Page 38 - Briefcase Volume 36 Number 2
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FAMILY LEGACY:
THE KINGS
After completing his undergraduate education at Rice an everyday setting.”
University in 2011, Gregory King, Jr., returned to San Antonio Though King, Jr.’s tenure as a student added a special chapter
to work for a private equity firm. in the family’s relationship with the school, the Kings have long
About halfway through his tenure with Silver Ventures, King, been committed to the Law Center’s ability to produce capable
Jr., began to consider long-term career plans. He thought about and elite attorneys.
law school, and consulted with two people he was quite close to Greg and Leigh Ann made a recent generous donation to the
who have legal educations — his mother, Leigh Ann King, and Law Building Campaign and have been longtime supporters of
father, Greg King, 1985 alumnus of the University of Houston the Annual Law Gala & Auction and members of the Leadership
Law Center. Council of the Dean’s Society. Greg King was the recipient of the
He decided on a career in the law and was accepted into the Corporate Sector Achievement Award at the UH Law Alumni
Law Center Class of 2016. His parents still become emotional Association Awards in 2017 and sits on the board of directors
when recalling what it was like to watch their son follow in of the University of Houston Law Foundation. They also
their footsteps. previously sponsored the King Family Foundation Scholarship,
“It brought back a lot of great memories I had from my law given to first-year students based on academic excellence,
school days,” Leigh Ann said. “I was excited for him that he academic activities and leadership.
would have the opportunity to make great memories, learn from “I still feel an allegiance to our school even though it’s been
some of the same professors I enjoyed, and be in the carrels over 30 years,” Leigh Ann King said. “When you go to law
with his classmates. It made me more grateful to be a part of the school, you feel a strong sense of responsibility to make the
Law Center.” next generation of lawyers
“I was really glad be at least as good as
that he took a couple “Law school teaches you how to your generation.”
of years off after Rice “It’s a small thing to give
and went to work and think and gives you a unique way back to our school and
then chose to go to law to help others to attend
school and ultimately of looking at problems in life.” the Law Center and add
chose UH,” Greg King to the legal community
added. “It just made me in Houston and around
feel a closer connection the country,” Greg King
than I already had to the school. It was a very proud moment added. “We want the school to be better, and we feel connected
when he was accepted.” that way.”
Family history gave King, Jr. perspective on the Law Center, Leigh Ann uses her legal background through volunteer
but his choice to return to Houston was also because of the work and a number of philanthropic endeavors. She currently
vision he had for the kind of attorney he wanted to be. volunteers with Court Appointed Special Advocates in San
“I knew of the Law Center through my parents, which helped Antonio, a group that assists children who have been separated
me become comfortable with the school, but the school’s record from their parents by Child Protective Services.
and credentials speak for themselves,” King, Jr. said, “I always Greg King’s career began at Bracewell in 1985, where he
knew that I wanted to do transactional work as opposed to became a partner in 1993. He is currently managing partner at
litigation. Having gone to Rice in Houston and with the Law EnCap Flatock Midstream. King previously spent 15 years at
Center being the best law school in the city, it was a natural fit.” Valero Energy, beginning as an associate general counsel in 1993
King, Jr. currently works as an associate at KreagerMitchell and eventually serving as president from 2002–2007.
in San Antonio, a firm that specializes in corporate and health “I owe a great deal of credit for my career to the professors
care law. that taught me at the Law Center,” Greg King said. “I learned
“In terms of course work at the Law Center, I was always how to work hard and how to think about solving problems.
drawn to classes that were more transactional-based,” he said. All of the history of my career was set up with the combination
“That helped confirm the suspicion I had going into law school. of a finance degree from The University of Texas and my
“Law school teaches you how to think and gives you a unique J.D. from the Law Center. I couldn’t ask for a better set of
way of looking at problems in life. It’s fun to now apply that in circumstances.” ■
38 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER