Winners of the 2025 Peregrinus Awards—honoring both students and faculty who have contributed to Texas Law through their commitment, contributions, and achievements—have been announced. The awards are sponsored by the Student Bar Association, the Student Affairs Office, the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program, and the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Service.
“Texas Law is the best place in the world to be a law student because of our students themselves,” says Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Elizabeth Bangs. “This year, we are honoring students who care deeply for others, introduced innovative programming, and spread joy and fun. I am so grateful for their contributions to our community.”
Student Awards
Akram Abbadi was chosen by the SAO to receive the First-Year Student Award.
3L Natalya Baptiste was selected as the Society Program Leader of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Pro Bono Recognition
Many Texas Law students offer their time and talents to do pro bono work through the Mithoff Pro Bono Program, which promotes an ethic of service while empowering students to use their developing legal knowledge and skills to address unmet legal needs in the community.
Three students from each class and the LL.M. program were selected as Pro Bono Beacons, signifying the highest number of hours for their class. They were:
- 3Ls Lizeth Badillo Garcia, Gabrielle Olubanke Howells, and David Meyer Merlinsky;
- 2Ls Shelby Alexander, MaKenna McGraw, and Sean Steck;
- 1Ls Will Bonds, Taoshu Ren, and Camila Valeria Soler; and
- LL.M. students Santiago Mesa, Juliana Sanchez Vallejo, and Xintibo.
Teaching Awards
SBA selected five members of the Texas Law faculty to receive awards in honor of their focus on students: Tara Grove as Professor of the Year, Lucy Wood as Lecturer of the Year, Lori Duke as Clinical Professor of the Year, Linda Mullenix as 1L Professor of the Year, and Lori Mason as Legal Writing and Research Professor of the Year.
“The Student Bar Association Teaching Awards are presented every year to the professors who made the largest impact within the student body,” says 2L Jacob Murphy, president of the SBA. “These awards are presented as a way to thank professors for their contribution to our education and our legal community and their dedication to our success.”
Hildy’s Cutback Award
Named after the law school’s legendary former Dean Ira Hildebrand, Hildy’s Cutback Award is awarded by faculty vote to the 3L student who, “by virtue of intransigence or adaptability, failure or success, personality or persistence, handicaps or ability, or perhaps simple mundane magnetism, captures the imagination and respect of the law faculty.”
This year’s award went to 3L Meg Solley. After two decades of success in another career, Solley entered law school while parenting teenagers.
Graduating Student Awards
Both the Student Affairs Office and the Justice Center presented graduating student awards.
The SAO honored 3Ls Baptiste, Sydney Jean Gottfried, and Sydney Sterrett. Baptiste led the Thurgood Marshall Legal Society to a National Black Law Students Association chapter of the year award as president, and she has served as both a student ambassador and a Pipeline Program mentor. Gottfried was editor-in-chief of the Texas Law Review, a research assistant at the Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center, and active with OUTLaw. Sterrett was involved in Assault & Flattery and also served as a Society Coordinator.
The Justice Center recognized 3Ls Cate Byrne, Eliza Levy and Alice Min. Byrne has been a leader in multiple student organizations including the Public Interest Law Association, OUTLaw, and the Texas Journal on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights and has been a liaison between and among student groups, as well as law school leadership. Levy held positions with the Beck Center for Legal Writing and Research and Texas Law Review, is a member of PILA’s board, and worked on numerous pro bono projects. Min has held leadership roles with Law Students for Black Lives and If When How, been involved in three different clinics, worked with clients and mentored peers with the Mithoff Pro Bono program, and served for three years on the Justice Center Advisory Board.
Excellence in Public Interest Awards
Texas Law Fellowships, the student organization that supports students pursuing public interest law work, recently presented its annual Excellence in Public Interest Awards. The awards recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the public interest law field, honoring individuals in four groups: students, professors, public interest attorneys, and private attorneys.
Byrne, also honored by the Justice Center, was selected as the Public Interest Student of the Year. Thea Posel, clinical assistant professor in the Capital Punishment Clinic at Texas Law and the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, was chosen as the Faculty Member of the Year.
Professional recognition went to Rebecca Webber, an attorney at Webber Law, as the Private Sector Attorney of the Year, and to Jacquelyn Davis ’06, deputy director at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, as the Public Sector Attorney of the Year.