Texas Law chancellors have gone on to highly successful careers as litigators, congressmen, law school deans, judges, and even Texas Law faculty.
On Jan. 22, the newest group of high-achieving students was welcomed into the school’s oldest honor society, as 16 members of the Class of 2026 were inducted into the Texas Law Chancellors Society, for achieving the top GPAs in their law school class.
“The Chancellors honor means that a student will be forever listed in the book of Texas Law students who have excelled in the classroom,” says the Law School’s Associate Dean Susan C. Morse. “When I meet a Chancellor alum, I know they are capable of great things.”
Since 1912, chancellors with the highest GPAs are designated as officers—holding the titles of grand chancellor, vice chancellor, clerk, and keeper of the peregrinus—while other inductees are chancellors-at-large.
When I meet a Chancellor alum, I know they are capable of great things.
Associate Dean Susan C. Morse
“The purpose of the order of chancellors is to honor, and reward by election, those law students who, by consistent scholarship, ability, and achievement have shown themselves likely to succeed and become a credit to their profession,” according to the society’s charter.
This year, Alexia Malcom was named grand chancellor. “I am beyond grateful to have been taught by, and to have studied among, some of the brightest minds in the legal field, and I have truly loved my time at Texas Law,” says Malcom. “My time here was about far more than just academic performance—it reflects perseverance through demanding coursework, long hours of preparation, and the guidance of faculty mentors who continually challenged and supported me.” After graduation, she will join Sidley Austin’s general litigation department in Dallas.
Meanwhile, in a three-way tie Micah Clark, Colin Kober, and Jaron Petreas were all named vice chancellors. All have their plans lined up after graduating in the spring. Clark will clerk on the 5th Circuit for Judge Priscilla Richman before joining the law firm Scott, Douglass & McConnico in Austin. Kober will work in the Mergers & Acquisitions/Private Equity group at Kirkland and Ellis in Dallas. Petreas is headed to Norton Rose Fulbright in Houston to work in litigation.
My time here was about far more than just academic performance—it reflects perseverance through demanding coursework, long hours of preparation, and the guidance of faculty mentors who continually challenged and supported me.
Alexia Malcom
The Class of 2026 chancellors come from a variety of personal and professional backgrounds, including a U.S. armed forces veteran, two founders of tutoring companies, two former college athletes, a former professional golfer, a former paralegal, and a first-generation college graduate.
In recognition of their achievement, family members, friends, and Texas Law faculty gathered in Townes Hall to celebrate the honorees. The assembly also heard from a guest speaker, Macey Reasoner Stokes ’93, a partner in the Houston office of Baker Botts and head of the firm’s appellate section. Stokes is a second-generation chancellor, following in the footsteps of her father Harry Reasoner ’62.
Law school leaders in attendance included Dean Bobby Chesney, Morse, and Professor John Dzienkowski, a chancellor from the Class of 1983.
“Grades in and of themselves don’t necessarily matter,” says Chesney. “But the hard work a student put into law school matters. The investment you make in yourself to do your best and to make the most of your opportunities here matters.”
“That’s what induction into the Chancellors Society really stands for.”
The chancellors for the Class of 2026 are:
Grand Chancellor
- Alexia Malcom, McKinney, Texas
Vice Chancellors
- Micah Clark, Tyler, Texas
- Colin Kober, Southlake, Texas
- Jaron Petreas, Denton, Texas
Clerks
- Francesca Lan Chu, Saratoga, California
- Rebecca Traber, Houston
Keeper of the Peregrinus
- Van Tran, Houston
Chancellors-at-Large
- Kaede Aoki, Kumamoto, Japan
- James Briggs, Houston
- Sabrina Conte, Glen Ridge, New Jersey
- John Denson, Houston
- Brynna James, Boerne, Texas
- Elizabeth Martin, Houston
- Jack Rabinowitz, Charlottesville, Virginia
- Kayla Shelkey, Springfield, Virginia
- Jane Starling, Birmingham, Alabama