Thomas C. Newhouse
1935-2021
Sept. 2, 2021 - University of Houston Law Center Professor Emeritus Thomas Newhouse died on Sunday at the age of 86.
Newhouse received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, his J.D. from the University of Tulsa College of Law, and his LL.M. from the New York University School of Law. He was admitted to practice in Oklahoma and Texas and worked in private practice and as a public defender in Oklahoma before joining the Law Center's faculty as an assistant professor in 1966. He was promoted to full professor in 1973 and served as Associate Dean from 1975-78 and again from 1985-88. In addition, he served as President and Director of the Industrial Relations Research Association, Houston Chapter from 1988-90, and Director of the A.A. White Dispute Resolution Institute from 1992-1997.
Newhouse taught Alternative Dispute Resolution, Civil Procedure, Family Law, Labor Law, Mediation and Mediation Clinic. He retired from the Law Center in 2002 and became an Emeritus Professor. However, he still served as Course Director for the 40-hour Basic Mediator Training at the A.A. White Dispute Resolution Center. He was preceded in death by his wife Emma Newhouse.
Several members of the Law Center faculty provided their memories of Newhouse:
“Tom was a tremendous, and active, supporter of the Law Center’s advocacy program,” said Jim Lawrence, Executive Director of the Blakely Advocacy Institute, and Interim Director of the A.A. White Dispute Resolution Center. “He would always ask me, even after he retired, “How can I help?” Students who compete in the Tom Newhouse Representing Clients in Mediation Competition won’t know the extent of Tom’s contributions to the program, but they will always be able to experience Tom’s favorite mediation guidance, “Live in the question.” He was a great teacher and a great life-guide to me.”
“Tom was unfailingly kind and supportive to me in both professional and personal matters,” said Professor Emeritus Robert Schuwerk.
“Tom was a mentor and a true friend,” said Tasha Willis, a Clinical Associate Professor, Alternative Dispute Resolution Director and Mediation Clinic Professor. “I would not be at UHLC today were is not for Tom Newhouse and Richard Alderman. I shared many amazing times with Tom and Emma. Tom, Judge Frank Evans, Judge John Coselli, Judge Bruce Wettman and I began training together in the mid-1990s. Judge Coselli and I are the only part of that team left. But I will always chose to focus not just on what they taught me, but even more on the love and laughter they brought to my life. I will miss him now and always. I pray he is with his sweet Emma now.”
