Page 13 - Briefcase Volume 37 Number 2

FACULTY RETIRE FOURTH SEASON OF BRIEFCASE

RADIO

Briefcase radio, a partnership between the University of Houston
Law Center and Houston Public Media, returned with new broadcast
episodes on 88.7FM in September. Episodes air at 7:19 a.m. on Tuesdays.
Since its start in 2016, Briefcase has been informing Houstonians on
a variety of historical and contemporary legal issues. Hosted by Dean
Leonard M. Baynes, each one-minute segment typically features a Law
Center faculty member discussing a topic in their area of expertise. More
than 50 law faculty members have participated in the radio program.
“It has been a joy to do Briefcase,” Baynes said. “The episodes provide me
an opportunity to work with my faculty and to educate the public on the
law.”
The first episode of the Fall 2019 semester featured adjunct professor
D.C. Toedt, who provided an overview of how many online shoppers
give up their day in court. Other segments include recent changes in U.S.
(Left to right) Dean Leonard M. Baynes, Professor Richard “Rick” McElvaney, Professor Mi-
chael A. Olivas, and Robert Palmer (Not pictured: Professor William Streng) immigration policy with Associate Professor Daniel Morales, the George
A. Butler Research Professor, preventing homelessness with Professor
Four University of Houston Law Center professors retired in 2019 after Sandra Guerra Thompson, Newell H. Blakely Chair and director of the
a combined tenure of nearly 120 years in the classroom teaching the Criminal Justice Institute, and an episode tackling the age-old question
ins and outs of higher education, legal history, immigration, tax and of whether tomatoes are a fruit or vegetable.
consumer law. In 2018, UH Law Center won Gold in the Webcast/Podcasts category in
• Professor Michael A. Olivas, the William B. Bates Distinguished the Collegiate Advertising Award competition for the nation’s graduate
Chair of Law and director of the Institute for Higher Education school programs. The episode featured Professor Michael A. Olivas, who
Law & Governance, joined the faculty in 1982. He taught courses discussed entertainers like Aretha Franklin dying without wills. The
in Business Law & Immigration, Higher Education Law, and Briefcase radio program also earned a gold medal at the 2017 Collegiate
Immigration Law and Policy. From February 2016 until May 2017, Advertising Awards competition for its segment titled, “Spotting Fake
he also served as president of the University of Houston-Downtown News.” The featured guest, Amanda Watson, director of the O’Quinn
on an interim basis. Library and an assistant professor, provided tips on how to distinguish
• Professor William Streng, Vinson & Elkins Professor of Law between truthful or false information disguised as news.
(Emeritus,) joined the faculty in 1985 and taught courses in Federal
Income Tax, Corporate Tax, Estate Planning, and International LEGAL WRITING GROUP HONORS
Taxation.
• Clinical Associate Professor Richard “Rick” McElvaney, program PROFESSOR SIMPSON
director of the Center for Consumer Law and supervisor of the University of Houston Law Center Clinical
Consumer Law Clinic, joined the faculty in 2007. He taught courses Associate Professor Lauren Simpson was
in Consumer Law, Landlord and Tenant, Law Practice Strategies, honored with the 2019 Outstanding Service
Poverty Law Practice, and Texas Procedure. He previously practiced Award from the Association of Legal Writing
as a legal aid attorney for 20 years at Gulf Coast Legal Foundation Directors at its biennial conference in Boston.
and Lone Star Legal Aid in the areas of housing, consumer and Simpson, ‘94, who teaches Lawyering Skills and
bankruptcy law. Strategies, was nominated for her work as chair Professor Lauren Simpson
• Professor Robert C. Palmer joined the faculty in 1987. He was the of the ALWD By-Laws Committee. Simpson was
Cullen Professor of History and Law, a joint appointment at the commended for taking on a detailed overview of the bylaws to ensure
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences’ Department of History. consistency with recent substantive amendments, clarity in drafting, and
He taught American Legal History, English Legal History, History consistency with regulatory requirements.
of the Bill of Rights, Property, Readings in American Legal History, “We were thrilled to acknowledge Professor Lauren Simpson’s
Research in American Legal History, English Legal History, Early contributions and honor her as a 2019 Outstanding Service Award
European Historiography and Constitutional history of Late recipient,” said Jodi L. Wilson, president of the Association of Legal
Medieval England and France. Writing Directors in a statement. “Professor Simpson took a consistently
thoughtful and proactive approach to the work, and her efforts were
truly impressive.”

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