Professor of Law Elizabeth M. Fraley, the Gerald Reading Powell Chair in Advocacy and Co-Director of the Executive LL.M. in Litigation Management, was honored with the Louise B. Raggio Award by the Dallas Women Lawyers Association (DWLA) at their Annual Awards Reception on October 24, 2023. The award recognizes Professor Fraley’s outstanding achievements as a trial lawyer, a legal educator, and an advocate for women in the profession.
The Louise B. Raggio Award is named after Louise Raggio, a co-founder of the Dallas Women Lawyers Association and a legal icon in Dallas. Raggio, who died in 2011 at the age of 91, is remembered for having served as the first female prosecutor in Dallas County and for playing a pivotal role in establishing the Marital Property Act of 1967, which gave married women the right to own property, obtain a bank loan, or start a business without her husband’s consent. Each year, the Dallas Women Lawyers Association bestows the Raggio Award upon a legal professional who exhibits the highest standards of professionalism and significantly contributes to the progression of women attorneys in the field.
Professor Fraley expressed her gratitude upon receiving the award, saying, “I am deeply humbled and honored to receive the Louise B. Raggio Award. Louise Raggio was a trailblazer, and to be associated with her legacy is flattering. I am grateful to the Dallas Women Lawyers Association for their continued dedication to promoting gender equality and for recognizing the importance of women’s contributions in the legal profession.”
Patricia Wilson, Interim Dean of Baylor Law, praised Professor Fraley’s achievements, stating, “This award is a testament to Professor Fraley’s commitment to training the next generation of Baylor Lawyers and women’s empowerment in the legal field. She is an exemplary role model for all our students, particularly our female students who wish to become trial lawyers. We are extremely proud of her achievements and the honor she has brought to Baylor Law.”
Professor Fraley, the Gerald Reading Powell Chair in Advocacy and Co-Director of the Executive LL.M. in Litigation Management, teaches in Baylor’s renowned Practice Court Program. She also serves on the faculty of Baylor Law’s Academy of the Advocate in St Andrews, Scotland, and works with the Law School’s mock trial teams. She is a frequent faculty member for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy’s Southern Deposition Institute and serves as a trial faculty member for the Notre Dame Law School Intensive Trial Academy.
Professor Fraley’s commitment to her students goes beyond the classroom, with countless alumni attributing their success to her guidance and support. Her influence extends far beyond her current students, making her an embodiment of the values recognized by the Louise B. Raggio Award.
Professor Fraley is an American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) member and has served on the Masters in Trial team. She serves as the National Board Representative for the Waco ABOTA Chapter and is a member of the Abner V. McCall Inn of Court, where she serves as a Master. She has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly annually since 2004, is a frequent CLE speaker and contributor, and is the author of the updated version of Texas Courtroom Evidence.
Baylor Law congratulates Professor Fraley on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for her dedication to excellence in legal education and practice.
Original source can be found here.