A staunch advocate with a curious mind, Kayla Baxter knew she wanted to be a lawyer as early as the eighth grade. In school, she was always the first to step up and defend her friends. In the city, the Philadelphia native witnessed events that left her wanting to know more about the world of law.
“Growing up in Philly, you see a lot of things,” Baxter said. “It piqued my interest in the legal system in general.”
After earning her bachelor’s degree from Hofstra University in New York, Baxter was eager to continue expanding her horizons. After asking around and considering locations near friends and family, she chose Texas, and from there, South Texas College of Law Houston.
During her undergraduate years, Baxter said she felt disconnected from campus life. But arriving at South Texas Law, she experienced a difference right away.
“From the moment you step foot on campus, you get a feel for the sense of community here,” said Baxter. “We don’t have a culture of cutthroat competition, for which I’m very grateful. We all want each other to do well.”
Encouraged by STCL Houston’s welcoming environment and determined to make the most of her time in law school, Baxter became actively involved with the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) her first year. Her dedication earned her the Outstanding 1L Award from the organization. From there, transitioning to the role of vice president felt natural.
“I held various leadership positions during undergrad, but nothing to this degree,” Baxter said. “And after being close to BLSA’s leadership as a 1L, I wanted to expand on what they accomplished and pay forward the kindness they showed me.”
As vice president of BLSA, Baxter increased the organization’s visibility through many campus events and activities, playing a key role in the organization being honored as the Black Law Students Associations Southwest Region’s Large Chapter of the Year.
She also was elected vice president of the Student Bar Association, the law school’s governing student body. There, she made history alongside classmate and fellow leader Marchion “Marc” Wynne, marking the first time the SBA had a Black president and vice president.
With the SBA, she established a corporate partnership with Shake Shack in support of the law school’s annual drive for the Houston Food Bank. This ambitious partnership was the first of its kind in South Texas Law history and added to the more than $20,000 in donations raised. In recognition of their success, Baxter and Wynne presented the check for the annual food drive on live TV.
As part of Baxter’s hands-on learning and service to the community, she has spent the last two years volunteering with Harris County’s Fresh Start program, helping those in need get their records sealed or expunged, connecting them to community resources, and setting them on the path to becoming productive citizens.
Baxter looks forward to applying the leadership skills and legal knowledge gained through her student experiences in her future career as a criminal attorney.
In her 1L summer, she interned for the Defenders Association of Philadelphia and quickly fell in love with public defense. Providing support to people going through the worst moments of their lives gave Baxter a sense of fulfillment and pride in her work she knew she wouldn’t find elsewhere.
“My supervisor always joked that people get the public defense bug.” said Baxter. “And I guess I did, too, because I worked there again the following summer.”
Baxter will continue working with the Defenders Association of Philadelphia after graduation, becoming a force for change in her hometown’s legal system just like she’d dreamed.
Until then, she continues to pursue her passion for service by interning for Katrina Griffith, associate judge for the CPS Impact Court in Harris County.
“The other day, I got to see an adoption happen,” Baxter said. “Everyone was just so happy; there were tears all around. Those are the moments I want to facilitate in the future.”
