South Texas College of Law Houston (STCL Houston) alumnus Richard A. “Rick” Morris ’91 will argue before the U.S. Supreme Court Nov. 2, and he has engaged STCL Houston professors and law students as he prepares to appeal the important Houston-based First Amendment case.
When Morris, a partner at Rogers, Morris and Grover, LLP, received the rare invitation to present oral arguments before the Court, he immediately recalled the exceptional advocacy preparation he received at STCL Houston through moot court competitions in the early 1990s with his competition partner Rob Galloway, JD ’91. Moot court competitions provide an experiential learning opportunity where law students research, prepare and argue a legal appeal in a simulated courtroom setting. Galloway is now the law school’s vice president of advocacy, professor of law, and the W. James Kronzer Jr. Distinguished Professor of Advocacy. Because Morris has always prepared for court in the same way he prepared for competitions while a student at STCL Houston, he thought, “Where else would I go to prepare for the Supreme Court?”
Galloway is guiding the 20 students in his Appellate Litigation clinic to research the justices, to study past court decisions, and to practice the arguments for both sides – with active involvement by Morris and several STCL Houston First Amendment scholars. The case is Houston Community College System v. Wilson, and Morris represents HCC in this unusual First Amendment case that could have far-reaching implications. Case details are available here: https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/houston-community-college-system-v-wilson/
“South Texas takes pride in our robust experiential learning experiences, including our advocacy programs,” said STCL Houston President and Dean Michael Barry. “We are delighted another South Texas alum has this legal opportunity of a lifetime – and proud that our faculty and students are helping him prepare to stand and say, ‘Ready!’ when he appears before the Court.”
Morris earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas in 1988 and graduated summa cum laude with his juris doctorate (JD) from South Texas College of Law Houston in 1991. He and Galloway were both members of the 1990 National Moot Court Championship Team. Morris will argue before the U.S. Supreme Court Nov. 2 at 10 a.m. central, and everyone interested in this important First Amendment case can listen to live audio of his well-prepared argument before the Supreme Court. Click on “Quick Links” on the Court’s homepage: https://www.supremecourt.gov/. (Photo IDs: Top, Richard A. “Rick” Morris, JD; Bottom: Rob Galloway, JD)
