HOUSTON – A lawsuit was filed by a neighboring university regarding the name change of Houston College of Law from the former South Texas College of Law.
The University of Houston Law Center filed the lawsuit against Houston College of Law, alleging that its new moniker creates confusion with its name. Houston College of Law stands firm that the name change doesn’t create confusion and that it will actually avoid confusion as its former South Texas name was not descriptive enough for its location in downtown Houston.
"The law school maintains its stance that it is on firm legal ground and is prepared to defend that position in court," Maya Fredrickson, senior vice president of advancement at the Houston College of Law, told the Southeastern Texas Record.
The Houston College of Law has said it doesn’t intend to suggest in any way affiliation with the University of Houston Law Center. The only change the Houston College of Law has made is to its name, keeping its school crimson colors that date back to the1960s and website design – only updating its logo where necessary.
The name change, according to the Houston College of Law, was the result of years of research.
“A name change has been under consideration for more than a decade and carefully studied for the last three to five years,” Fredrickson said. “An extensive study was undertaken by a national firm, which provided a recommended course of action. Thousands of alumni, members of the on-campus community, and leaders of the educational and legal community were interviewed in this process. A special committee was appointed to work through the findings and report to the board of directors. The recommendation was to change the name. The vote approving the name change was almost unanimous. The board’s decision was driven by the research results and long-term goals reflected in the law school’s strategic plan.”
Houston College of Law is the largest and oldest law school in Houston. It is the only law school in downtown Houston. The private school was opened in 1923. It continually wins award for its success including winning the American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition 15 times and being ranked as one of only three national laws schools consistently in the top 10 for trial advocacy by US News & World Report. It offers 16 subject matter clinics for its students, including a Veterans Law Clinic, a Patent and Trademark Clinic, and a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic.
“As Houston’s oldest law school, Houston College of Law has a nearly 100-year history and tradition of success in legal education,” Fredrickson said. “As the school honors its past, it is important to continue to evolve to meet the needs of current and future students. By strengthening the law school’s distinctive brand, the board of directors and administrators aim to bring increased awareness to the school’s unique location in downtown Houston, and better represent the school’s diversity and global impact, thereby bolstering its regional and national profile.”