Joshua Lake, director of the Criminal Justice Clinic at the University of Houston Law Center
Oct. 21, 2025 — Earlier this year, Joshua Lake stepped into a new role at the University of Houston Law Center as the first full-time director of the Criminal Justice Clinic, a transition that built on his years of experience as a criminal defense attorney and his commitment to community-centered advocacy. His appointment was made possible by a gift from the BeyGOOD Foundation, a charity founded by Houston native, businesswoman, and multiple grammy award-winning recording artist Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. Since taking over, Lake has focused on expanding student opportunities and continuing the clinic’s commitment to providing free legal representation to Houstonians in need.
While his recent accomplishment marks a new chapter for the clinic, it also represents a return to the values that started his career— service and advocacy.
“I [always] knew I wanted to protect people's rights, but I didn't know how,” said Lake, the first lawyer in his family. “Thankfully, in law school I found my calling, internships, pro bono work, and my own time in a criminal justice clinic all pointed me in the same direction: criminal defense.”
Lake earned his juris doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was consistently placed on the Dean’s List and served as a staff editor for the Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, magna cum laude, from Texas A&M University.
Before joining the team at UHLC, Lake spent more than a decade representing clients at every stage of the criminal process. After beginning his career as a public defender in Colorado, Lake served as an assistant federal public defender in the Southern District of Texas, handling over 300 cases and arguing multiple times before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He later joined Khalil & Lake, a Houston-based firm where he defended clients in complex federal prosecutions and appellate cases.
“I have always considered it a privilege to represent people at one of their darkest hours, to treat them with dignity when society doesn't, and to tell their stories in and out of court,” he said.
As a professor of practice, Lake brings his professional experience directly into the classroom. “I have three primary goals for the clinic,” he said. “First, equip and empower students to serve as lead counsel in criminal cases; second, provide excellent, free representation to our clients; and third, serve as a trusted legal resource and partner for communities in the historic Third Ward and the rest of Houston.”
He believes community involvement is integral to both education and justice. “Entire communities experience the effects of the criminal justice system,” Lake said. “Community engagement through a law school clinic serves at least two functions: it educates the public and invites them to participate in justice, and it allows students to experience the visceral ways that criminal cases impact society.” Earlier this semester, the clinic partnered with Goodwill Industries of Houston to offer free legal services to those impacted by the criminal justice system, and more outreach events are planned.
Looking ahead, Lake says he’s eager to continue strengthening the clinic’s impact while mentoring the next generation of advocates who will carry that mission forward. “I’m honored by the privilege of leading the Criminal Justice Clinic,” Lake said, “and I’m thrilled to be at the University of Houston. Go Coogs!”
What excites you the most about leading the Criminal Justice Clinic?
JL: I am excited for so many reasons. How can I pick just one? But if you twisted my arm, I would probably choose the students. My entire career has been shaped by my own clinical experience years ago. When I was offered this job, my clinical professor was one of the very first people I shared the news with. I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to return the favor and play a role, however small, in my students' legal careers.
What lessons do you hope students will carry with them from this clinic?
JL: I hope that students leave the clinic with two main lessons, one practical and one philosophical. The clinic should equip students with the basic tools to litigate criminal cases, and it should help them develop a robust view of the myriad ways in which criminal justice impacts life outside the courtroom. Students should come away from the clinic better equipped to seek justice, no matter what field of law they enter.
Who is your role model?
JL: My mom. At age 40, she became a single mother, suddenly and unexpectedly raising me and my sister alone. Without missing a beat, she enrolled in a master's program, maintained a full-time job, and devoted countless hours to raising us. I don't know how she did it all. Through everything, she was a patient, encouraging presence in our lives, and I credit any success I've had to her support and her example during those formative years of my life.
What would students be most surprised to learn about you?
JL: I'll say that I'm secretly a gamer. I grew up playing video games and board games, and I've never really stopped. Now that I have young sons, I'm enjoying games from a new perspective, and we're always looking for new ones to play together.
