Juan Garcia ’04, founding partner of Johnson Garcia LLP and chair of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, received the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award Oct. 9 during South Texas College of Law Houston’s annual Alumni Luncheon and Awards Ceremony at the Julia Ideson Building.
At the popular fall event, a large crowd celebrated three awardees, connected with former classmates, and networked with new friends.
In accepting the Alumni Association’s highest award, Garcia described some special qualities of his law school alma mater, including making lasting best friends — including Daniel Johnson ’04, now his law partner; gaining a lifetime of advice, contacts, and support from alumni colleagues; receiving encouragement to give back to the community; and being challenged to excel in a way he never did before working toward his J.D. degree.
“That is South Texas,” Garcia said. “I’m committed to this law school forever and am still in awe of what South Texas was able to do for me. It was not just a law degree; it was something to believe in. It was hope. It was opportunity. I promise you I will spend the rest of my life earning this recognition.”
Garcia — whose parents came to the United States from Mexico shortly before he was born — began his career in retail management, working his way up from grocery store clerk to store director while attending college at night. He later left a high-paying job to pursue law, graduating summa cum laude from South Texas Law. Since then he was made partner at two national firms and co-founded Johnson Garcia LLP, a successful litigation firm with nearly 30 employees.
Juan has remained deeply committed to giving back. He has served as chair of the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston and the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, and he remains involved with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo — where he met his wife more than 20 years ago when they both were serving as volunteers.
His firm has donated millions to educational causes, including the creation of an endowed lecture series at the law school.
Thai-Anh Nguyen ’09, supervising attorney for Lonestar Legal Aid, received the Public Service Award, which recognizes an alumnus who has devoted their legal career to public service and made a sustained impact on the community. “South Texas gave me the keys to my dream and helped me realize what that dream was,” Nguyen said.
Born to rice paddy farmers in war-torn Vietnam, Nguyen’s dad sold everything and risked putting the family on a boat, with a goal of eventually immigrating to the United States. Nguyen said his family relied on public schools, public housing, and food stamps. “It was all we had, but it was enough,” he said.
Every morning, he recalls saying the Pledge of Allegiance, and he began to wonder as he got older, “What does ‘justice for all’ mean?”
Now, as an attorney, Nguyen said his American dream is that everyone has access to justice, to courtrooms, to advocates. “My clients tell me they need a voice, they need help,” he said.
For over 16 years, Nguyen has worked as an attorney with Lone Star Legal Aid. He provides critical services to low-income clients across Southeast Texas, often driving long distances to meet people who would otherwise have no access to representation.
Nguyen also is a vital voice in immigrant communities, offering culturally competent legal support to Vietnamese-speaking clients. He is especially known for his patient, compassionate work with seniors and vulnerable individuals.
At the luncheon, Nguyen called on the attorneys in the room to “consider giving your time. Providing more access to justice — that’s my dream.”
Sean Berwald ’18, senior attorney with Sadler Law Group PLLC whose focus is energy law, received the Young Alumni Award, which recognizes a graduate of the past 10 years who has made an early mark on the profession and stayed connected to the South Texas Law community through service and leadership.
“Training, hiring, paying it forward — these are the cornerstones of what the South Texas alumni community is all about,” Berwald said. “Thank you for this award, and for the tremendous education I received at South Texas.”
Berwald stands out for his commitment to mentoring students and young alumni. As an adjunct professor, he teaches Oil and Gas Title Examination and goes beyond the classroom to support his students with job leads, check-ins, and career advice.
He has helped revitalize the alumni chapter of the Oil and Gas Law Society and regularly connects alumni to each other and to the law school. His thoughtful, behind-the-scenes leadership has made a meaningful difference in the lives of recent grads.
“Mentoring is so important,” he said. “Since graduating, I have tried to continue connecting students to the working world because my goal is to pay back what I received from South Texas. I encourage you to reach out to student groups on campus to see how you can participate and contribute — teach, mentor, and make connections. Support the next generation; it makes a huge difference.”
