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these youth are at increased risk for mental health concerns, educational its name and brand,” said Dean Leonard M. Baynes. “The case presented
problems, occupational difficulties and public health and safety issues. important and novel legal issues. The Law Center community is deeply
“We saw a real need for a program to address the needs of dual-status grateful for the expert legal representation by UH General Counsel
youth, and we came up with the idea of training law students to serve as Dona Cornell, Al Deaver, and alumnus Tony Buzbee ’97. Our success is
guardians ad litem for these children,” said Katya Dow, the legal program solely attributable to their outstanding lawyering and advocacy.”
director of JCAP and a professor of practice at the Law Center. “The presentation of this award is not about highlighting a winner
Dow noted that dual-status youth are poorly served by the existing or a loser in a lawsuit,” Craig Stone, chairman of the IP Law Section’s
system because of a lack of meaningful and regularized communication Trademark Committee, said in announcing the award during the state
between the courts with jurisdiction over the delinquency matters bar’s annual meeting in Dallas. “It’s to recognize the exceptional work
and those with jurisdiction over foster care matters. JCAP’s newly- of a team of in-house lawyers, brand guardians and outside counsel
established program aims to correct these problems by training law collaborating and taking action under expedited deadlines to gather
students to address the issues these juveniles face holistically. evidence and meet a burden of proof in the context of a trademark
injunction hearing.
“In the existing system, these children and young adults often simply fall
through the cracks, and JCAP’s dual status representation program aims “Their representation of the UHLC brand under emotion-filled
to help fill those cracks,” Dow said. circumstances is a great example of what trademark lawyers and teams
face every day when tasked with protecting their multi-generational
“The record-sealing program we operate in partnership with the assets as brand stewards,” added Stone, senior counsel, Intellectual
Houston Bar Association and the Harris County Juvenile Probation Property, for Phillips 66 in Houston.
Department, while enormously important to the juveniles, is also
enormously time-consuming,” Dow added. “Consequently, without this After a successful federal district court decision in UHLC’s favor, the
grant from the Simmons Foundation, JCAP would simply not have had two law schools ultimately settled the case and agreed on the name
the capacity to add the GAL program to its operations. South Texas College of Law Houston.
“JCAP is grateful to the Foundation and honored by its confidence and “This case was a huge win for the University of Houston and the
looks forward to serving this new and deserving constituency of dual- University of Houston Law Center in protecting its valuable brand and
status youth.” reputation it has worked so hard to achieve in the higher education and
legal community,” said Cornell, UH System Vice Chancellor for Legal
The Simmons Foundation is a philanthropic organization that partners Affairs, UH Vice President for Legal Affairs and UH System/UH General
with other groups to provide support to women, youth and families, Counsel.
among many other vulnerable members of the population. “We knew this case had to be aggressively pursued by a powerhouse of
JCAP was established at the Law Center in 2014 by Professor David attorneys and the collective support of the administration at UH and the
R. Dow, longtime death penalty attorney and founder of the Texas UH Law Center. Tony Buzbee showed why he has a reputation for truly
Innocence Network. The project seeks to reduce juvenile delinquency being one of the best litigators around. The specialized IP and litigation
and improve life outcomes for economically and socially disadvantaged experience offered by Al Deaver and the attorneys at Sutton, McAughan,
youth through the provision of legal, educational and social support Deaver, including Elizabeth W. King, as well as the knowledge of UH
services. trademarks by Jennifer Sickler at Thompson & Knight were critical to a
favorable ruling by (U.S. District) Judge (Keith) Ellison.
UHLC PRESENTED WITH TEXAS BAR TRADEMARK “Additionally, Dean Baynes’ exceptional leadership and the support of
AWARD FOR DEFENDING SCHOOL’S BRAND IN his staff working with my office and outside counsel throughout the
NAMING DISPUTE litigation made this a true team win for which UH and the UH Law
The University of Houston Law Center was Center should be proud.”
honored with the inaugural State Bar of “I was honored to serve as lead counsel for this important and unique
Texas IP Section Annual Trademark case,” said Buzbee, a 1997 Law Center graduate. “The team involved in
Award for its defense of the school’s this effort are some of the best in the IP field. The support we received
brand after South Texas College of Law from the chancellor, the dean, and their staffs was top notch and most
announced plans to change its name to appreciated. And I would be remiss to fail to mention General Counsel
Houston College of Law. Dona Cornell. In my estimation, she is the absolute best. We are very
“I am very thankful that the Texas Bar pleased with the result of the case.”
recognized the Law Center for protecting
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