Page 40 - Briefcase - University of Houston Law Center

IN

MEMORIAM
UH LAW CENTER REMEMBERS

PROFESSOR PETER LINZER

lumni, faculty, staff, former colleagues and friends remembered
AUniversity of Houston Law Center Professor Peter S. Linzer for
his love of life and ideas, his adamant support of younger colleagues
and other fond recollections during a virtual memorial held
in February.
“Peter achieved many accomplishments during life,” said Dean
Leonard M. Baynes. “He had a superior intellect, he was a First
Amendment absolutist, he was memorable and he had strong
opinions. Peter had a strong presence at faculty meetings and he
engaged in strong, lawyerly advocacy to get his points across. He will
be greatly missed.”
Prior to eulogies delivered by Linzer’s colleagues, attendees reflected
on their memories of him during a moment of silence.
Hon. Alvin Zimmerman ’67 was the first of several speakers to reflect
on the impact Linzer made on their lives.
“Things that impressed me about Peter were his joy for life, his Professor Peter S. Linzer
quirkiness and his quest for knowledge. He was a professional and
expert in every field that he taught. He wrote amicus curiae briefs that Professor David Dow echoed Duncan’s sentiments, and admired
were filed and accepted in the Supreme Court of the United States. how Linzer would encourage and seek opportunities for junior
“He was one of the most fervent advocates, both trial and appellate, faculty members.
for the ACLU. He had this adventurous mind that seemed to be on “The principal lesson I take away from Peter as a faculty member
full throttle all the time.” is that as a colleague, you can either do your best to nurture other
Professor Emeritus Laura Oren recalled her time as Linzer’s people, or you can ignore other people,” Dow said. “Peter was
suitemate at the Law Center, and how her exchanges with him and somebody who spent his entire career nurturing other people, and
others covered a vast array of topics. made other people better because of that.”
“I think of him most of all as a tremendous enthusiast,” she said. “He Linzer passed away on Dec. 13 from a long-term illness. He is
loved finding little things in the law, pointing them out and debating survived by a wife, son and grandson.
them. Peter had a lot of different areas of knowledge, whether it Linzer joined the Law Center faculty in 1983 as a visiting professor,
was the ability to read foreign languages fluently or history. He was serving from 1984 to 2020 as a professor of Contracts, Constitutional
enthusiastic not just for legal knowledge, but all kinds of knowledge.” Law, First Amendment, Torts, and Contract Negotiation
Professor Meredith J. Duncan ’93 reflected on her return to the Law and Drafting.
Center as a faculty member, and Linzer’s willingness to help. Linzer was a Life Member of the American Law Institute, chair of
“I remember my first faculty meeting very well,” Duncan said. “Peter the Contracts Section of the Association of American Law Schools
was kind enough to sit next to me, and he narrated and provided and a board-certified specialist in civil appellate law, Texas Board of
commentary throughout the whole faculty meeting. I learned very Legal Specialization. He served for nearly a decade on the Pattern
quickly what these meetings were about. Jury Charge Committee of the State Bar of Texas and was awarded a
Lifetime Achievement Award at the Eleventh International Contracts
“He was always very supportive of me. All of us who knew Peter Conference held in San Antonio.
know that he was larger than life. When I picture Peter, he always had
a Styrofoam cup of coffee in one hand and a stack of paper and books He authored many articles, book chapters and reviews on contracts,
in the other as he was dashing through the halls. Behind all of that torts and arbitration and served as a contributor on legal topics
was a man who had a brilliant mind, who loved teaching and loved his to radio and television programs in both Houston and Detroit on
students and loved the law.” contract and constitutional issues. ^

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