the bar in the state(s) in which the applicant intends to practice.
29
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Academic Dismissal Additionally, if you have been academically dismissed from another ABA law school, South Texas College of Law Houston requires that you sit out the recommended two years before reapplying to begin your studies all over.
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
29
Tuition
South Texas College of Law Houston consistently is ranked among the best values in the country for a private law school. In fact, our tuition and fees are among the lowest of the 118 private law schools in the nation.
2018-2019 Academic Year Budget Living with Parents
Tuition Rate: $1,060/hr + $300 fee FULL-TIME PART-TIME
Tuition & Fees Books
Room & Board Misc./Personal Transportation Total
FALL/SPRING 9 MONTHS
PER SEMESTER FALL 4/SPRING 5 MONTHS
32,400
16,200
21,800
10,900
6,886
3,443
6,886
3,443
2,228
1,114
3,106
1,553
2,796
1,398
$47,416
$23,708
FALL/SPRING PER SEMESTER 9 MONTHS FALL 4/SPRING 5 MONTHS
1,670
835
3,106 2,796
$36,258
1,553 1,398
$18,129
2018 -2019 Academic Year Budget Not Living with Parents
Tuition Rate: $1,060/hr + $300 fee
FULL-TIME
Tuition & Fees Books
Room & Board Misc./Personal Transportation Total
PART-TIME
FALL/SPRING 9 MONTHS
PER SEMESTER FALL 4/SPRING 5 MONTHS
32,400
16,200
21,800
10,900
13,770
6,885
13,770
6,885
2,228
1,114
3,106
1,553
2,796
1,398
$54,300
$27,150
FALL/SPRING PER SEMESTER 9 MONTHS FALL 4/SPRING 5 MONTHS
1,670 3,106 2,796
$43,142
835
1,553 1,398
$21,571
• Full-time is based on 30 credit hours plus fees. • All students are eligible to apply for Federal Direct Unsubsidized loans in the amount of $20,500. To offset the remaining Cost of Attendance, Graduate Plus loans, federal work-study, tuition equalization grant (TEG) and the college access loan (CAL) are other available resources. Dean’s Merit Scholarships, which are offered through the Office of Admissions, are automatically awarded to admitted students whose undergraduate GPA and LSAT score meet established criteria. • Please inquire with the Admissions Office for scholarship questions.
• Academic year budgets subject to change for new academic year 2019-2020.
30
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
South Texas College of Law Houston consistently is ranked among the best values in the country for a private law school. In fact, our tuition and fees are among the lowest of the 118 private law schools in the nation.
31
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
31
Tuition continued
Applying for Financial Aid
Full-time and part-time applicants must complete the FAFSA to apply for financial aid. We recommend students begin the financial aid application process early to ensure aid is available. This may require applicants to begin the financial aid application process even before they learn if they are accepted for admission to South Texas College of Law Houston. For assistance, contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid at 713-646-1820. An application for admission is not an application for federal financial aid, but does constitute an application for new student merit scholarships administered by the Admissions Office.
32
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Scholarships
This academic year, STCL Houston is projected to provide more than $3 million in scholarships, grants, and awards to deserving students. Scholarships and grants come in varying amounts from different sources. Scholarships are organized into four categories: 1. Admissions scholarships 2. Scholarships awarded to continuing students by the Faculty Financial Aid Committee 3. Scholarships funded and awarded by donors outside the law school 4. Tuition Equalization Grant funds from the State of Texas Approximately 56 percent of students receive at least one scholarship or grant.
Admissions Scholarships
All entering students are automatically considered for Dean’s Merit scholarships based on their undergraduate performance and LSAT score. Scholarships ranging from $750 to $15,000 are offered to entering students and typically are renewable for each year the student is enrolled at STCL Houston, provided the student maintains a 3.1 or higher grade point average. For more information on scholarships, contact the Admissions Office at 713-646-1810.
Other forms of financial assistance
Students use a variety of methods, in addition to scholarships, to cover costs for their legal education, including:
College Access Loan Program | Funds are
available to Texas residents. This loan carries a fixed interest and is credit based. 33
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Direct Loan Program | Funds are available
to students through the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and Graduate PLUS Loan programs, both of which have fixed-interest. The Graduate PLUS Loan is credit based.
Student Emergency Loans | The law school
provides emergency, short-term loans to students through the Spurgeon E. Bell Scholarship and Student Aid Fund, which is funded by external donations and proceeds from campus vending machines. Depending on availability, the fund offers 60-day, interest-free loans of up to $1,000.
Federal Work Study Program | The Federal
Work Study Program provides qualified students with part-time jobs and competitive wages at the law school and a few outside public agencies. SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
33
Student Organizations
34
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Black Law Students Association
Alternative Dispute Resolution students
Enrich your legal education by participating in any of the school’s 31 student organizations. Whatever your professional or personal area of interest, you’ll find an organization that matches your passions with your education. Student Organizations: ACLU @ STCL Aggie Law Students Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Advocates AMICUS Animal Legal Defense Fund Asian Pacific American Law Students Association Black Law Students Association
35
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Christian Legal Society
Society on National Security and
Criminal Law Society
International Law
Delta Theta Phi
Sports and Entertainment Law
Environmental Law Society
Society
Family Law & Probate Legal Society
Student Bar Association
Federalist Society
Tax Law Society
Health Law Society
University of Texas Exes
Hispanic Law Students Association
Veterans Association
Hunting & Rifle Association
Women’s Law Society
Intellectual Prop. & Tech. Law Society Jewish Law Students Association National Lawyers Guild
Corporate Counsel Review
Phi Alpha Delta
Currents: The Journal of International
Phi Delta Phi Real Estate and Construction Law Society
2019 | 2020
Board of Advocates Construction Law Journal
Oil & Gas Law Society
Republican Law Students
Journals and Co-Curricular Activities:
Economic Law Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy Law Review Texas Journal of Business Law
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
35
Student Scholarly Publications
The far-reaching success of the law school’s research and writing program extends into scholarly publications.
36
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Currents serves as a research tool and reference guide for enterprises with global markets, with a focus on the latest legislation, treaties, cases, and trends affecting international commerce. The journal contains both lead articles by noted attorneys and members of the international business community, and student-written articles.
Construction Law Journal Members of the student-led Law Review’s editorial board write, edit, and publish the quarterly journal.
Student Scholarly Publications
The far-reaching success of the law school’s legal research and writing program extends into scholarly publications. Students have an opportunity to publish in one of six scholarly periodicals, and hone the vital skills of legal research, writing, editing, and managing the legal work of others. The law school’s six journals include:
Law Review
The Law Review is a quarterly journal, edited and published by second- and third-year students who have exemplary grades and who successfully participate in a writing competition and technical editing exercise. Law Review members write a casenote for publication on the Review’s website during their first semester, then produce a publishable original comment over successive semesters. Since 1990, the Law Review has hosted an annual Ethics Symposium, which is widely cited within legal academia and the state and federal courts.
Corporate Counsel Review
Currents: The Journal of International Economic Law Edited and published by STCL Houston students, Currents is the official journal of the Institute for International Legal Practice and National Security. SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Texas Journal of Business Law
The Texas Journal of Business Law is a publication of the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Students participate in the solicitation of submissions and selection of articles from the state’s business law attorneys and professors. Students also edit articles and write summaries of significant developments in business law for inclusion in the journal, which is published three times a year.
Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy
The Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy is the newest scholarly publication at South Texas College of Law Houston. Its mission is to provide a forum for the expression and dissemination of multidisciplinary scholarly work on issues that affect the Hispanic community in the United States. The Journal will be edited and published twice yearly by students under the supervision of faculty and alumni. Nationally recognized for his
The Corporate Counsel Review, published twice each year and distributed to more than 4,000 subscribers, is the scholarly journal of the Corporate Counsel Section of the State Bar of Texas. The journal is edited by second- and third-year students competitively chosen based on their writing, editing, and interest. A small group of senior editors leads the journal under the direction of a faculty member.
37
The Construction Law Journal is a biannual State Bar of Texas publication filled with articles written by practitioners in the multi-faceted area of construction law. STCL Houston students edit the journal’s articles, honing valuable research and writing skills while networking with practicing attorneys.
2019 | 2020
scholarship in constitutional law and the United States Supreme Court, Professor Josh Blackman was selected by Forbes Magazine for its “30 Under 30” in Law and Policy. He has twice testified before the House Judiciary Committee and is an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute. His commentary has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, and other national publications.
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
37
Faculty
James J. Alfini B.A., Columbia University J.D., Northwestern University School of Law Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law
Catherine Greene Burnett B.A., University of Texas J.D., University of Texas School of Law Vice President, Associate Dean, Professor of Law and Director of Legal Clinics
Areas of expertise: skills and clinical teaching, criminal procedure, international criminal law and procedure, capital punishment, legal
Areas of expertise: alternative
dispute resolution, constitutional law, mediation, judicial ethics
research and writing
John H. Bauman B.A., Pomona College J.D., Stanford University Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: torts, insurance, remedies, federal courts
Debra Berman B.S., Georgetown University J.D., American University Washington College of Law Director of the Frank Evans Center for Conflict Resolution and Assistant Professor of Clinical Studies
law, contracts
Amanda Harmon Cooley B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill J.D., University of North Carolina School of Law Wayne Fisher Research Professor and Professor of Law
Vanessa Browne-Barbour B.A., Carnegie-Mellon University J.D., Duquesne University School of Law Vice President, Associate Dean and Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: legal research and writing, education law, contracts, constitutional law
Areas of expertise: family law, torts, parental rights, forensic science
Dean T. Gerald Treece has served as director and coach of the law school’s best-in-the-nation Advocacy Program for nearly 40 years. Through his leadership, the school is one of only three in the nation consistently ranked in the top 10 for trial advocacy by U.S. News & World Report. To date, the law school’s Advocacy Program has won more than 125 national advocacy championships. No other law school in the United States has won half as many.
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Elizabeth A. Dennis B.A., Hollins College J.D., South Texas College of Law Houston Assistant Dean, Director of Academic Internships, and Associate Professor of Clinical Studies
Areas of expertise: labor law, employment discrimination, family
technology
38
and appellate civil procedure, professional responsibility,
Richard R. Carlson B.A., Wake Forest University J.D., University of Georgia School of Law Professor of Law
law, the United States Supreme Court, the intersection of law and
2019 | 2020
military law, national security, public international law
Susan Waite Crump A.B., University of California-Davis J.D., University of Houston Law Center Professor of Law
developments in litigation
Areas of expertise: constitutional
Areas of expertise: criminal law,
Elaine A. Carlson B.S., Southern Illinois University M.A, McMaster University J.D., South Texas College of Law Professor of Law and Stanley J. Krist Distinguished Professor of Texas Law Areas of expertise: pretrial, trial
Josh Blackman B.S., The Pennsylvania State University J.D., George Mason University School of Law Professor of Law
Geoffrey S. Corn B.A., Hartwick College J.D., George Washington University Law School LL.M., The Judge Advocate General’s School, United States Army Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: criminal law, evidence, federal jurisdiction, practice, and procedure
Areas of expertise: criminal, civil and judicial externships, hospital, public interest, refugee, and asylum law, law office management
W. David East B.A., Baylor University J.D., Baylor University School of Law LL.M, George Washington University Law School Professor of Law and Director of Transactional Practice Center
Areas of expertise: commercial law, bankruptcy, contracts
STCL Houston Vice President, Associate Dean, and Professor Catherine Green Burnett has brought her extensive criminal law experience to numerous leadership positions with the State Bar of Texas and the Consortium for Innovative Legal Education. She has presented and taught in England, the Czech Republic, Malta, Italy, the Republic of Georgia, and Australia.
Matthew J. Festa B.A., University of Notre Dame M.P.A., Murray State University M.A., Vanderbilt University J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School Professor of Law
Pamela E. George B.S., University of Texas MLS, University of Texas J.D., University of Texas School of Law Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: marital property, family law, Texas trial and appellate procedure
Areas of expertise: property, land use, state and local government, legal history, national security law
Maxine D. Goodman B.A., Brandeis University J.D., University of Texas School of Law Professor of Law
Ted L. Field B.A., University of Illinois at Chicago M.A., Northwestern University J.D., The John Marshall Law School Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: legal analysis, research and writing, appellate advocacy, class action litigation
Areas of expertise: intellectual property, patent law
Donald J. Guter B.A., University of Colorado J.D., Duquesne University President and Dean, and Professor of Law
Derek Fincham B.A., University of Kansas J.D., Wake Forest University School of Law Ph.D., University of Aberdeen School of Law Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: military law, national security law, legal education
Areas of expertise: legal research
Helen Bishop Jenkins B.M.D., Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins Institute MME, Howard University J.D., University of Houston Law Center Executive Vice President Emeritus and Professor of Law
and writing, property law, intellectual property, cultural heritage law
Sharon G. Finegan B.A., University of Virginia J.D., American UniversityWashington College of Law LL.M., Columbia Law School Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: wills, trusts and estates, property, administration of estates
Areas of expertise: legal research and writing, constitutional law, procedural law
R. Randall Kelso B.A., University of Chicago J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School Professor of Law and Spurgeon E. Bell Distinguished Professor
Robert L. Galloway B.B.A. Southwestern University J.D. South Texas College of Law Houston Associate Director of Advocacy and Assistant Professor of Clinical Studies
39
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Areas of expertise: constitutional law, contracts, jurisprudence
2019 | 2020
Christopher Kulander B.S. Wright State University M.S. Wright State University Ph.D. Texas A&M University J.D. University of Oklahoma Associate Professor of Law Director, Harry L. Reed Oil & Gas Law Institute
Areas of expertise: energy law, oil & gas law, property
Joseph K. Leahy B.A., Swarthmore College J.D., New York University School of Law Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: corporations, agency and partnership, securities regulation
Katerina Lewinbuk B.A., Minnesota State University J.D., John Marshall Law School Professor of Law Areas of expertise: employment discrimination, professional responsibility, legal research and writing
Betty J. Luke B.S., Lamar University B.S., University of Texas Medical Branch J.D., South Texas College of Law Houston LL.M., University of Houston Law Center Associate Professor of Clinical Studies Areas of expertise: live-client legal clinics
Bruce A. McGovern B.A., Columbia University, Columbia College J.D., Fordham University School of Law LL.M., University of Florida College of Law Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: federal income taxation, corporate and partnership taxation, business organizations
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
39
Faculty continued
Shelby A. D. Moore B.A., Towson State University J.D., University of Baltimore School of Law LL.M., Harvard Law School Professor of Law
Phillip E. Page B.S., University of Tennessee J.D., University of Memphis School of Law LL.M., New York University School of Law Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: property, criminal law, feminist jurisprudence, torts, criminal corrections
Areas of expertise: contracts, copyright, trademarks and unfair competition, communications, art and entertainment law
Ray E. Moses B.A., University of Texas J.D., University of Texas School of Law LL.M., Northwestern University School of Law S.J.D., Southern Methodist University School of Law Professor of Law
James W. Paulsen B.F.A., Texas Christian University J.D., Baylor University School of Law LL.M., Harvard Law School Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: criminal law, criminal pre-trial and trial practice, scientific evidence, criminal procedure
Areas of expertise: civil procedure, jurisprudence, family law, legal history, legal research and writing, marital property
Olga L. Moya B.A., University of Texas J.D., University of Texas School of Law Professor of Law
Amanda J. Peters B.S., Texas Tech University J.D., Texas Tech University School of Law Helen and Harry Hutchens Research Professor and Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: environmental law, international environmental law, toxic torts, administrative law, property law, legislation
Areas of expertise: legal research and writing, criminal law and procedure and mental health law
James L. Musselman A.A., Illinois Central College B.S., Illinois State University J.D., Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School Professor of Law Areas of expertise: federal income tax, commercial law
Areas of expertise: property, environmental law, international environmental law, natural resources and water law
40
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
Charles W. “Rocky� Rhodes B.B.A., Baylor University J.D., Baylor University School of Law Vinson & Elkins Research Professor and Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: constitutional law, federal court jurisdiction and procedure, Texas constitutional law, state and federal trial and appellate, procedure and practice, complex litigation
Val D. Ricks B.A., Brigham Young University J.D., Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School Charles Weigel II Research Professor and Professor of Law Areas of expertise: contracts, property, commercial law, jurisprudence, antitrust
Scott Rempell B.A., University of Michigan J.D., American University, Washington College of Law Godwin Bowman & Martinez Research Professor and Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: administrative law, agency and partnership, commercial law, criminal law, international criminal law, professional responsibility
Areas of expertise: appellate advocacy, immigration, legal research and writing, privacy, trial advocacy
2019 | 2020
Areas of expertise: civil procedure, conflict of laws, federal courts, property
Jean Fleming Powers B.A., The University of Texas J.D., University of Houston Law Center Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: contracts, professional responsibility, remedies
Fran Ortiz B.A., University of Texas J.D., Harvard Law School Professor of Law
Jeffrey L. Rensberger B.A., Wabash College J.D., Indiana University at Bloomington Professor of Law and Vice President for Strategic Planning and Institutional Research
Arnie Rochvarg B.A., University of Pennsylvania J.D., George Washington University Visiting Professor of Law
Gary S. Rosin B.S., Texas A&M University J.D., University of Texas School of Law Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: business organizations, commercial paper, corporate finance, securities regulation
Professor Matthew Festa is a highly regarded expert on the effects of land use law on cities and communities. He teaches and researches in property law, land use, and other areas. He is appointed as a Kinder Fellow at the Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, a leading multidisciplinary think tank on urban issues. He also serves in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he is an adjunct professor at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School.
Njeri Mathis Rutledge B.A., Spelman College J.D., Harvard Law School Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: legal research and writing, criminal law, criminal procedure, labor and employment law, civil litigation
Mark R. Siegel B.S., University of Florida B.A., University of Florida J.D., Florida State University LL.M., Emory University Professor of Law
Andrew T. Solomon B.A., University of Michigan J.D., Boston University School of Law Professor of Law
Cherie O. Taylor A.B., Harvard UniversityRadcliffe College J.D., University of Georgia LL.M., Georgetown University Professor of Law
Kevin M. Yamamoto B.S., University of California, Davis J.D., University of San Diego Law School LL.M., University of Florida College of Law Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: international trade law, international civil litigation, public international law, civil procedure
Areas of expertise: legal research and writing, appellate advocacy, civil practice advocacy
T. Gerald Treece B.A., University of Houston J.D., University of Houston Law Center Vice President, Associate Dean, Special Counsel to the President and Dean, Director of Advocacy and The W. James Kronzer, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law
Tobin A. Sparling B.A., Dartmouth College M.S., Columbia University M.A., Columbia University J.D., Columbia University School of Law Professor of Law
Areas of expertise: legal research and writing, privacy law, sexual orientation law
Areas of expertise: civil rights, constitutional law, torts, trial and appellate advocacy
Mark E. Steiner B.A., University of Texas J.D., University of Houston Law Center Ph.D., University of Houston Professor of Law
Kenneth A. Williams B.A., University of San Francisco J.D., University of Virginia School of Law Professor of Law Areas of expertise: criminal law, international criminal law, capital punishment
Areas of expertise: American legal history, torts, civil procedure, consumer transactions, internet legal research
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
John J. Worley A.B., University of Georgia J.D., University of Georgia School of Law Professor of Law, Vice President, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Transactional Law Practice Certificate Program
Areas of expertise: environmental law, law and economics, criminal law, administrative law
Areas of expertise: federal income, estate and gift taxation, estate planning, wills, trusts and estates
41
Dru Stevenson B.A., Wheaton College J.D., University of Connecticut School of Law LL.M., Yale Law School Professor of Law and Baker Institute Scholar at the Rice University James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy
2019 | 2020
Areas of expertise: contracts, secured financing, payment law, bankruptcy, banking and philosophy
Areas of expertise: all tax-related courses, estate planning, wills, trusts and estates, contracts, corporations, Uniform Commercial Code
Library and Programs Colleen C. Manning B.S., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign J.D., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign M.S., Library & Information Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Director of the Fred Parks Law Library and Assistant Professor of Law Lisa Yarrow B.A., Texas A&M University J.D., South Texas College of Law Houston Assistant Professor of Clinical Studies and Assistant Dean of Academic Success and Professional Achievement
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
41
Next Steps
You are ready to make the commitment and have decided to apply to law school. So what’s next? Here is some advice from our president and dean, Donald J. Guter.
42
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
Dear Future Law Student: You have made the decision to embark on an incredible journey. Attending law school is not a small decision, and we are delighted you are considering South Texas College of Law Houston for this pursuit. My advice to any student considering a specific law school is to visit the campus. Talk to administrators, students, and alumni. The environment should be one you find stimulating and welcoming. Conversations with the school’s faculty, staff, alumni, and current students should give you confidence that you will be well-versed in the law, prepared to pass the bar exam, and ready to practice. I know you will find these qualities in our community. Make plans to visit us and take a tour to see if STCL Houston is the right place for you. Your legal education, your exposure to committed colleagues, and your engagement with dedicated faculty will create a life-changing experience. We are here to ensure that you graduate confident and well-prepared for a successful career in the practice of law. We believe the commitment of our faculty and staff and the personal connections you will develop with them will be among your greatest and most memorable experiences at STCL Houston. These relationships will provide immeasurable value beyond your years as a student. I look forward to meeting you and visiting with you to explore this exciting opportunity. Thank you for allowing us to share in your remarkable adventure. Sincerely,
Donald J. Guter, President and Dean
43
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
43
Be part of tradition: Ring the bell
After completing their last final exam, STCL Houston students meet in the atrium to continue a long-standing tradition: ringing the replica Liberty Bell, signifying the completion of their long journey toward earning a law degree. The bell-ringing tradition also is a special time of celebration for graduates’ friends and family, who join in the celebrations by bringing champagne, cake, and flowers, and filling the atrium with sounds of laughter and joy.
44
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
45
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW HOUSTON
2019 | 2020
45
46
South Texas College of Law Houston
2016 | 2017
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FACULTY,
Founded in 1923,
THE OLDEST, AND ONLY private and independent law school in downtown Houston.
NAMED A BEST VALUE
Winner of
FIVE FIRST-PLACE
who are leaders in their fields, provide relevant and practical contributions to the national and international legal community.
Best Brief Awards (more than any other law school) in the Scribes competition—the nation’s most prestigious legal writing competition.
15-TIME WINNER
Tuition and fees among the
by National Jurist magazine. Consistently
LOWEST OF 118
for trial advocacy by U.S. News & World Report.
of the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition —more than any other law school.
WINNER OF 16
WINNER OF 130
MORE THAN $1.8
first-place national and international ADR competitions.
national advocacy championships. No other law school has won half as many.
million worth of pro bono service to Houston’s underserved community.
RANKED IN THE TOP 10
VISIT WWW.STCL.EDU 1303 SAN JACINTO STREET
•
HOUSTON, TEXAS
•
77002-7006
private law schools in the U.S. 19 on-site clinics enable students to provide