Greg Franklin ’03, ’17, elected Class Speaker, addresses the Aggie Law Class of 2017 at the Spring 2017 Commencement Ceremony
On Friday, May 12, Texas A&M University School of Law held its spring commencement exercise at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, celebrating the graduation of 158 Aggie Law students.
Distinguished guests included Texas A&M University System Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communications Laylan Copelin, Texas A&M University Board of Regents Member Bill Mahomes ’69, and Texas State Bar President Frank Stevenson, who delivered the keynote address.
Frank Stevenson
In Aggie Law tradition, the graduating class selects three professors to perform the hooding ceremony. For the spring 2017 commencement ceremony, they selected Professors Neal Newman, Meg Penrose and Lynne Rambo. 
Greg Franklin ’03, ’17 served as Class Speaker, with Brison Bursey ’17 singing the National Anthem, and Kelly Rinehart ’17 leading the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Artist Benjamin Knox ’90 unveils "The Spirit of Aggie Law" with Law School Dean and Anthony G. Buzbee Dean’s Endowed Chair Andrew Morriss
The ceremony also included a special presentation from Benjamin Knox ’90, who unveiled his commissioned painting, “The Spirit of Aggie Law.”  
Following the hooding ceremony, graduates received an official welcome to The Association of Former Students, courtesy of Kristi Sherrill Hoyl ’86.
Graduates earning the distinction of Excellence in Academic Concentration include:

Business Law:
 
Diny Chang
Cameron Frysinger
Jillian Loh
Corey McBride
Rajesh Sethi
Vince Veal
 



Criminal Law, Justice & Policy:

Kathryn Bradley
Amy Eades
Frances Finley
Sean Grove
Anthony Pax
Andrea Smith
Kirby Wallace
 




Energy Law:

Britt Brandon
 



Estate Planning:

Alexander Collins
Tyler Craig
Ellen Dickerson
Laura Falco
 




Family Law:

Gregory Will
 



Intellectual Property:

Gregory Franklin
Preston Morgan
Alexia Quintero
 





Workplace Law:

Juan Arevalo
Kyle Carney




Prior to commencement, Aggie Law held a special ceremony to honor the nine graduates who have served or are still currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.




 E. Samuel Crecelius, U.S. Army, Sergeant

 Timothy Godwin, U.S. Army, Major

 William Gribble, U.S. Army, Captain

 Roger G. Lee, U.S. Air Force, Master Sergeant

 Kelly Rinehart, U.S. Army, Major

 Ariel Santillian, U.S. Air Force Reserve, Senior Airman

 Hans Wiedel, U.S. Army, Captain

 Gregory H.C. Will, U.S. Air Force, Staff Sergeant

 Shane Wright, U.S. Marine Corps, Lance Corpora​l

Honors, awards, distinctions and highlights of the May 2017 graduating class include:
Aggie Law Bar Exam Achievement Award Winner:

Nicholas Gerner ’16

Aggie Law Equal Justice Award Winner:

Kathryn Bradley ’08, ’17 for her total contribution of 814 pro bono service hours.
The May 2017 graduating class attained a collective 9,209.84 hours of pro bono legal service.
 

State Bar of Texas Award for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy:

Andrew Bell ’16


National Order of Scribes Inductees:

Cielo Fortin-Camacho
Jake Jensen
Hoa Nguyen
Jillian Loh
Andrea Smith

Advocacy Success at National Finals:

Greg Franklin ’03, ’17 won Best Advocate Award at the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition national finals; Graduates Ashu Balimba, Zo Onyeise and Amy Eades along with Franklin placed fourth at the competition
Gabrielle Mathis Morales ’17 and Travis Alley ’18, placed second at the 18th Annual ABA Representation in Mediation Regional Competition
 

Best Mediation Award:

Jonathan Heathman ’17 and two others won the Best Mediation Award, placing 2nd overall at the FINRA Securities Dispute Resolution Triathlon

Law review publication:

Laura Falco ’17, published in Volume 5, Issue 2 of the University of Tennessee College of Law’s The Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender and Social Justice for her article, “The Bad, The Ugly and The Uglier: How Fear and Misconceptions are Flushing Away Equal Rights and Treatment for Transgender People

National Advocacy Training (supported by the Charles Koch Grant):

Three of the eight students who participated are spring 2017 graduates:
 
Kyle Carney ’17, attending the American Immigration Lawyers Association Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.
William Gribble ’17, attending the 2017 Texas Emergency Management Conference in San Antonio
Avery Ory ’15, ’17, attending the 2017 D.C. Prisoner & Reentry Symposium: "State of Our Union in D.C." 



Quiz Bowl Victory:

Graduates Tave Doty and Stephanie Bradley Fryer brought home the 2016 American Agricultural Law Association (AALA) Quiz Bowl Competition

Photos by Doug Thurman. Ceremony photos available for download on the Law School's Flickr ​site.