The Alumni Association of South Texas College of Law Houston will honor three local attorneys with its top honors Oct. 9 at the annual Alumni Luncheon and Awards Ceremony at Julia Ideson Building.
Juan Garcia ’04, founding partner of Johnson Garcia LLP, will be recognized with the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award; Thai-Anh Nguyen ’09, supervising attorney for Lonestar Legal Aid, will receive the Public Service Award; and Sean Berwald ’18, senior attorney with Sadler Law Group PLLC, will receive the Young Alumni Award.
Celebrate the Alumni Award recipients, connect with former classmates, and network with new friends during the popular fall luncheon. Click here to register and read more details about the honorees below.
Distinguished Alumni Award: Juan Garcia ’04
The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor presented by the Alumni Association. It recognizes a graduate whose work has made a lasting civic impact, demonstrated professional leadership, and reflected a strong commitment to South Texas College of Law Houston.
About Garcia:
Juan Garcia 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’s 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. His firm has donated millions to educational causes, including the creation of an endowed lecture series at the law school.
Public Service Award: Thai-Anh Nguyen ’09
This award recognizes an alumnus who has devoted their legal career to public service and made a sustained impact on the community.
About Nguyen:
For over 16 years, Thai-Anh Nguyen has worked as a legal aid 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.
Thai-Anh 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. While he’s never sought recognition, his consistent, life-changing work has made a deep and lasting impact.
Young Alumni Award: Sean Berwald ’18
This award 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.
About Berwald:
Sean Berwald stands out for his commitment to mentoring students and young alumni. As an adjunct professor, he taught Oil and Gas Title Examination and went beyond the classroom to support his students with job leads, check-ins, and career advice.
Sean also 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.
