Category: Alumni Focus

  • Eight Portraits for Black History Month 2022
    During Black History Month, we recognize the excellence and achievements of Texas Law alumni who are impacting society in Texas and around the world. Read to learn more about some of our exceptional alumni who started here and are now changing the world. Ashton Cumberbatch ’82 Ashton Cumberbatch specializes in labor and employment law and currently […]
  • Sarah Weddington
    The Honorable Sarah Weddington ’67—whose work as a trailblazing lawyer, beloved professor, and dedicated public servant has left a formidable legacy—passed away the morning of December 26 at the age of 76. The cause of her death has not been disclosed, but Weddington, who at 26, just over three years out of law school, successfully […]
  • Pike Powers
    Pike Powers ’65, trailblazer and unmatched champion of Austin’s high-tech economy, died Sunday, October 31 after a long battle with Parkinson’s. He was 80 years old. “Austin has not only lost a legendary leader in the law,” remarked Liz Hilton, Executive Director for Alumni Relations and Development, “but we had to say goodbye to a […]
  • Texas Law celebrated the legacy of the late Dee J. Kelly, Sr. with a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony of the newly renovated courtyard on Oct. 6. The Dee J. Kelly Courtyard was generously funded in his memory by his children Cynthia Kelly Barnes, Dee J. Kelly, Jr. ’85 and Craig L. Kelly on behalf of […]
  • We are proud to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by highlighting extraordinary lawyers and leaders of Hispanic heritage who got their start at Texas Law. Though we aren’t able to feature all of the thousands of lawyers of Hispanic heritage who make the Texas Law community stronger, scroll down to meet some of our outstanding […]
  • The University of Texas School of Law mourns the loss of Frances Tarlton “Sissy” Farenthold ’49, one of the most distinguished graduates in the law school’s history. Farenthold was an esteemed lawyer, politician, educator, and activist who tirelessly pursued justice throughout her life. Farenthold died on September 26, 2021 at her home in Houston, after […]
  • Kerstin Arnold
    The 2021 Texas Law Alumni Mentor of the Year is Kerstin Arnold ’95, recently retired General Counsel with the Texas State Board of Pharmacology. Arnold, whose name was put forth by both of her mentees, Yatika Chaudhri ’23 and Daniel Fox ’20, was selected from a group of nearly two dozen nominees. “It’s rare that […]
  • S. Anthony Safi Headshot
    S. Anthony Safi ’76 has been recognized with the Kelly Frels Lifetime Achievement Award from the School Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. The Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for an attorney who has made “outstanding contributions” to school law jurisprudence on the state and/or federal level, has been a recognized leader in […]
  • Headshot of Angela F. Williams
    Angela F. Williams ’88 will become the next president and CEO of the United Way Worldwide. Williams will be the first woman and first African American to lead the organization. Her appointment takes effect on October 15, 2021. “We are always proud of our alumni who show up and do the work of changing the […]
  • Portrait of Professor Erben, wearing a bright orange tie
    Texas Law Professor Randall H. Erben ’81 has been elected Vice-Chair of the Texas Ethics Commission. As one of eight commissioners, divided 4-4 between Democrats and Republicans, Erben and the Commission have been charged with the mission to promote public confidence in government. Among its many functions, the Commission administers and enforces laws on governmental […]
  • Portrait of Michael Ritter in suit with green grass in the background
    In April thousands of Texas attorneys cast their vote for Michael J. Ritter ’10, selecting him as the Texas Young Lawyers Association’s President-Elect and making him the first openly gay candidate to run for and win a statewide Bar office. Ritter’s 3-year term begins on June 18, and he will be sworn in as TYLA […]
  • Portrait of Sylvia Borunda Firth in a navy suit
    Sylvia Borunda Firth ’84 has been sworn in as the new president of the State Bar of Texas. She makes history as the first Hispanic woman and first person from El Paso to be president. Borunda Firth’s legal career has spanned decades, and the list of her accomplishments is lengthy. She runs a solo law […]