When Professor Njeri Mathis Rutledge first became a law professor, one of her mentors was Professor of Law Shelby A.D. Moore, who also now serves as a vice president at South Texas College of Law Houston. They have served together as advisors to the Black Law Students Association and encouraged each other in their careers.
This spring, two community organizations recognized these women leaders— both with degrees from Harvard Law — with special awards.
Professor of Law Shelby A.D. Moore
The Fearless Female Forum honored Moore during the organization’s Fourth Annual Women’s Day Luncheon. The organization presented these awards to “inspiring women, recognizing their significant contributions to our society.”
Moore is a long-time professor at South Texas Law who has received several awards for her teaching and her willingness to mentor students. She was the founding leader of the law school’s Agosto Justice Center for Leadership and Empowerment, and she continues to serve as the vice president for the center.
She has published widely, primarily in the areas of criminal law and social policy, and is an expert in domestic violence issues. Because of her expertise, she has been a consultant on a number of cases and has appeared in the national media on TV shows such as “48 Hours Mysteries.” Prior to entering academia, she practiced as a litigator in Maryland, focusing on civil litigation, and served as an attorney for a firm whose primary focus was civil rights. She also worked for a firm that focused on medical malpractice and other personal injury claims.
Immediately prior to teaching at South Texas Law, she was a felony prosecutor in the Baltimore City State Attorney’s office. Moore earned an LL.M. from Harvard Law School, a J.D. from the University of Baltimore (where she served on the editorial board for one of its journals), and a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on law enforcement/criminal corrections from Towson University, where she graduated with the highest GPA in the history of the department.
Professor of Law Njeri Mathis Rutledge
When Rutledge received the Roberson L. King Excellence in Education Award from the Houston Lawyers Association (HLA) in May, she said she was “deeply honored that her mentors Shelby Moore and Maxine Goodman” were present. In her speech she thanked them for always lifting her up and hopes she made them proud. This year marks her 20th year as a faculty member.
The award was one of the prestigious 2025 HLA Founders Awards. Rutledge was particularly excited to receive the Excellence in Education Award because she is truly an educator at heart. In addition to teaching law school classes, she is often sought out for providing interviews, moderating panels and writing op eds.
Rutledge joined the South Texas Law faculty in 2005. She graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in English from Spelman College and earned her law degree from Harvard Law School, where she served as technical editor of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review.
After law school, she clerked for the Hon. John T. Nixon, Chief District Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee, then served as an associate for Baker Botts, L.L.P. She then entered the public sector as a prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
She became a visiting professor for South Texas Law in 2004 and full-time faculty member in 2005. For more than 12 years beginning in 2009, Rutledge also served as an associate judge for the City of Houston. Her legal scholarship has covered topics involving domestic violence, criminal justice reform, crime victim compensation and policing. She also is a member of the USA Today Board of Contributors.
