UH Law Alumnus Judge Raul A. Gonzalez Jr. Honored with Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award by Texas Bar Foundation
Quick summary: Judge Raul A. Gonzalez Jr. (J.D. '66), a University of Houston Law Center alumnus and former Texas Supreme Court justice, has been named a recipient of the Texas Bar Foundation's Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award. The first Hispanic justice appointed or elected to statewide office in Texas, Gonzalez served on the Texas Supreme Court for 14 years and has been a trailblazer in Texas jurisprudence.
The award, established in 1974, recognizes attorneys whose careers span at least five decades and showcase long-term integrity, professionalism and commitment to the law and to public service.
A trailblazer in Texas jurisprudence, Gonzalez made history in 1984 as the first Hispanic justice appointed or elected to statewide office in Texas, launching a 14-year tenure on the Texas Supreme Court that lasted until 1998.
Before joining the state's highest civil court, Gonzalez served as presiding judge of the 103rd Judicial District Court and as a justice on the 13th Court of Appeals, which hears cases from across South Texas. His judicial experience covered multiple levels of the court system for more than two decades.
During his lengthy career, Gonzalez also worked as an appellate attorney, arbitrator and expert witness in complex civil cases.
Gonzalez served on the University of Houston Board of Regents (2001-2007) and has volunteered as a lawyer with Travis County Legal Aid.
Along the way, Gonzalez has earned numerous honors, including UHLC's Outstanding Alumnus Award, Rosewood Gavel Award Outstanding Jurist from St. Mary's Law School, the Lifetime Achievement Award from St. Thomas More Society, and multiple lifetime achievement recognitions, reflecting his lasting influence on the Texas legal community.
Gonzalez will be recognized at the Texas Bar Foundation Annual Dinner on June 12, 2026.
