The William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law is proud to welcome three new Public Interest Scholars to Texas Law’s Class of 2028: Equal Justice Scholar Heaven Baylor, and G. Rollie White Public Service Scholars Briana Gordley, and Valeria Arguelles. Each student has already demonstrated a strong commitment to public service and now brings that dedication to the Law School community.
The scholars were chosen through a competitive process that included faculty interviews. “We are thrilled to welcome Heaven, Briana, and Valeria to Texas Law,” says Nicole Simmons ’07, director of the Justice Center. “Each brings a unique blend of lived and professional experience, along with a clear vision for advancing justice.”
Equal Justice Scholar
Baylor’s decision to study law grew from her experience living with and overcoming a congenital disability. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Baylor University in 2023 and her master’s degree in social work from the University of Houston in 2024. Before entering law school, she served as a licensed medical social worker for low-income and medically underserved populations, including people living with HIV and survivors of intimate partner violence. At Texas Law, she plans to expand her advocacy to the legal arena, focusing on disability rights through litigation and policy work. Her areas of interest include special education advocacy, workplace discrimination, voting access, and the intersection of disability rights and the criminal legal system.
G. Rollie White Public Service Scholar
Gordley brings extensive experience in social work and policy advocacy to her legal education. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Kentucky in 2019 and her master of science in social work from the University of Texas at Austin in 2021, concentrating in policy and administration. Prior to law school, she served as a senior policy analyst at Texas Appleseed in Austin, leading initiatives to protect low-income Texans from coerced debt and predatory financial practices. At Texas Law, she aims to strengthen her ability to advance economic justice and consumer protection, working with survivors of abuse and low-income communities to challenge exploitative systems and expand access to legal remedies through legislative reform.
Arguelles graduated from the UT in 2022 with a degree in English and a minor in philosophy of law. She worked as a housing paralegal with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid and Building and Strengthening Tenant Action in Austin, representing tenants in eviction hearings and leading community education programs. Her work combined legal advocacy with grassroots organizing—a model she intends to continue as a movement lawyer. She envisions a career rooted in both litigation and community empowerment, using the law to educate, mobilize, and secure justice for tenants and other underserved populations.
Supporting Public Service at Texas Law
The G. Rollie White Public Service Scholarships are funded through the longstanding generosity of the G. Rollie White Trust, a key partner in advancing the Justice Center’s mission. “We are grateful to the G. Rollie White Trust for its continued support of public service at Texas Law,” says Simmons. “Their investment ensures that passionate advocates like Heaven, Briana, and Valeria can build careers in the public interest and serve communities across Texas and beyond.”
A version of this story originally appeared on the Justice Center website.