For this edition of Texas Lawās 2025-26 Student Spotlight series, meet 1L Caed Barker!
Hometown: Born in Bavaria, Germany, but her military family moved often
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in linguistics, University of Edinburgh
Living in Germany as a child must have provided a rich cultural experience, in addition to the opportunity to learn a second language. What were your biggest takeaways from that experience?
As a military brat, home is the people Iām tied to, not a geographical location. I was born in a small rural town in northern Bavaria, Germany. Two years later, we moved to Washington, D.C., where my first memories were formed, and then at 5, I was back in Germany. Instead of attending an American school on base, I was enrolled in a local German school so that I could learn the language. I struggled at first, unsure how to connect to people I couldnāt speak to and relearning how to read. Today, itās an experience Iām deeply grateful for. As globalization increasingly intertwines our lives, navigating interpersonal relationships requires an appreciation for the worldwide and local influences we each carry.
When I returned to the U.S. at 12, I found myself adapting to a culture I had known my whole life but never truly experienced. It was then that I became captivated by the variable nature of language and communication, drawing me first to linguistics and later to law.
It sounds like you are an avid reader. Can you tell us about your unique cataloguing habit?
I sort my books by color! Itās not just for aesthetics. Iām terrible with author names and almost as bad with titles, so the first thing I usually remember about a book is its spine. I separate non-fiction books from fiction and group those by subject to make research easier, but I usually end up sorting each group by color too. If a bookshelf starts to overflow, I move the end color to a new area and start over. Itās also simple to pack and unpack during moves.
What made you choose Texas Law?
I moved to Austin a year and a half ago, just as I began preparing my law school applications. As my love for the city and my collection of grackle stickers grew, Texas Law became my tentative #1 school on location alone. Joining a supportive community that focused on building strong peer relationships was a big priority for me, so I attended the Admitted Studentsā Day to ensure that Texas Law was the right fit. And it was! Many of the people I met and continue to meet here are driven and intelligent without neglecting kindness.
What is your favorite book that you’d recommend to friends ā and why?
Jang Eun-Jin’s āNo One Writes Backā follows a man as he wanders without any defined purpose. Each day, he writes a letter to someone he met on his travels, assigning each a number instead of a name. Her novel beautifully explores loneliness and the uncertainty of human connections. Like the protagonist, I have a fascination with the people I meet throughout my travels and how their lives impact me as we intersect. My various homes and experiences across the world have brought an eclectic mix of people into my life, and I look forward to further expanding that circle at Texas Law.
Who inspires you?
Iām inspired less by a single person than by patterns of behavior. I seek out women who combine intelligence with resilience and a deep love for others. In middle school, I chose Madam C.J. Walker, recorded as the first self-made female millionaire in America, as the focus of a history project. Walker built her legacy through the design and sale of hair care products for Black women. Beyond the incredible resilience she displayed throughout her life, I was struck by her philanthropic spirit and the care she put into mentoring and building up other women after she found success. Iād be remiss not to mention my mom, always my standard for success. She juggled raising four kids, her flourishing career as a veterinarian, and the mentorship of other military spouses during my dadās deployments. Her giving spirit and grit defined the characteristics I seek out in other inspiring figures.
What motivated you to pursue law school?
The reason Iām in law school today is the support I received from a female attorney who guided me through applications, discussed different paths I could consider in law, and taught me legal jargon to prepare me for school.