South Texas College of Law Houston, which is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year, recently appointed three distinguished individuals to its board of directors. These new board members bring a wealth of experience, expertise, and a shared commitment to the advancement of legal education and the pursuit of justice.
“We are delighted to welcome Regina Bynote Jones, Mitchell Katine, and Sharon Schweitzer to the South Texas Law board,” said President and Dean Michael F. Barry. “Their exceptional achievements and deep commitment to our mission make them outstanding additions to the law school’s distinguished board. We look forward to their invaluable contributions as we navigate the evolving landscape of legal education and continue to prepare our students for success in today’s legal marketplace.”
Here is more information about the new board members:
Regina Bynote Jones ’98: Chief Legal Officer, Baker Hughes
A highly respected global business and legal leader, Regina Bynote Jones has an illustrious career spanning more than two decades. She has held global roles in complex legal environments including assignments in Europe (Paris, France), Southeast Asia (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) and across the United States. With her deep understanding of complex legal environments, Jones brings invaluable insights to the board.
Prior to joining Baker Hughes, Jones served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for Delek U.S. Holdings, Inc., and Delek Logistics Partners LP. She previously worked with Schlumberger Limited, Dynegy Marketing & Trade, Shell Oil Company, and El Paso Energy in varied legal and information technology roles.
Jones has a demonstrated commitment to global and local stewardship and has previously served on the boards for the Houston March of Dimes, the Girl Scouts San Jacinto Council (Houston), Child Advocates, and the State Bar of Texas. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Sam Houston State University and her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law Houston, with an emphasis on computer and technology law.
Mitchell Katine ’85: Founding Partner, Katine Nechman McLaurin LLP
As a prominent advocate for social justice and equality, Mitchell Katine has dedicated his career to addressing systemic issues and promoting positive change for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community within the legal system. His expertise in civil rights law and commitment to inclusivity will greatly enhance the school’s mission to produce ethically responsible and socially conscious legal professionals.
After 20 years, including 11 as partner, at Williams, Birnberg & Andersen, L.L.P., Katine began a new practice with law partner John Nechman, which is now Katine Nechman McLaurin LLP. He concentrates on real estate law and handles employment and human resource matters, estate planning and probate, general and business litigation, as well as insurance, adoption, and disability (including HIV and AIDS) matters.
Katine is a community leader and advocate for many of the most marginalized in society. He is perhaps best known for serving as local counsel for John Lawrence and Tyron Garner in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case of Lawrence v. Texas, which created new paradigms in U.S. privacy law jurisprudence.
Katine received his bachelor’s degree in mass communications and public relations at the University of South Florida in Tampa. In 1982, he moved to Houston, where as an STCL Houston student, he served on the South Texas Law Review and graduated summa cum laude.
Sharon M. Schweitzer ’89: Founder, Access to Culture
An internationally recognized cross-cultural business expert, bestselling author, and entrepreneur, Sharon Schweitzer brings more than 20 years of leadership training and a unique perspective to the board.
Schweitzer has a successful career in the business world, and she has given back to South Texas Law as a guest speaker on key topics that help law students succeed after graduation. Schweitzer has expertise in domestic and global cultural differences and fosters an appreciation of diversity.
Access to Culture is a cross-cultural business consulting company founded in 2006 to assist highly motivated individuals, teams, and organizations in finding solutions to their cultural business challenges and strengthening global business relationships. The company is rooted in values that foster trust, inspire respect, enhance understanding, and shape empathetic leaders and organizations to build bridges across cultures.
Schweitzer is the author of the Amazon No. 1 bestselling book in International Business, Access to Asia. Her book also received a coveted Kirkus Star and was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2015.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from The Ohio State University and a certificate in legal history and humanities from the University of Oxford. She is on the board for the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library.
About South Texas College of Law Houston
In 1923, the YMCA established the law school to offer night classes for working professionals. Today, the independent law school in downtown Houston offers both full-time and part-time schedules to earn an ABA-accredited J.D. degree. South Texas Law provides an exceptional legal education featuring renowned faculty and nationally recognized, experience-based learning. The law school’s 16,000-plus alumni lead and serve with distinction as Texas Supreme Court justices, Fortune 500 CEOs, Tier 1 attorneys, state and national officials, judges, law professors and more.
