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Texas A&M University School of Law Professor Mary Margaret “Meg” Penrose was recently nominated to become an American Bar Fellow and has accepted the nomination. The ABF was founded in 1952 by the American Bar Association.
The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation is an honorary organization of lawyers, judges and legal scholars whose public and private careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the welfare of their communities and to the highest principles of the legal profession.
Penrose said she felt grateful and humbled by the nomination. “It is always an honor to get the opportunity to represent the university and the law school in a prominent, national organization,” she said.
Penrose joins Texas A&M professor of law Frederic White as a fellow. View the most recent roster of fellows.

About Professor Penrose
Prof. Penrose
Professor Mary Margaret “Meg” Penrose, a member of the law school faculty since 2009 and a member of the American Law Institute, teaches Criminal Procedure, International Human Rights, Civil Procedure, and Constitutional Law. Professor Penrose continues to practice in federal court with an emphasis on federal habeas corpus representation of Texas Death Row inmates and Title VII and Title IX litigation challenging gender bias and discrimination in the workplace. Prior to teaching, Professor Penrose served as Senior Law Clerk and pro se Staff Attorney at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. See her research and recent articles on SSRN.
Texas A&M University School of Law students exemplify the Aggie Core Values. In the past academic year, they have demonstrated selfless service in countless ways throughout Texas as well as abroad.
Here are a few examples:






Impacts: CLIP Clinics Benefit Community, Students
 Entrepreneurship Law and IP & Technology Law Trademarks and Patents Clinics in the Center for Intellectual Property and Law (CLIP) allow students to provide legal services to underserved members of the community free of charge.
full story
     





Students Volunteer for National Adoption Day
 More than twenty Texas A&M School of Law students took part in National Adoption Day, where 63 children were adopted into 45 forever families during this year’s event in Tarrant County.
full story
     





Student Initiates Kaufman County Pro Bono Clinic
 Exemplifying the Aggie core value of selfless service, 3L Richard Brand created a pro bono family law clinic to help low-income families get the legal services they need.
full story
  




Students Participate in Access to Justice Summit
 The Law Student Leaders Access to Justice Summit offered insight into the issues that low-income Texans face accessing civil legal services and underscored the importance of pro bono programs.
full story
     





Aggie Law Students Help Young Immigrants
 2Ls Oscar Escoto and Awilda Rodriguez’s work providing free legal services for immigrant children in their pro bono service with the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas is highlighted by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
full story
     





Costa Rica Pro Bono Service Trip
 Texas A&M Law students traveled to Costa Rica in July for the law school’s first wildlife law pro bono service trip to investigate solutions to animal crime & trafficking and to provide hands-on support to Proyecto Asis Wild Animal Shelter Center.
full story
     





The Aggie Law Project: Service to the Community
 T​exas A&M Law kicked off the school year with The Aggie Law Project with more than 60 students and staff working together building homes for Habitat for Humanity and the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
full story
     




The service continues into the spring -- save the date for the Law Fellowship Dinner and Auction, Jan. 31, 2015. The funds raised at this event support up to 40 fellowships each year for deserving law school students to intern in the area of public interest law serving in legal programs dedicated to providing crucial legal services to those in need. Organizations and individuals are encouraged to donate to the auction. Email the Law Fellowship at lawfellowship@law.tamu.edu to make a donation or if you have any questions. 
The Fellowship program provides students an incredible opportunity to gain practical legal experience and exemplifies Texas A&M School of Law’s focus on public service and giving back to the community.
2L Michael G. Schneider
Texas A&M University School of Law 2L Michael G. Schneider was recently selected to be part of the Fort Worth Leading Edge Class of 2015.
Leading Edge is a part of Leadership Fort Worth geared toward emerging leaders in their mid-20s to mid-30s. This elite group meets to strengthen leadership practices, create connections with community leaders and become more involved in volunteerism and board service.
Director of Marketing & External Affairs Casey Dyer Oliver said, “As an alumna of both the Leading Edge and Leadership Fort Worth classes myself, this is just another example of the well-rounded, outstanding work our students do – inside and outside of the classroom.”
According to the Leading Edge website, individuals enrolled will:

identify leadership practices shared by community leaders and create a plan of action to strengthen those practices
discover how to build strong, successful collaborations
understand how to advocate for causes they support
learn how to be an effective nonprofit board member
connect with community leaders through class discussions and small-group roundtables

“I applied to the Leading Edge Program to further immerse myself in the community of Fort Worth,” Schneider said. “I view the Leading Edge Program as a way to gain a sense of ownership in the community moving forward. I also see it as a great opportunity to build my leadership skills and gain an understanding of the challenges Fort Worth faces and learn ways I can help better the community.”
Schneider, a former deputy sheriff, is a teaching assistant and member of Law Review at the law school. He moved to Fort Worth in March 2013, and he and his wife enjoy the diverse culture and opportunities the city has to offer.
“I’m excited to meet other young leaders of Fort Worth that are outside of my direct connections I’ve made in the legal community,” he said. “I also feel very fortunate to get involved with and learn more about local nonprofit organizations in Fort Worth.”
Prof. Penrose
Texas A&M University School of Law Professor Mary Margaret “Meg” Penrose was court appointed to represent the defendant in a capital murder case, Licho Escamilla v. William Stephens, Director. She argued before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Dec. 2.
The panel of judges included Judge James L. Dennis, Judge Jerry Edwin Smith and Judge Catharina Haynes. They heard one hour of oral argument on whether Escamilla was denied his constitutional right (under the Sixth Amendment) to the effective assistance of counsel during the punishment phase of his capital trial.
Should his appeal succeed, he would receive a new sentencing hearing but no court could reconsider the issue of guilt. For more on the case, view the court document.
About Professor Penrose
Professor Mary Margaret “Meg” Penrose, a member of the law school faculty since 2009 and a member of the American Law Institute, teaches Criminal Procedure, International Human Rights, Civil Procedure, and Constitutional Law. Professor Penrose continues to practice in federal court with an emphasis on federal habeas corpus representation of Texas Death Row inmates and Title VII and Title IX litigation challenging gender bias and discrimination in the workplace. Prior to teaching, Professor Penrose served as Senior Law Clerk and pro se Staff Attorney at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. See her research and recent articles on SSRN.
3L Richard Brand
Throughout their law school career, Texas A&M Law students are encouraged to exemplify the Aggie Core value of selfless service. 3L Richard Brand has taken that quality to the next level.
During the summer of 2014, Brand received a Public Interest Law Fellowship and served as a clerk for the 422nd District Court. Throughout his summer service, he began to see the need for a pro bono law clinic aimed to help low income individuals get legal help they may otherwise not be able to afford.
Starting in June, with Judge B. Michael Chitty’s approval and backing, Brand approached the Kaufman County Bar to discuss the clinic and ask for volunteer attorneys. Over the course of the summer, he researched existing clinics and, with the help of the State Bar, drafted by-laws, applications, income guidelines, petitions and final orders, and other documents needed to get the clinic up and running. With help from Kaufman County, he arranged for the South Campus Courtroom to be open for the first clinic. Several local attorneys, as well as current Texas A&M Law students, agreed to staff the first monthly clinic.
Brand detailed his summer’s work paying off. “The first clinic was held on August 8,” Brand explained. “When I arrived at the South Campus to set up, there were already people lined up to apply. That day nearly 100 people applied for legal assistance and we accepted 28 applicants.”
Brand said that the clinic not only helps individuals in Kaufman County but also has given law students the ability to gain​ practical legal experience. Alongside volunteer attorneys, students work on all aspects of the applications and petitions.
The group has now held four monthly clinics for the citizens of Kaufman County, accepting 87 applicants and filing 52 divorce petitions. The clinic currently takes only family law cases, such as divorces, modifications and SAPCRs (Suits Affecting the Parent Child Relationship). However, they are looking to expand the services they offer in the future.
(L-R) Kaufman County pro bono clinic volunteer attorney Courtney Wortham, volunteer Carol McDaniel, Texas A&M Law 2L Chelsea Johnson and Texas A&M Law 3L Richard Brand
FORT WORTH, Texas -- National Adoption Day is a nationwide event and effort to raise awareness for more than 100,000 children in foster care waiting for a permanent and loving family.
Texas A&M School of Law students were part of National Adoption Day at the Tarrant County Family Law Center.
Photo by Erin Vande Zande (Purpletree Studios)
On Nov. 21, Texas A&M University School of Law students took part in Tarrant County’s National Adoption Day, serving alongside practicing attorneys for the families, finalizing many adoptions. During this annual event, courts and attorneys waive all fees to consummate adoptions for dozens of foster children at the Tarrant County Family Law Center in downtown Fort Worth.
Texas A&M Law 2L Amanda Martinez, who was adopted on National Adoption Day in 2006 at the age of 16, was one of the students to help at the event. “Volunteering, to me, gave me a sense of purpose,” Martinez said.
“When I met my attorney ad litem, and I saw how hard he fought for my sisters and me, I knew I wanted to be that person one day.” Martinez hopes to one day open her own solo law firm that specializes in same-sex adoptions, CPS cases and reproductive law.
“National Adoption Day is important because I feel people forget what these children have been through,” Martinez stressed. “Many have bounced around from home to home, and they have lived lives that they did not choose. This day means all that can come to an end, and the children being adopted can begin a normal childhood.”
In total, 63 children were adopted into 45 forever families during this year’s event in Tarrant County.

Hands-on Experience
The Aggie law students participating in National Adoption Day gained significant hands-on training in family court adoption proceedings while donating valuable pro bono service hours to the community. The students, standing with the children and their new families, proved-up the adoptions in front of the judge. During the fall semester, they prepared the legal adoption documents under the supervision of mentor lawyers.
The 21 Texas A&M Law students taking part in National Adoption Day:
Jessica Juarez, Mildred Ashley, Danielle Bateni, Danielle Bonanno, Blake Campbell, Kayla Carroll, Ashley Conyers, Syble Davidson, Alexis Garcia, Carrie Green, Ryan Gubler, Emily Hindman, Candice Hughes, Tricia Inting, Adrian Jackson, Chelsea Johnson, Amanda Martinez, Chanel Rafie, Cassie Rosales, John Setzer, and Kirby Wallace






Texas A&M School of Law students Adrian Jackson (top left) and Amanda Martinez (bottom left) with the newly expanded Tarwarter family. The Tarwaters adopted the three brothers, keeping them together, at the National Adoption Day event.
Photos by Christy Cleger, Texas A&M School of Law Marketing Coordinator






In courtrooms filled with balloons and new families, Aggie Law students Chelsea Johnson (top) & Danielle Bonanno (bottom), prove-up the adoptions before the judge.
Prof. Penrose
Professor Mary Margaret “Meg” Penrose was one of three attorneys representing a group of George W. Bush Presidential Library protesters in First Amendment litigation removing a protest ordinance ban. She applied her expertise in constitutional law – a subject she teaches – in this high profile case in Dallas over the past year.
As a result of her efforts, the city of Dallas withdrew an ordinance that infringed on free speech rights, and the judge issued a rebuke of the city attorney office's withholding of relevant information during discovery.
WFAA 8, the local ABC affiliate, featured this case.
Penrose was also featured in the Dallas Observer blog.
About Professor Penrose
Professor Mary Margaret “Meg” Penrose, a member of the law school faculty since 2009 and a member of the American Law Institute, teaches Criminal Procedure, International Human Rights, Civil Procedure, and Constitutional Law. Professor Penrose continues to practice in federal court with an emphasis on federal habeas corpus representation of Texas Death Row inmates and Title VII and Title IX litigation challenging gender bias and discrimination in the workplace. Prior to teaching, Professor Penrose served as Senior Law Clerk and pro se Staff Attorney at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. See her research and recent articles on SSRN.
Sahar Aziz
Testimony from Texas A&M University School of Law Associate Professor Sahar F. Aziz was featured in the latest report issued by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, "Federal Civil Rights Engagement with Arab and Muslim American Communities Post 9/11".
The Commission heard testimony from many scholars and experts in the field to prepare the report that examines “federal efforts to eliminate and prevent civil rights violations, including incidents of hate crimes, prejudice, bias, stereotyping and travel discrimination against Arab and Muslim-Americans spurred by the reactions to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.”
The Commission’s briefing report specifically cites Aziz’s “useful” recommendations in its summary of findings and recommendations as lending “a thoughtful and instructive view to improving the federal agency engagement with the American Muslim community.” (See page 9 of the report.)
Aziz served on a panel made up of scholars who have studied civil rights law, constitutional law, community outreach, federal program planning, and techniques to measure and change biases with respect to the Arab and Muslim American communities. The scholars “addressed the censoring of books and articles, inadequately trained law enforcement agents, insufficient or counterproductive outreach efforts, overemphasis on national security issues, and lack of oversight of engagement programs. They also addressed suppression of First Amendment freedoms of speech and assembly using illegal seizures of written materials and intimidation aimed at critics of Islam,” per the report.
The other scholars on the panel with Aziz included:

Dr. Jytte Klausen, Lawrence A. Wien Professor of International Cooperation, Brandeis University
Eugene Volokh, Professor, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law
Sam Rascoff, Faculty Director, Center on Law and Security, New York University School of Law
Dr. Peter Skerry, Professor of political science, Boston College


About Professor Aziz
Sahar F. Aziz joined the faculty in 2011 as an associate professor of law. Prior to joining, Aziz was an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center where she taught national security and civil rights law. Aziz served as a senior policy advisor for the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) where she worked on law and policy at the intersection of national security and civil rights.
Professor Aziz’s scholarship focuses on the intersection of national security and civil rights law with a focus on the post-9/11 era. Aziz incorporates critical race theory, feminist theory, and constitutional law into her examination of the disparate impact of post-9/11 laws and public policy on ethnic, racial, and religious minority groups in the United States. Aziz analyzes these issues in various contexts including employment, counterterrorism, criminal justice, and civil rights litigation.
View recent articles and papers on her SSRN author page.
Texas A&M School of Law associate professor Peter R. Reilly  presented “Justice Deferred Is Justice Denied: We Must End Our Failed Experiment in Deferring Corporate Criminal Prosecutions” at the UCLA School of Law Business Law Breakfast Series on Nov. 7. 
The discussion about deferred prosecution agreements in the context of corporate criminal law is based on Reilly’s new article of the same title recently accepted for publication by the BYU Law Review.  Download the article from SSRN.
The Business Law Breakfast Series offers a discussion of current issues in business law presented by the Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law.
(L-R): 3L Mark Lister, Coach Chris Watts '00, 2L Bill Forbes
The Texas A&M School of Law Advocacy Program is pleased to announce its first regional championship of the 2014-2015 school year! The team of 3L Mark Lister and 2L Bill Forbes won the Region 8 rounds of the ABA Negotiation Competition in Norman, Oklahoma, held Nov. 1-2.
The team has now advanced to the prestigious national finals, which will be in Houston in February. Schools from Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah compete in this regional and the competition is always stiff to win and advance to the national finals.
The team was coached by Chris Watts ’00, who also serves as the mayor of Denton, Texas, and adjunct professor Kay Elliott.

Learn more about the Advocacy Program:
The Advocacy Program at Texas A&M School of Law is a key component of making Aggie law students practice-ready. Directed by Jennifer Ellis, the Advocacy Program consists of three disciplines: appellate advocacy (moot court), trial advocacy (mock trial) and dispute resolution (mediation, negotiation and client counseling).
Our Moot Court, Mock Trial and Alternative Dispute Resolution teams are nationally recognized. Since the law school’s inception, the program has received 3 international, 11 national, 18 regional and one state championship, 14 best advocate and 13 best brief awards.
Peter Gerhart offers responses in the panels Property Law and Social Morality  "In Theory" and "In Application"
 
Texas A&M University School of Law’s Journal of Real Property Law presented a symposium, “A Review: Peter Gerhart’s Property Law and Social Morality,” Oct. 24 dedicated to Gerhart’s development of a single theory to explain the relationship between common and private property and how that relationship is defined by social customs.
After two morning panels, Regent Anthony G. Buzbee, managing partner of The Buzbee Law Firm in Houston, delivered the keynote address. He said that decisions in a court room come down to how the jurors are judging the reasonableness of the plaintiff.
 
Anthony G. Buzbee
In his talk, he shared experiences in several cases he defended; one of note was in 2009 when a federal jury in Galveston awarded $100 million to 10 of Buzbee’s clients who alleged toxic exposure related to chemical discharge at the BP Texas City Plant -- the largest verdict recorded against BP. In essence, he said that thinking like a lawyer doesn’t begin with rule; it begins with people.
Buzbee gave a $1 million endowment to Texas A&M University School of Law in April. His gift established the Anthony G. Buzbee Dean’s Endowed Chair and is the first-ever endowment gift of its kind dedicated to law school faculty, specifically the dean.
Gerhart gave input on Buzbee’s address and said, “Thinking like a good lawyer is a lot different than thinking like a lawyer. Perhaps the reason we have a jury is so that we allow some flexibility.”






 (L-R): Texas A&M School of Law Dean Andrew P. Morriss, symposium chair Professor Timothy Mulvaney (Texas A&M School of Law), panelist Kristen Barnes (University of Akron School of Law), keynote speaker Texas A&M Regent Anthony G. Buzbee, author and panelist Peter Gerhart (Case Western Reserve University School of Law), panelist Christopher Serkin (Vanderbilt Law School) and panelist David Fagundes (Southwestern Law School)






 Texas A&M Journal of Real Property Law Board of Editors




   - Article by Daniella Wiedel, Communications Specialist at Texas A&M University School of Law.
Texas A&M Law Review presented the all-day symposium, “New Technology and Old Law: Rethinking National Security” on Oct. 17. The symposium focused on how current events are shaping conversations about law as it relates to using technology. Professors and legal scholars from across the nation were present.
Symposium keynote presenter William C. Banks, Board of Advisors Distinguished Professor and Director of the Institute for National Security & Counterterrorism at Syracuse University College of Law
Keynote speaker, William C. Banks, spoke about espionage and cyber theft in today’s changing world. “In the 21st century, everyone is eavesdropping on everyone else,” Banks said in his opening remarks after putting on a newly purchased Aggie long sleeved shirt to display his connection to the law school.
“The Internet has brought new dimensions to our lives. It expands our online vulnerability,” he said. “We can anticipate terrorist attacks, gain advantage in economic matters and even gain a competitive advantage in trade agreements,” he said.
Banks serves on the Board of Advisors as a Distinguished Professor at Syracuse University School of Law. He is a professor of public administration and international affairs as well as the director of the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism.
The symposium featured four panels with topics including:

Drones & Asymmetric Warfare
Big Data & Mass Surveillance
Internet Privacy and Security
Emerging Topics in National Security

- Article by Daniella Wiedel, Communications Specialist at Texas A&M University School of Law. Photos by Christy Cleger, Marketing Coordinator at  Texas A&M University School of Law.
Professor Gabriel Eckstein in his element at the Fort Worth Water Gardens across from Texas A&M School of Law
Photo credit: Dan Bryant
Professor Gabriel Eckstein presented “Managing Water Across the Frontier: A Legal and Policy Perspective of Mexico-U.S. Hydro Relations” to grad students at Texas A&M University at Galveston, Oct. 9.
He addressed the law and policy applicable to transboundary surface and ground water resources along the Mexico-U.S. border. He discussed the applicability of international law — in general terms, as well as in terms of international water law — as it relates to water and other natural resources that traverse an international political boundary.
While there, he also collaborated with Texas A&M-Galveston to explore opportunities to partner on future activities, seminars and potentially courses.
View Professor Eckstein's presentation.
About Professor Gabriel Eckstein:
Professor Eckstein has been on the law faculty since 2010 and is an affiliated faculty member of the Texas A&M Energy Institute, a member of the Graduate Faculty at Texas A&M University as well as of the Texas A&M University Water Management and Hydrological Science Graduate Faculty. Eckstein serves as an expert advisor and consultant on U.S. and international environmental and water law issues and has worked with the United Nations, U.S. Agency for International Development, World Commission on Dams, Organization of American States, and the International Association of Hydrogeologists. Eckstein directs the Internet-based International Water Law Project with the mission to serve as the premier resource on the Internet addressing the future of international water law and policy.
Five students from Texas A&M University School of Law attended the Access to Justice Law Student Leaders Summit presented by the State Bar of Texas Law Student Pro Bono College for the first time in the school’s history, Oct. 9 and 10 in Austin.
The symposium helped students understand the valuable impact of providing pro bono services to impoverished individuals. Through participation in a simulation, representatives from 10 Texas schools quickly experienced trials and tribulations facing many members of the community.
Students also networked with practicing attorneys and heard from experts in the field. They also learned about the Texas State Bar, the Pro Bono College and nonprofit legal aid opportunities throughout the state.
Attendees were Michelle Gunter, Brent Doré, Jessica Juarez, Amber Barger and Jerek Hart. Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Rosalind Jeffers said students developed a new perspective on how their pro bono work affects the clients they serve.
To learn more about the Access to Justice Leaders Summit, contact Kristen Levins at Kristen.Levins@texasbar.com or (512) 427-1895.







L-R: Michelle Gunter, Brent Doré, Jessica Juarez, Amber Barger, Jerek Hart and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Rosalind Jeffers
Photo courtesy of Amber Barger





- Article by Daniella Wiedel, Communications Specialist at Texas A&M University School of Law.
Adjunct professor and Second Court of Appeals Justice Lee Gabriel received the Excellence in Justice Award from The Fort Worth Business Press and Texas A&M University School of Law during the 2014 Power Attorney awards dinner on Oct. 8. She was recognized for her meaningful contributions to the legal profession in North Texas.
Justice Gabriel served as a law clerk for the Chief Federal District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Halbert O. Woodward for two years. She then moved to Denton to work as a felony prosecutor for the Denton County District Attorney’s Office. While there, she became board certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and was later promoted to the position of first assistant district attorney in 1986. In July of 2010, Governor Rick Perry appointed her to the position of Justice, Place 7 of the Second Court of Appeals of Texas and she was sworn in on Aug. 1, 2010. More recently, she has served as an adjunct professor at Texas A&M University School of Law and a coach for the school’s mock trial teams.
Justice Lee Gabriel (center) receives the Excellence in Justice Award gavel at the 2014 Power Attorneys event from Aric Short, Texas A&M School of Law vice dean (left), and Nick S. Karanges, Fort Worth Business Press publisher (right), co-sponsors of the award.
Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Business Press
“It was an unexpected honor to learn that I had received the Excellence in Justice Award. When I first came to the Tarrant County legal community and the Texas A&M University School of Law, I never imagined I could be accepted so readily or recognized for my work in just a matter of years,” Gabriel said. “I feel intensely proud and privileged to be acknowledged by attorneys and an educational institution that I highly respect.”
Coming from a family where both parents were educators, she saw first-hand what they did to change students’ lives.
“I know an education at Texas A&M University School of Law can do the same thing for its students. My goal is to contribute towards that by providing caring guidance and the benefit of the varied experiences I have had in my legal career,” she said.
She credits her mentors and role models throughout her legal career because without them she said, “I would not be accepting an award of excellence without the wisdom and confidence these people have imparted to me.”
Leaders in the Tarrant County legal community gathered to honor the 2014 Power Attorneys presented by the Fort Worth Business Press at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel.
- Article by Daniella Wiedel, Communications Specialist at Texas A&M University School of Law. Photo at top and bottom by Doug Thurman, Texas A&M University School of Law. Award photo at right courtesy of Fort Worth Business Press.
Gina Warren
Gabriel Eckstein
Two Texas A&M University School of Law faculty members were invited to be affiliated faculty at Texas A&M Energy Institute. Professor Gabriel Eckstein and Associate Professor Gina Warren accepted their appointments to start in mid-October.
They have committed to assist in the creation of an executive graduate degree in energy policy. They will also be teaching modules in the proposed program that Warren is developing. Other opportunities for collaboration across campuses are in the formative stages.
“Our goal is to become an integral contributor to and partner with the university and its various schools, colleges and programs,” Eckstein said. “Doing so will create tremendous academic and career opportunities for faculty and students that were unavailable prior to our joining the A&M family. These appointments are one small step in that process,” Eckstein said.
Eckstein’s areas of academic expertise will include:

Energy and water supply chain
Energy law and policy

Warren’s areas of academic expertise will include:

Natural/Shale gas supply chain
Hydropower energy conversion
Electric power generation and storage
Modeling, simulation and optimization of energy systems
Energy supply chain
Energy law and policy
Energy and sustainability
Energy efficiency in urban systems


- Information contributed by Professors Gabriel Eckstein and Gina Warren.
Professor Megan Carpenter, Texas A&M University School of Law Center for Law & Intellectual Property (CLIP) Director and Faculty Director of the Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, will be recognized as one of three professors university-wide to be selected to represent the university’s Grand Challenge – Building Entrepreneurship, Improving Economic Development. She will get to stand on Kyle Field at the game against Ole Miss, Oct. 11.
Carpenter says she is “honored and thrilled” to receive this recognition alongside University Distinguished Professor of Economics & Director of the Private Enterprise Research Center, Tom Saving, and Clinical Associate Professor & Executive Director, Center for New Ventures & Entrepreneurship Richard Lester.
Texas A&M recognizes these individuals whose research and teaching is improving entrepreneurial practices, promoting business creation and informing global policy makers.
“Texas A&M is committed to utilizing strategic innovation and entrepreneurship education to address economic problems today and tomorrow,” according to a statement from the university.
-- Information submitted by Megan Carpenter
Texas A&M University School of Law Center for Law and Intellectual Property (CLIP) was featured in the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) industry publication Research-Technology Management (RTM) Journal September-October 2014 edition.
The IRI bills itself as the "nation's leading association of companies and federal laboratories working together to improve R&D capabilities." 
The article "Texas A&M Law Project Helps Regional Entrepreneurs Deal with Complexities of IP" discusses CLIP and its efforts to support entrepreneurship in the community through innovative educational programming.
The Dallas Hispanic Bar Association graciously donated $8,000 to Texas A&M University School of Law to be used for two $4,000 student scholarships. Applicants for the scholarship must be a member of the T​exas A&M Law Hispanic Law Student Association (HLSA) chapter. Formal requirements to apply for the scholarships are forthcoming and will be announced at a later date. For additional information, contact Admissions at (817) 212-4040.
DHBA presents a scholarship check to Texas A&M School of Law HLSA members.
Front Row, Left to Right: 3L Dianne Leyva; 2L Andres E. Martinez; DHBA President Elisabeth A. Wilson; and 3L Robert Alvarez
Back Row, Left to Right: 2L Tyler Gregston; 2L Jesse Calderon; and 2L Fabian Garcia

- Article by Daniella Wiedel, Communications Specialist at Texas A&M School of Law.
The Buzbee Law Firm and its founder Anthony G. Buzbee were identified as National Law Journal and Law.com honorees for the 2014 Elite Trial Lawyers. These attorneys and firms are recognized leaders in plaintiff law and have achieved measurable goals on behalf of their clients.
Texas A&M University Regent Anthony G. Buzbee addresses the graduates at the Texas A&M School of Law May 2014 hooding ceremony
Texas A&M University Regent Anthony G. Buzbee was a recent donor to Texas A&M University School of Law, donating the first $1 million gift in April, creating the Anthony G. Buzbee Dean's Endowed Chair.
He and his firm were selected for their leadership and teamwork. Most recently, the Buzbee Law Firm led the defense team for Texas Govenor Rick Perry. In addition, Buzbee's firm has collected more than $150 million from BP PLC for the Deepwater Horizon 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill claims. These are just a few of the firm's many noteworthy accomplishments. See the National Law Journal's complete award citation for the Buzbee Law Firm.
The National Law Journal and ALM editorial teams selected winners based off nominations and their own reporting. In this inaugural recognition ceremony, the Elite Trial Lawyers will be awarded at a two-day celebration at the Wynn in Las Vegas on Nov. 13-14. 
“(Being able to relate with my clients) is probably my strongest point. In the voir dire process, I try to connect with every single person who might even potentially end up on my jury,” Buzbee said in the article.
Learn more about The Buzbee Firm.
Associate Professor Sahar Aziz participated in the Egypt Media Forum in Washington D.C., presented by George Washington University, in the spirit of promoting balanced and constructive discourse on advancing media excellence in Egypt, Sept. 29.
She was part of an exclusive group of about 20 scholars from the U.S. and other countries, representing a diverse range of expertise and perspectives. Participants included media professionals, business leaders, scholars, advisors and policymakers. Aziz represented the law school as well as the Board of Directors of the Egyptian American Rule of Law Association, as the board’s president.




Aziz is pictured with Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed M. Tawfik.


Aziz also visited with former ambassador to Egypt, Frank Wisner.




-- Submitted by Associate Professor Sahar Aziz
FORT WORTH, Texas – Texas A&M University School of Law Professor Lisa Rich was invited to present her abstract “The School-to-Prison Pipeline: Why the United States Must Take a Broader Approach to Criminal Justice Reform” at the Fifth Oxford Education Research Symposium. The symposium will be held at the Rhodes House, Oxford, England, Dec. 11-13, 2014.
This is an international conference focused on emerging issues in education, pedagogy and other cutting-edge research. The presentation will result in a peer-reviewed paper for inclusion in a symposium book and potentially other journals.
“The symposium is focused on research and discourse about the theory and practice of universal education, which dovetails with A&M’s focus and impact in the area of research,” Rich said. She added that her participation in this symposium will further highlight her scholarship and advocacy as well as the areas of civil rights and her work related to the United Nations Committee to End All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
Specifically, the presentation will address concerns raised by CERD that “alleged racial disparities in suspension, expulsion and arrest rates in [United States] schools contribute to the high dropout rate and referral to the justice system of students belonging to racial, ethnic and national minorities.”
Rich was featured earlier this summer in the TAMU Times in a similar topic area.
Professor Michael Z. Green recently traveled to Chicago to be the keynote speaker at a national conference for Administrative Law Judges of the National Labor Relations Board.
Drawing upon his recent research and his review of recent labor and employment Supreme Court decisions as the secretary of the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Section, Green highlighted several decisions by NLRB ALJs within the past year that address a host of very important labor law issues for workers in our society.
This relates to the Supreme Court’s June 26 decision in National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning, which invalidated President Obama’s January 2012 recess appointment of three members to the five-member NLRB, Green said.
With a subsequent compromise by the Senate and President Obama in August 2013 to resolve the political aspects of the NLRB member appointments, the NLRB now has its full complement of five Senate-confirmed members for the first time in 10 years.
In his talk, Green encouraged the administrative law judges to continue their excellent work in addressing front-line issues such as social media, arbitration, electronic disparagement and other important employer policy matters of growing importance to workers in our society during these challenging economic times, even given the political limitations of the NLRB as a government agency charged with addressing workplace issues.
For more on Green, view his faculty profile and SSRN author page.
The Aggie Law Project participated on Aug. 22 in their first community service project of the 2014-15 school year, supporting World Habitat Day.
More than 60 students participated in wall building as part of new home construction at three locations in Fort Worth. The event benefited Habitat for Humanity and the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. The charities help families break the cycle of poverty and build long-term financial security, according to the organizations’ websites. Habitat for Humanity has transformed the lives of more than 3 million people worldwide.
3L Amber Barger, Student Bar Association president, said volunteering to serve others was extremely worthwhile. “Aggies have a rich history of serving those in the community. As future lawyers, we are working to become leaders in our community and beyond,” she said.
Working together to build homes for several families demonstrates the Aggie core value of selfless service. Students, faculty and staff volunteered from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. constructing walls to later be used in the Dallas-Fort Worth 31st annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in October.
“Leadership is best achieved by setting an example, so participation in service projects around our city sends the message that we care not only about our own needs, but we are also invested in enriching the lives of others,” Barger said.
“Living the core value of service helps A&M be synonymous with care and compassion, and in addition, it simply feels good to help those in need,” she said.
For details on future service day events or projects including The Big Event this spring, contact Tyra Kelly in the Office of the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at tckelly007@law.tamu.edu.







-- Article by Daniella Wiedel, Communications Specialist at Texas A&M University School of Law.
FORT WORTH, Texas - The Texas A&M School of Law Journal of Real Property Law announces its winners for the 2nd Annual National Writing Contest. Three papers will be published in the 2014 Winter edition of the Texas A&M Journal of Real Property Law including:
1st Place – Michael McGraw, Duquesne University School of Law, “Field of Dreams: Is the Movie Site’s Commercialization a Dream Plan With Significant Benefits or a Nightmare Script With Crippling Effects?”
2nd Place – Brian Walsh, Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, “How to Remedy the Court’s Unreasonable Expansion of the Public Use Doctrine”
3rd Place – Emily Anderson, UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law, “Help Me, I’m Drowning! Using the FHA to Protect Cities That Use Eminent Domain to Seize Underwater Mortgages”
3LDavid Sarnacki, Journal of Real Property Law editor-in-chief, said, “The top three submissions judged by the Board of Editors stood out not only as well-written with strong analysis of the law on the topic, but were also timely, relevant and just plain interesting.”
Criteria for this competition was that the real property-based essay was to be written by an individual currently enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners.
For more about the Texas A&M Journal of Real Property, visit their website.
Texas A&M University School of Law associate professor Milan Markovic was quoted in the ABA Journal article "Latest legal victory has LegalZoom poised for growth" by Robert Ambrogi published in the August 2014 issue.
The article discusses that in spite of facing numerous lawsuits, LegalZoom is planning to expand the services it offers and that the legal profession can offer solutions to best regulate these types of services and ensure their customers are protected.
Below is an excerpt from the ABA Journal article:
However, Milan Markovic, associate professor at Texas A&M University School of Law, Professor Markovic questions the premise that companies such as LegalZoom are needed because of the failure of the legal profession to meet the needs of middle-income consumers. "My problem is we have almost no data to support that, and the types of services LegalZoom offers actually can be obtained," he says, sometimes at even lower cost.
Markovic would prefer that bar associations accept we are in a do-it-yourself age and directly provide to consumers more of the documents and services they want. To the extent evidence can substantiate legitimate failures in the legal services market, however, Markovic would support regulatory or licensing schemes that would allow for alternatives.
Read the full text of the ABA Journal article here. 
About the ABA Journal and the ABA:
The ABA Journal is the flagship magazine of the American Bar Association. The ABA Journal is read by half of the nation’s 1 million lawyers every month. It covers the trends, people and finances of the legal profession from Wall Street to Main Street to Pennsylvania Avenue. The ABA is the largest voluntary professional association in the world. With more than 400,000 members, the ABA provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programs to assist lawyers and judges in their work, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public. -- courtesy of the ABAJournal.com
FORT WORTH, Texas - Texas A&M University School of Law was chosen to participate in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Law School Clinic Certification Pilot Program beginning this fall. Texas A&M School of Law's Patent Clinic and Trademark & Copyright Clinic are part of the law school’s Center for Law and Intellectual Property, known as CLIP. 
“This is a unique opportunity for our students because it allows them to practice as student attorneys before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,” said Megan Carpenter, director of CLIP and professor of law.
Students will be able to provide legal counsel to individuals and small businesses regarding their patent and trademark needs, including trademark clearance, patentability searches, filing of applications, response to office actions, and representation before the USPTO, she said. Clinic students will also be able to engage personally with patent and trademark examiners regarding particular legal issues, which will provide the students with valuable practice experience.
Texas A&M Law School was one of five schools selected for the patent program as well as the trademark program based on its solid intellectual property (IP) curriculum, pro bono services to the public and community network and outreach. A total of 19 schools were selected this year for both programs: four were patent-only, 10 were trademark-only, and five were selected for both.
“When employers hire our students, they are not simply hiring students who have studied intellectual property law; they are hiring students who have already practiced in the area of intellectual property law,” Carpenter said.
CLIP also offers an Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, which provides legal assistance to start-ups regarding entity formation and organization. The Patent Clinic and Trademark & Copyright Clinic in combination with the Entrepreneurship Law Clinic enable students to provide a spectrum of legal services to small businesses and entrepreneurs in the community.
CLIP is founded on the principle that the best learning takes place at the intersection of theory and practice.
“These clinics complement Texas A&M's strong IP curriculum by enabling students to apply what they are learning in a real-world setting,” Carpenter said.
“From the IP ​Concentration offered at Texas A&M to the USPTO clinics, students can get a top-notch education in intellectual property and hit the ground running after graduation,” she said.
“The acceptance of Texas A&M into the USPTO program is a testament to the strength of our program and the commitment of the law school to excellence in the study of intellectual property.”
Learn more about the USPTO clinic program, or read the USPTO press release for more.
FORT WORTH, Texas - Associate Professor Gina Warren traveled to Buenos Aires this summer to share her research on sustainable energy development and to acquire a better understanding of Argentina’s anticipated energy boom.
“For the first time in decades, Argentina is a net importer of energy and its energy needs are expected to continue to grow,” she said. “The goal is that with collaboration, interested parties can gain a better understanding of the challenges facing each nation, honestly assess the lessons learned from prior energy development and identify sustainable solutions for our global future,” Warren said.
In the coming years, Argentina plans to install at least two large hydroelectric facilities in the southern Santa Cruz province. In addition, the country plans to commence significant exploitation of oil and gas from the Vaca Muerta shale play located in the Neuquén province. By some estimates, the Vaca Muerta is the third largest reserve of oil and gas in the world.
“Building relationships like the ones Professor Warren has created in Argentina broaden our students’ educational opportunities and can lead to international collaborations that strengthen our faculty,” said Dean Andy Morriss.
Warren’s primary research focus is on sustainable energy, hydropower and climate change. For more, visit her SSRN author’s page.
 Professor Gina Warren with Lilian Castillo-Laborde, Professor of International Law at the University of Buenos Aires and full member to the Argentine Council for Foreign Relations (July 29, 2014)
Professor Gina Warren with Jorge Gebhardt, Director of the Tax Department (far right) and Esteban Aguirre Saravia senior associate (far left), both of the firm Aguirre Saravia & Gebhardt in Buenos Aires, Argentina (July 28, 2014)
Professor Gina Warren giving a presentation to the law firm of Perez Alati, Grondona, Benites, Arntsen & Martinez (Buenos Aires, Argentina), on the lessons and challenges to U.S. shale development and production (July 30, 2014)
Texas A&M University School of Law was chosen to participate in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Law School Clinic Certification Pilot Program this fall.
Texas A&M Law School was selected for the patent program as well as the trademark program based on its solid intellectual property curricula, pro bono services to the public and community network and outreach.
The clinic pilot program enables law students to practice patent and/or trademark law before the USPTO under the guidance of an approved faculty clinic supervisor.
Learn more about the USPTO clinic program.
The USPTO announced the selection of the 19 law schools that will join the program in a press release on Wednesday.