BAYLOR UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
1114 S. UNIVERSITY PARKS DRIVE
WACO, TEXAS 76706
Telephone: (254) 710-1911
Fax: (254) 710-2316
URL: http://www.law.baylor.edu
Baylor University School of Law is a private, ABA‑approved
law school and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Formally
organized in 1857, Baylor Law School is the oldest law school in Texas and is
located on the campus of Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
The Princeton
Review notes that "Baylor University is very small, very affordable,
and very difficult to get into. For students lucky enough to gain admission,
Baylor's unique, ultra‑intense, and 'tough' Practice Court Program is
arguably the best training ground in the nation for practical
lawyering..."
Baylor Law School indeed stands at the forefront of
practice‑oriented law schools nationally. Baylor is singularly clear
about its mission ‑ to equip students upon graduation to practice law
effectively and ethically. Students are trained and mentored in all facets of
law, including theoretical analysis, practical application, legal writing, advocacy,
professional responsibility, and negotiation and counselling skills.
The Law School is small by choice, with entering
classes of approximately 65 students in the spring, 30 in the summer, and 65 in
the fall. Baylor Law School has a target student population of 400. We keep our
program small because, at Baylor, we are interested in producing quality not
quantity.
Baylor Law School is first a teaching school, and one
of the few law schools in the nation in which the granting of tenure is
primarily based upon a professor's teaching effectiveness. Faculty members hold
degrees from law schools and universities throughout the nation. One of the
distinctive features of the faculty is that professors maintain unrestricted
hours for student consultation. Faculty members are experts in their areas and
have significant practical experience. They produce a significant amount of
legal scholarship, which results in their demand as speakers at legal
institutes and civic functions. They are actively involved in all intraschool
and interscholastic competitions. Every professor is available for lending
advice and guidance in all academic, professional and other matters of concern
to students.
The Law School's required curriculum is structured to
provide a logical progression for legal study from fundamental legal doctrine
in first‑year courses to increasingly more sophisticated and complex second
and third‑year courses. Ther challenging curriculum, along with the
opportunity to perform specialized lawyering tasks under the direct supervision
of accomplished lawyers, prepares students for the rigors of any type of modern
legal practice. Additionally, students have the opportunity to complete a more
concentrated course of study and training in six areas of interest: General
Civil Litigation, Business Litigation, Business Transactions, Criminal
Practice, Estate Planning, and Administrative Practice.
The third‑year required Practice Court program is
the finest preparation for trial practice any law student can obtain. Procedure
is the tool of the trial lawyer and Practice Court is an intensive study of
civil procedure. In addition to the science of procedure, students will learn
the art of trial advocacy in a rigorous program of skills training.
The Law School occupies an all new state‑of‑the‑art
Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center on the banks of the Brazos River which
opened in August 2001. The three story facility has a classic red brick and cut
stone exterior, with a very large, finely landscaped entry courtyard and
impressive river bank elevation.
The Law Center is a technologically advanced facility
that is designed to meet the needs of contemporary legal education. The new Law
Center was developed for America's top law students who are pursuing the best
practical legal education. The Law Center includes modern classrooms, practice
courtrooms, a magnificent library, faculty offices designed for mentoring, and
bright and spacious student areas.
Baylor Law School offers a stimulating variety of
enjoyable student activities and organizations that enhance the students' legal
education. Students can compete interscholastically with Baylor's nationally
recognized mock trial and moot court teams. Students can hone their writing and
legal scholarship abilities by being a member of the Baylor Law Review, which
is a legal periodical published quarterly by the students under the supervision
of faculty. Baylor Law School also offers a wide variety of "special
interest" student organizations focused on particular areas of law.
Employers value Baylor Lawyers for three reasons: our
graduates are more prepared....they're more polished and professional...and
they graduate knowing how to practice law. The Career Services Office, led by a
licensed attorney and Baylor Law Graduate, is one of the best in the country at
helping prospective graduates plan career strategies, identify job
opportunities, market themselves, and improve interviewing skills. Over 97% of
our 2002 graduates found employment prior to graduation or shortly after
passing the bar. Approximately 6% took employment outside of Texas. Over 200
national, regional, and local employers interview our students every year.
Baylor Law School is an institution built upon a
program of excellence. We adhere to a standard of excellence backed by a
dedicated faculty, supportive alumni, an outstanding curriculum, and exceptional,
hardworking students. It is a sure‑fire formula for success.
Dean:
Bradley J.B. Toben (254) 710‑1911
Admissions:
Becky Beck (254) 710‑4842
Financial Aid:
Heather A. Creed (254) 710‑7617
Library:
Brandon Quarles (254) 710‑4916
Placement:
Katherine Logue (254) 710‑1210
Alumni Affairs:
Heather A. Creed
Associate Dean:
Leah Jackson (254) 710‑1911
FULL TIME FACULTY
BRADLEY J.B. TOBEN, (Dean & Governor Bill & Vara Faye Daniel
Professor), born Richmond Heights,
Missouri, September 21, 1954; admitted to bar, 1977, Texas and Missouri. Education:
University of Missouri‑St. Louis (B.A., 1974); Baylor Law School (J.D.,
1977); Harvard Law School (LL.M., 1981). COURSES: Bankruptcy
& Debtors/Creditors. Email: brad_toben@baylor.edu
LARRY T. BATES, (Professor of Law), born
Minneapolis, MN, September 3, 1955; admitted to bar, 1983, Wisconsin; 1988,
Texas. Education: University of Minnesota (B.A., 1978); Marquette Law
School (J.D., 1983); Harvard Law School (LL.M., 1986). COURSES:
Commercial Law, Bankruptcy, Constitutional Law. Email:
larry_t_bates@baylor.edu
RONALD LYNN BEAL, (Professor of Law), born Monmouth, IL, July 7, 1953; admitted to bar, 1979, Minnesota; 1998,
Texas. Education: St. Olaf College (B.A., 1975); William Mitchell
College of Law (J.D., 1979); Temple University School of Law (LL.M., 1983). COURSES:
Texas Administrative Law, Federal Ad Law, Conflicts of Law Legislation. Email:
ron_beal@baylor.edu
MATTHEW C. CORDON, (Associate Professor of Law and Reference Librarian), born Charleston, IL, February 5, 1971; admitted to
bar, 1999, Texas. Education: Central Methodist College (B.S., 1994);
University of North Texas (M.S., 2001); Texas Wesleyan University (J.D., 1999).
COURSES: Legal Research and Writing. Email:
matthew_cordon@baylor.edu
WILLIAM JEREMY COUNSELLER, (Assistant Professor of Law), born Houston, Texas, September 12, 1974; admitted to
bar, 2000, Texas. Education: Stephen F. Austin State University (B.A.,
1996); Baylor University (M.B.A., 2000; J.D., 2000). COURSES:
Civil Procedure. Email: william_counseller@baylor.edu
HEATHER ANN CREED, (Director of Student Relations), born Indiana, August 22, 1975; admitted to bar, 2003,
Texas. Education: Taylor University (B.S., 1997); Baylor Law School
(J.D., 2002). COURSES: Taylor University (B.S., 1997); Baylor Law
School (J.D., 2002). Email: heather_creed@baylor.edu
MELISSA ANN ESSARY, (Professor of Law), born Lubbock, Texas, May 21, 1960; admitted to bar, 1985, Texas. Education:
University of Texas (B.J., 1982); Baylor University School of Law (J.D., 1985).
COURSES: Torts, Employment Discrimination Law. Email:
melissa_essary@baylor.edu
THOMAS M. FEATHERSTON, JR., (Mills Cox Professor of Law), born San Antonio, Texas, March 28, 1949; admitted to
bar, 1973, Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.B.A., 1971; J.D.,
1972). COURSES: Trusts and Estates. Email: thomas_featherston@baylor.edu
DAVID MICHAEL GUINN, (Louise L. Morrison Professor of Constitutional Law), born Cleburne, Texas, February 24, 1939; admitted to
bar, 1963, Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.A., 1960; J.D., 1963);
University of Michigan (L.L.M.., 1966). COURSES: Constitutional
Law, Civil Liberties, Local Government, Voting Rights. Email:
david_guinn@baylor.edu
EDWIN P. HORNER, (Professor of Law Emeritus), born Davis, Oklahoma, November 27, 1915; admitted to
bar, 1946, Texas. Education: University of Oklahoma (B.S., 1937);
Southern Methodist University (LL.B., 1948). COURSES: Contracts,
Oil and Gas.
LEAH WITCHER JACKSON, (Associate Dean and Professor of Law), born Waco, Texas, July 15, 1961; admitted to bar,
1985, Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.B.A., 1983; J.D., 1985). COURSES:
Federal Income Taxation. Email: leah_jackson@baylor.edu
KATHERINE A. LOGUE, (Director of Career Services), born Waco, Texas, April 27, 1962; admitted to bar,
1987, Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.A., 1984); Baylor Law
School (J.D., 1987). COURSES: Appellate Procedure. Email:
kat_logue@baylor.edu
ANGUS S. MCSWAIN, (Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law Emeritus), born Bryan, November 26, 1923; admitted to bar, 1949,
Texas. Education: Texas A&M University (B.S., 1947); Baylor Law
School (J.D., 1949); University of Michigan (LL.M., 1951). COURSES:
Property. Email: angus_mcswain@baylor.edu
ELIZABETH S. MILLER, (Professor of Law), born Rockford, Illinois, June 10, 1960; admitted to bar, 1985, Texas. Education:
Baylor University (B.A., 1982; J.D., 1985). COURSES: Business
Organizations. Email: elizabeth_miller@baylor.edu
MICHAEL D. MORRISON, (William J. Boswell Professor of Law), born Tampa, Florida, February 9, 1950; admitted to
bar, 1975, Oklahoma and Kansas; 1982, Texas. Education: Oklahoma University
(B.A., 1976; J.D., 1974). COURSES: Remedies, Immigration, Local
Gov't. Email: michael_morrison@baylor.edu
MARK WILLIAM OSLER, (Associate Professor of Law), born Detroit, Michigan, February 21, 1963; admitted
to bar, 1992, Michigan. Education: William & Mary (B.A., 1985); Yale
Law School (J.D., 1990). COURSES: Criminal Law. Email:
mark_osler@baylor.edu
GERALD READING POWELL, (Abner V. McCall Professor of Evidence Law), born Vernon, Texas, February 18, 1952; admitted to
bar, 1997, Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.A., 1974; J.D., 1977).
COURSES: Evidence, Trial Advocacy, Practice Court. Email:
gerald_powell@baylor.edu
BRANDON DAVIS QUARLES, (Director of the Law Library/ Associate Professor of
Law), born Fort Worth, Texas, August
30, 1968; admitted to bar, 1993, Texas. Education: Southwestern University
(B.A., 1990); University of North Texas (M.L.S., 1995); University of
Mississippi (J.D., 1993). COURSES: Legal Research. Email:
brandon_quarles@baylor.edu
MICHAEL R. ROGERS, (Professor of Law), born Hays, Kansas, April 23, 1950; admitted to bar, 1975, Kansas;
1986, Texas. Education: Texas Tech University (B.B.A., 1972); University
of Oklahoma (J.D., 1974). COURSES: ADR, Family Law, Securities
Regulation.
BRIAN JAMES SERR, (Professor of Law), born Pontiac, Illinois, December 16, 1958; admitted to bar, 1984,
Illinois; U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education:
Dana College (B.S., 1981); Washington University (J.D., 1984); University of
Illinois (LL.M., 1985). COURSES: Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure.
Email: brian_serr@baylor.edu
DAVID G. SWENSON, (George G. Kelly Professor of Law), born Belmond, Iowa, May 3, 1952; admitted to bar,
1979, Colorado; 1980, Illinois; 1986, Texas. Education: Iowa State
University; University of Michigan (J.D., 1978). COURSES:
Antitrust, Copyright, Intellectual Property, Negotiable Instruments, Sports
Law. Email: david_swenson@baylor.edu
WILLIAM ROBERT TRAIL, (Darrell L. Keith Professor of Law and Medicine), born January 6, 1947; admitted to bar, 1972, Virginia,
1977, Texas. Education: Michigan State University (B.A., 1969);
University of Virginia (J.D., 1972). COURSES: Contracts &
Professional Responsibility. Email: william_trail@baylor.edu
WILLIAM DAVID UNDERWOOD, (Leon Jaworski Professor of Practice and Procedure), born Ft. Morgan, Colorado, October 10, 1986; admitted
to bar, 1985, Texas. Education: Oklahoma Baptist University (B.A., 1982);
University of Illinois (J.D., 1985). COURSES: Civil Procedure. Email:
bill_underwood@baylor.edu
PATRICIA A. WILSON, (Professor of Law), born Fort Wayne, Indiana, August 18, 1960; admitted to bar, 1985,
Texas. Education: Purdue University (B.A., 1982); Northwestern
University of Law (J.D., 1985). COURSES: Property, Consumer
Protection, Client Counselling, Interviewing. Email:
patricia_williamson@baylor.edu