Judge Sam Lindsay ’77 Named Virgil Lott Medalist 

Judge Sam Lindsay ’77 will be awarded the Virgil Lott Medal during a gala dinner at Texas Law on Feb. 19.

Since 2011, the University of Texas School of Law has bestowed the Virgil C. Lott Medal to honor its first African American graduate and the subsequent alumni who have similarly “made significant contributions to the legal profession and to the improvement of understanding among all peoples.” 

Lindsay was chosen from a field of exceptional nominees by a committee that included Dean Bobby Chesney, as well as past medal winners. The previous honoree was DeMetris Sampson ’80 in 2023. The medal is traditionally awarded every other year.

“Judge Lindsay is an extraordinary alumnus is every way possible,” says Chesney. “He’s a pathbreaking jurist, an accomplished advocate, and a true community leader in Dallas. He’s also a generous mentor and dedicated public servant. I’m thrilled we can honor him with the Virgil C. Lott Medal.” 

Chesney and Sampson will speak to Lindsay’s accomplishments and present Lindsay with his medal. 

I am truly honored and deeply appreciate receiving the Virgil C. Lott Medal.

Judge Sam Lindsay ’77

“I am truly honored and deeply appreciate receiving the Virgil C. Lott Medal,” says Lindsay, noting that Lott graduated in 1953, prior to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. “Mr. Lott had the grit and perseverance to succeed and graduate from the University of Texas School of Law, despite the formidable environment in which he studied! He was a pioneer and paved the way for all the school’s subsequent African American students,” Lindsay says. 

Lindsay received his bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio before attending Texas Law. From December 1991 until August 1998, Lindsay was the city attorney for Dallas. That March, he was appointed by President Bill Clinton and on Sept. 1 he was sworn in as the first African American U.S. district judge for the Northern District of Texas. Lindsay successfully defended a Dallas Juvenile Curfew Ordinance to the U.S. Supreme Court, has been board certified in civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1990, and is licensed by the Texas Supreme Court, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court. He has earned numerous prior awards and commendations.   

In looking back on his time at Texas Law, Lindsay recalls learning the importance of preparation, which he emphasizes for current law students. “Law school is not like undergraduate school,” he says. “While you may have crammed for an exam in undergraduate school, cramming in law school is a blueprint for failure because of the complexity of the subjects you study, and the curriculum is much more rigorous,” he says. “If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail; so, avoid procrastination.” (For more of Lindsay’s advice to students, please see the breakout box, “Lindsay’s Law School Tips.”)  

While at Texas Law, he also learned about adherence to the rule of law, “the principle that all persons should be accountable to the law of their jurisdiction; that all persons should be treated equally, except in limited circumstances; and that the law is to be interpreted and applied impartially and fairly,” he says.  

“I came to observe the critical role that the legal profession—both judges and attorneys—plays in keeping this country a democracy in which no person stands above the law,” Lindsay adds. 

Lindsay says he made lifelong friends at Texas Law, some who have also earned the Virgil C. Lott Medal. “They have played a prominent role in my appointment as City Attorney of Dallas and as a federal Judge to the Northern District of Texas,” Lindsay says. “We have stayed connected and support each other in our respective successes.” 

It’s Lindsay’s personal success that led to his receiving the Virgil C. Lott Medal.  

“This prestigious award will always have a special place in my heart!” he says.