South Texas College of Law Houston and the South Texas Law Review invites the legal community to the 30th Annual Law Review Ethics Symposium, focused on “Lawyer as an Advocate.”
The event is scheduled March 1 from 9 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. in Garrett Townes Auditorium on the South Texas Law campus at 1303 San Jacinto in Houston, with a reception to follow.
Cost to attend is $150 for general admission, $100 for STCL Houston alumni, and free for STCL Houston students, faculty, and staff. The symposium will provide attendees with insights on the ethical considerations in developing areas of advocacy. Participants may earn 7.5 CLE and Ethics hours.
The keynote presentation at lunch will focus on “Lessons from the Life and Practice of Joe Jamail.” It will be moderated by Bill Kroger, Partner, Baker Botts LLP, with panelists Dahr Jamail ’82 (Joe Jamail’s son) with Jamail & Kolius; Harry Reasoner, partner, Vinson & Elkins (Ret.); Janet Hansen ’76, Law Office of Janet Hansen; and Frank Staggs, Jr. ’82, associate attorney with Jamail & Kolius.
Called by Texas Monthly “the greatest lawyer to ever live,” Joe Jamail is best known as the famed trial attorney who won the landmark verdict in the 1985 Pennzoil v. Texaco case, resulting in a $10.53 billion verdict — still the largest jury award in history — for Pennzoil Co., which sued Texaco Inc., alleging tortious interference with Pennzoil’s contract to buy Getty Oil stock. The appeal of the case was heard by the Court of Appeals, First District, in Joe Green Auditorium on the South Texas College of Law Houston campus.
At the end of this presentation, attendees should be able to identify and discuss the ethical considerations and responsibilities associated with high-stakes tort litigation, drawing from the experiences and practices exemplified by Joe Jamail throughout his career; articulate the importance of client advocacy and the client-attorney relationship, exploring how Joe Jamail built strong connections with his clients and maintained a client-focused approach to legal representation; and gain insights into the unique courtroom techniques and persuasive communication skills that set Joe Jamail apart as a successful trial lawyer and recognize their significance in achieving favorable outcomes for clients.
The other Law Review Ethics Symposium topics include:
“Unveiling the Dynamics of Criminal Advocacy” — Moderator: Amanda Peters, Godwin Lewis PC Research Professor and professor of law, STCL Houston. Panelists: Cordt C. Akers ’12, partner, The Akers Firm, PLLC; Alex Bunin ’85, chief public defender, Harris County; Inger Hampton Chandler ’03, criminal defense attorney, former Harris County judge and prosecutor; Mike Holley, first assistant Montgomery County district attorney’s office; and Jack Roady, Galveston County District Attorney’s Office.
“Championing Justice from the Defense Bench” — Dan Cogdell ’82, Principal & Founder, Cogdell Law Firm
“Ethical Imperatives in Civil Trial and Appellate Advocacy” — Moderator: Jeffrey L. Rensberger, Charles Weigel II Research Professor of Conflict of Laws, Executive Vice President for Strategic Planning, and Professor of Law, South Texas College of Law Houston. Panelists: Daniel Johnson ’04, Founding Partner, Johnson Garcia LLP; Mary-Olga (“Mo”) Lovett ’93, Trial & Global Disputes Partner, King & Spalding; Michael P. Lyons ’99, Founding Partner, Lyons & Simmons; and Dylan B. Russell ’03, Partner, Hoover Slovacek LLP
Q&A Panel: “A View of Ethical Advocacy from Masters of the Bench and Bar” — Moderator: Rick Ali, Editor in Chief, 2023-24 South Texas Law Review. Panelists: The Honorable Eva Guzman ’89, partner, Wright Close & Barger, LLP, and former Justice, Supreme Court of Texas (Ret.); The Honorable David M. Medina ’89, shareholder, Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams, & Autry, P.C., former Justice, Supreme Court of Texas (Ret.); and The Honorable Charles F. Baird ’80, Baird Law Firm, former Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals (Ret.).
For more information, go to: https://stcl.edu/symposium.
