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teaches at Georgetown and Yale law schools, was the keynote speaker JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS PLEDGE TO COMBAT
at the Houston Law Review’s 22nd Annual Frankel Lecture. BULLYING DURING ADL YOUTH SUMMIT AT UHLC
During his lecture titled: “The Right to Counsel in Texas Capital More than 300 middle school students and 60 educators from
Punishment Cases and Related Issues,” Bright referenced Texas, and eight school districts and 32 schools vowed to take a stand against
Harris County in particular, as the national leaders in executions. intolerance at the 2017 Beau and Abe Merfish No Place For Hate
He said the legal profession cannot tolerate incompetence in Youth Summit at the University of Houston Law Center. It marked the
criminal cases, especially in cases where execution is a potential second year that the ADL and Law Center joined forces to host this
outcome. event.
“A very large number of criminal cases have all the integrity of a “Hate is a destructive force and goes against our better nature as
professional wrestling match,” Bright said. “That’s because they’re human beings,” Dayan Gross, regional director of the Anti-Defamation
already rigged from the start because the person accused was not League Southwest Region, said in a statement. “Everyone should be
adequately represented or was not represented at all by the lawyer treated fairly, equally and with respect, irrespective of their gender,
assigned to defend that person. religion, race, immigrant status or sexual orientation.
“Progress has been made, but a lot more progress has to be made. “In today’s climate of escalating level of hate towards minorities, ADL
For those of you in law school and are going to be lawyers, you are plays a critical role where students and teachers can envision a more
going to have a monopoly on legal services, and you have a moral respectful America and break down stereotypes before they become a
responsibility to make this system work.” source of hatred.”
Additional commentators were Jordan M. Steiker, a law professor “I am proud of the Law Center for being able to host this event for the
and director of the Capital Punishment Center at The University of second straight year and spread the important message of standing up
Texas School of Law, and Lise Olsen, a deputy investigations editor to hate,” Dean Leonard M. Baynes said. “The Law Center embraces all
and senior investigative reporter at the Houston Chronicle. aspects of diversity, and bullying and prejudices go against the values
bestowed upon the legal profession.”
After an introduction in Krost Hall, students broke into groups
throughout the Law Center to further develop skills to identify and
interrupt bullying on their respective campuses.

Middle school students attend No Place for Hate Youth Summit in Krost Hall.