Page 128 - The First Fifty Years

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122 HOUSTON LAW REVIEW

and pride, but mostly pride that my group had pulled this off!”36
They had indeed.

Recognizing the success of the inaugural lecture, the Frankel
Foundation immediately agreed to underwrite future such
events. Including that first lecture, Houston Law Review as of
this writing has hosted a total of 17 Frankel Lectures. Each has
included speakers who are among the most highly regarded
academics in the country, and each has resulted in those scholars
flying back to their respective institutions to spread the word
about the professionalism and caliber of Houston Law Review. In
turn, that word of mouth has assisted the Review in attracting
even more top scholars to publish articles in its non-lecture
series, non-symposium issues.

As a fitting conclusion to the story, Sergesketter, who now
chairs the Houston Law Review Board of Directors, reports that,
as of 2010, the Review had in fact become virtually self-sufficient
financially, thanks in significant measure to the generosity of the
Frankel Foundation in picking up the annual tab for the Lecture
and thereby freeing up HLR funds for other purposes. That, and
an unending boost to the Review’s reputational bottom line. Not a
half-bad outcome from an “impromptu chat.”

Beautiful Minds37

Prelude. Organizationally, Houston Law Review was in good
shape as it entered its fourth decade. There had, in truth, been
some slippage, in some instances, in timeliness of publication
since the halcyon days of Boards 25 and 26.38 Yet the decision
made late in Decade 3 to release resources such as the Evidence
Handbook to publication by outside vendors,39 and the
determination to publish future “books” in-house only in the
rarest of circumstances,40 had gotten Decade 4 off to a good start.
As reported by Board 32’s Editor in Chief, the aforementioned
Sergesketter:

When Board 32 took over the helm of Houston Law
Review, things were running well. Our predecessor board
was headed by a strong editor in chief and editorial
team, and they ensured that we had a good transition
before they “left the building.” Given the solid foundation
that was in place when our board took the reins, we were
freed up to institute some major initiatives.41
And did they ever.

Salute!42 Robert J. Sergesketter brought to his role as the
leader of Board 32 a habit of command and a talent for