South Texas College of Law Houston welcomed Reynaldo “Rey” Anaya Valencia, who became its 13th president and dean July 1 — the first Hispanic individual and first person of color to be appointed to the position.
A Harvard Law School graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in sociology from Stanford University as part of an accelerated four-year program, Valencia was the first in his family to attend college. He led Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio as dean and professor of law from 2020 until his appointment to South Texas Law.
Previously, Valencia served as associate dean for finance and administration and a faculty member at the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law. He joined the faculty at St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1995 as an associate professor, earning tenure in 1999 and promotion to the rank of full professor.
Serving as a White House Fellow in the Office of the Chief of Staff in 1999-2000, Valencia worked on race, civil rights, immigration and Hispanic education issues. In 2008, having returned to St. Mary’s, he was appointed associate dean of administration and finance and held the Ernest W. Clemmons Professor of Corporate and Securities Law, an endowed professorship.
He has practiced, taught, written, and lectured nationally and internationally on corporate law, corporate bankruptcy, race, and gender issues, and has served as an expert witness in complex corporate and multimillion-dollar bankruptcy litigation. He has served in leadership positions on various boards and committees of professional and academic organizations throughout his career and has received numerous awards and honors.
Immediately after law school, Valencia practiced corporate bankruptcy and general corporate law at the Dallas office of the international law firm Jones Day for five years. He did so while serving as an adjunct professor of law at Texas Tech School of Law, where at age 25 he became the youngest faculty member in the law school’s history.
“I am absolutely overwhelmed by the warm welcome and generosity of everyone at South Texas College of Law Houston,” Valencia said. “Students, staff, administrators, and faculty have truly rolled out the red carpet and embraced me in my new role. I am honored and humbled to join this institution with its rich history and look forward to continuing the legacy of service and education of those who came before us.”
A formal investiture ceremony for the law school’s new president and dean is scheduled Oct. 10, 2025, on the campus of South Texas Law.
