Houston College of Law Stands Behind Name Change; Is Prepared to Defend Decision in Court
HOUSTON, June 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors and administrators of Houston College of Law were disappointed that the University of Houston Law Center chose to pursue litigation regarding the law school's new name. However, Houston College of Law maintains its stance that it is on firm legal ground and is prepared to defend that position in court.
Houston College of Law, formerly South Texas College of Law, asserts its new name will not create confusion with the University of Houston Law Center.
Beginning in mid-June, Houston College of Law distributed clear notifications of its name change to members of the legal community, educational institutions, and community leaders, with the tagline "Formerly South Texas College of Law."
"Houston College of Law is making this name change to avoid confusion," said J. Ken Johnson, chairman of the Houston College of Law board of directors. "In fact, creating market confusion would be in direct conflict with the mission of our 93-year-old, private, independent law school. For many years we've dealt with misunderstanding surrounding 'South Texas,' which is not descriptive of our historic location in downtown Houston."
The city's name does not belong to the University of Houston; nor does Houston College of Law intend to market its services in any fashion that suggests affiliation with the University of Houston Law Center.
The only change Houston College of Law has made is to its name. The law school has not adopted new colors or altered its website, other than to add its new logo. Houston College of Law's archives show use of crimson as a primary color in its official communications, advertisements, graduation hoods, and former logos dating back to the 1960s.
Houston College of Law's reputation is distinct and stands alone. It is a private, independent law school, and it is the largest, oldest, and only law school in downtown Houston, where it was established in 1923.
In addition:
- Houston College of Law is one of only three national law schools consistently ranked in the top 10 for trial advocacy by US News & World Report. The law school has won 122 national advocacy championships. No other law school in the United States has won half as many. In fact, the University of Houston Law Center's website reports they have earned only 16.
- Houston College of Law has won the American Bar Association (ABA) National Appellate Advocacy Competition 15 times, more than any other law school in the country.
- Houston College of Law has won five first-place Best Brief awards in the American Society of Legal Writers' Scribes competition—the most prestigious legal writing competition in the country. No other law school has claimed this honor more than once.
- Houston College of Law offers its students 16 subject matter clinics from which to choose, including a Veterans Law Clinic, a Patent and Trademark Clinic certified by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, all of which are unique to Houston College of Law.
- Most recently, National Jurist magazine recognized Houston College of Law as a "Best Value" and "Most Diverse" law school.
Administrators, students, and alumni of Houston College of Law are proud of the school's hard-earned legacy, and do not want to be confused or associated with any other law school.
"We have nationally recognized faculty who are leaders in their fields, providing relevant and practical contributions to the national and international community," said Johnson. "Our graduates have developed a reputation for being practice-ready, service-oriented, and among the best litigators in the nation. In Texas, the contributions of our faculty and alumni have been indispensable to the development and practice of law.
"Houston College of Law teaches its students to represent their clients' interests aggressively while maintaining strong ethical and professional standards," Johnson said. "We will do the same in this litigation."
About Houston College of Law:
Founded in 1923, Houston College of Law (formerly South Texas College of Law) provides a diverse body of students with the opportunity to obtain an exceptional legal education, preparing graduates to serve their community and the profession with distinction and to be a positive force for change. The law school develops some of the country's best litigators, advocates, negotiators, and transactional lawyers, but also empowers every student with something equally valuable: The unshakable notion that a legal education is a tool for making the world a better place. For more information, please visit www.hcl.edu.
For more information, contact:
Claire Caton
Houston College of Law
713.646.1799 | 713.591.3912 (cell) | [email protected]
SOURCE Houston College of Law
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