Page 5 - Blakely Advocacy Institute Year End Report
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LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ADVOCACY AWARD Byron changed my life. I went to law school because I truly wanted to become a lawyer, I was lucky enough to have taught Trial Ad with Byron in his last semester teaching.
but I doubted whether I had the aptitude for it. As a second-year law student in 1989, I Despite his declining health, he was always laser focused on what the students learned.
took Byron’s trial advocacy course. At that point I had never been to a courthouse, and I Not what he taught, but what they learned. Byron had his tried and true techniques that
had never seen a trial. Byron watched me bumble through a cross examination one day. were proven effective, but he was not afraid to drop them if they were not working and
After, he took me to his office and said, “George, you’re special. You have a natural ability try something else. He put the focus on the student. I am forever grateful to have had that
to try cases. You should consider becoming a trial lawyer.” I left Byron’s office and life mindset illustrated so perfectly.
immediately changed for me. I had purpose, direction and what ultimately would be my Kevin Hedges ’89
calling. His kind words and confidence in me ultimately helped me change for the better
the lives of others -- like Byron did for me.
George Murphy ’90 In November 1994, I was asked by an acquaintance to judge a Saturday trial at the Harris
County Courthouse for the University of Houston Trial Advocacy Program. I had nothing special
planned, so I agreed. While critiquing the students after a well-tried case, I saw a tall, thin man
Byron was very passionate about trial advocacy (and evidence; he really knew his leaning against the back wall of the courtroom, studying me. As I was leaving, he approached
evidence.) Since it was the first year, he recruited the trial advocacy class and approached and introduced himself. It was Byron. He said he was recruiting adjunct professors to teach
people and asked them if they would be interested in doing it. I also remember me and Trial Advocacy in the evenings and was short of women. He believed in team teaching with
my partner John Herberger went to a Rockets game on Friday night, and many beers later, a mix of lawyers and judges, men and women, with both civil and criminal experience to
made a pact with each other that we would not show up for the early Saturday morning give students a diversified perspective. Would I like to give it a try? Because I had just seen a
class. Our logic, in that moment, was that if both of us didn’t show up it wouldn’t be so bad truly wonderful example of well-trained student advocates in trial, it was obvious that those
as if one of us didn’t show up. As you might expect, Byron was not too happy about it. (In previously recruited by Byron taught with his own level of skill and commitment. That, and
fact, Herberger later told me that Byron called his house to try to wake him up and find out the fact that no one ever said no to Byron, hooked me and I have been with the program
where I was) and said we were either kicked out of the class or we could watch 4 hours of ever since. During the far too few remaining years of Byron’s life, he was always there for me,
Irving Younger videos on cross-examination etc. Needless to say, we watched the videos. making time for my questions and concerns. Except for when he was traveling and painting the
I still remember the critique he gave me during the class on my closing argument. It was beauty of those travels, he was teaching and finding new ways to inspire the students and his
probably the most important critique I received in law school and made me a much better adjuncts with his innovative ideas. He was a man of great humor, gentleness and grace. He
trial lawyer. was the heart of the program and will always be missed by those whose lives he changed.
Mike Griffin ’86 Karen Lukin ’89
The University of Houston Law Center now has a nationally recognized advocacy program through the hard work of talented students and a dedicated group of professors and adjunct
professors. The person who is responsible for laying the foundation for the program was Byron McCoy. In the 1990s, as director of the advocacy program, Byron had a clear vision of what
was needed to establish a first rate program. He implemented his vision that grew into a program that today produces class after class of first-rate advocates who have become some of
the best lawyers and judges in the state. It is because of his tireless work, dedication, and devotion to that vision that the advocacy program enjoys its well-deserved reputation. It is an
honor and privilege to have worked with him and to have been part of his vision for UHLC.
David Cunningham ’82