A NOTE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Leonard M. Baynes
William Y. Sim came to the law by a circuitous route. A native of China, he earned his J.D. at the then-Bates College of Law in 1969 and with it the distinction of being the first Asian American to graduate from the school. May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of those like Sim for their contributions to the nation, the state, the city, and the Law Center. The observance began in 1978 when President Jimmy Carter signed a joint congressional resolution designating a weeklong observance in early May. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush expanded the observance to the entire month of May. Although Sim was our first graduate, Asian/Pacific Americans today comprise about 10 percent of the student body and are represented among the faculty, administration and professional staff. Alumni are active supporters of the Law Center. For example, Sim served on the advisory board of the Immigration Clinic. These graduates also practice in every field of law, serve as members of the judiciary, hold political offices and serve on boards of non-profit and community agencies. Sim emigrated from China in 1952 via Hong Kong where he attended an English boarding school to become proficient in the language. His journey first took him to Kansas where he attended college and eventually joined the U.S. Army as a surgical nurse with the promise of citizenship after his two-year enlistment. Over the years, he waited on tables at a Chinese restaurant, sold Fuller Brushes door-to-door, moved to Houston in 1958, and earned a B.S. in Pharmacy at the University of Texas in 1962. He went to work for the nation’s largest pharmaceutical company and rose to become director of sales and marketing for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Corporate executives urged him to go to law school to prepare for being the first American businessman to enter the Chinese market when it opened to foreign trade. But, tired of constant travel, Sim opted to practice law in Houston instead of traveling the globe. Today, he practices immigration law at the Sim Law Office with his son and partner, Troy, a 1999 graduate of the Law Center. His daughter, May, a 1994 UHLC graduate, also practiced with the firm for several years. Sim’s success highlights the skills, initiative and perseverance that have taken so many Law Center graduates to the top of their profession. As we observe this special month, please take a few minutes to look through the slide show to learn about the accomplishments of other outstanding alumni of Asian/Pacific American heritage. Sincerely, |
