Issue 15 - November 24, 2025

University Offices  Closed

Thanksgiving Holiday

11/26-11/28

Will reopen

Mon., 12/01.

 

Miracle on 36th Street

Food and Toy Drive through Fri., Dec. 12.

The St. Mary’s University School of Law National Trial Team dominated the competition this past weekend in Los Angeles, California, capturing the National Championship title at the prestigious National Civil Trial Competition — one of the top two invitational tournaments in the country.

The team of Taylor Thompson, Lauren Cortez, Paola Morales, and Isabella McEachern tried a case inspired by real-world headlines, involving allegations of wiretapping, death threats, and powerful figures in the entertainment industry. Preliminary rounds took place Friday, November 21, through Saturday, November 22, with each school trying the case twice as Plaintiff and twice as Defense.

Following a strong preliminary performance, St. Mary’s advanced to the semifinal round on Sunday, November 23, alongside UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern. In a razor-thin match up, St. Mary’s prevailed over UCLA to secure a spot in the Championship Round against the defending champions from Berkeley. By Sunday afternoon, the final verdict was in: St. Mary’s stands on top as National Champions. Additionally, Taylor Thompson was recognized as Best Advocate of the Final Round.

The team was coached by Jason Goss, Maritza Stewart, and Andy Vizcarra, with additional support from Meagan Ledesma. Deb Junek and student coach Juan Barajas traveled with the team to provide on-site coaching and guidance.

“When we brought these students onto the National Team, we made them a promise: that they would become National Champions,” said Associate Dean A.J. Bellido de Luna. “I’m proud that we kept our word. This championship means a great deal to our program, and with the talent on this team, I believe there are still many more accomplishments ahead.”

With this title, St. Mary’s continues to cement its reputation as one of the nation’s premier trial advocacy programs — and they are just getting started.

The St. Mary’s Trial Team traveled to Washington, D.C. on November 14–15 to participate in the American Bar Association’s Arbitration Competition, hosted by American University Washington College of Law. The ABA Arbitration Competition is a national tournament that simulates a full arbitration hearing, requiring advocates to give opening statements, examine witnesses, introduce exhibits, and present closing arguments before a panel of arbitrators.

St. Mary’s had three teams compete in the tournament: Team 6 of 2Ls Ariadne Fuentes, Daniel Garza, Sofia Guevara, and Eryn Mejorado; Team 8 of Grant Johnson, Elijah Leal, Bryant Norskog, and Samantha Perez; and Team 10 of Juan Barajas, Athina Castañon, Mathew de la Cruz, and Jayson Sowell. The teams were coached by Head Coach Deb Junek, Coach Misty Deatherage, and student coach Natalie Gamez.

The tournament brought together law schools from across the country. St. Mary’s had a standout performance, with Team 8 and Team 10 breaking into the elimination rounds and advancing to the Semi-Finals, placing St. Mary’s among the top-performing schools at the competition. St. Mary’s was one of the few programs to have multiple teams advance.

Congratulations to these outstanding advocates for their hard work, professionalism, and strong advocacy throughout the competition.

Congratulations to the Class of 2025. The School of Law commencement will be held Saturday, December 13, 2025, 1:30 p.m. in the Alumni Athletics & Convocation Center, Bill Greehey Arena.

For important reminders and more information: School of Law Fall 2025 Commencement

If you have any further questions or need assistance, please contact the School of Law at lawcommencement@stmarytx.edu.

There are many opportunities for private law scholarships, writing competitions, and awards for which law students may apply.

Students may also check the AccessLex Law School Scholarship Database to help law students find the right scholarships and writing competitions totaling almost $300 million in aid. AccessLex is a non-profit dedicated to increasing access to legal education,

Be sure to return weekly for new updates.

The Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America welcomes applications to its Sixth Annual Judicial Clerkship Opinion Writing Conference, to be held February 19-21, 2026. The conference is open to individuals who have accepted a 2026-2027 federal clerkship (Article III District Court or Court of Appeals only) or a 2026-2027 state appellate court clerkship. The conference will take place in person on our campus.  CSL will provide funding towards travel and accommodations.

Applications must be received no later than November 30, 2025. 

Details, including application information, can be found at the conference website:  ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­http://law.edu/JCOW 

Cooley LLP is offering a Diversity Fellowship for 1L law students, which includes a paid summer associate position plus up to $50,000 in tuition-assistance payments. Deadline for the 2025-26 cycle: January 9, 2026. Interviews and offers will be made on a rolling basis. Link: Apply & learn more → Cooley 1L Diversity Fellowship

As part of Cooley’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, Cooley is proud to offer diversity fellowships to outstanding 2L law  students. Award recipients will receive a paid 2L summer associate position and an award of up to $40,000 to assist with law school tuition. Link:  Cooley 2L Diversity Fellowship

                                    Apply to Cooley's Summer Associate Program

Cooley Direct is a way for law students to apply directly to our summer associate program on an earlier timeline. The application period for the 2027 summer associate program runs through February 16, 2026, with candidates considered on a rolling basis.

How to apply:

If you are interested in our general corporate or business litigation practice groups, apply here.

If you would like to apply to one of our focus area groups, such as intellectual property litigation, cyber/data/privacy, life sciences partnering or technology transactions, find the corresponding job posting here.

Please note:

Our 2027 summer associate program is open to law students with an anticipated graduation date of May/June 2028 (or December 2027).

Please only apply to one position/one office. If you are interested in additional office locations or specific practice areas, please include that in your cover letter.

If you have any questions, please email Cooley Direct.

The Nebraska Space, Cyber, and National Security Law Program is offering a Student Travel Award to support a law student’s attendance at the 2026 Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, from April 13-16, 2026. The award covers the cost of domestic airfare, hotel, and registration. (worth approximately $5,500) The Space Symposium is one of the premier events in
space policy, law, and industry, bringing together global leaders in space to discuss key issues shaping the future of space operations and governance.

The Nebraska Space, Cyber, and National Security Law program, known for its significant contributions and strong reputation, is a recognized leader in this specialized area of law. By funding a non-Nebraska law student to attend the Space Symposium, the program aims to extend its influence and foster greater interest in space law across the broader legal community. Supporting attendance at prestigious events like the Space Symposium reflects Nebraska’s commitment to cultivating a globally connected and well-informed generation of space law professionals. This initiative aligns with the program's mission to promote excellence and expand its impact on a national and international scale. Please see below for eligibility and how to apply.

Do you want to spend your spring break outside of San Antonio doing good? Registration for the Texas Access to Justice Commission's Pro Bono Spring Break is now open.  Spend your spring break across Texas getting up to 40 Law School Approved Pro Bono hours benefiting local Texans and helping them get justice. Possible sites include TRLA, American Gateways, Texas Advocacy Project, DVAP, and more.  Apply now as the deadline is December 5th at 4:00 p.m. CST. If you have any questions about cities, placements, or St. Mary’s Pro Bono San Antonio Spring Break, please contact Director Davies (pdavies2@stmarytx.edu) or Jose Guajardo (jguajardo@stmarytx.edu). 

For more information, visit https://www.texasatj.org/pro-bono-spring-break.

Follow us on Instagram and enter opportunity drawing for cool prizes!
Opportunity Drawing will take place on November 20th, and you’ll also be entered to win cooler prizes in the spring.

The Externship course is a pass/fail course where students can earn up to six (6) experiential learning credits a semester. The course allows law students to gain practical work experience at a nonprofit, government agency, or in-house counsel offices while completing a curriculum that builds key professional development skills. If you are interested, reach out to Director Rivas (arivas@stmarytx.edu) to begin the vetting process. 

To provide a natural replication of real-world consequences of failing to comply with professional responsibilities, if a student fails to meet the 10- or 20-hour pro bono requirement benchmarks, a notice of non-compliance will be placed in the student’s character and fitness portfolio. If a student fails to meet the 30-hour requirement by graduation, the student’s graduation will not be certified.

More information can be found on the Pro Bono Program’s Canvas page and pages 9-10 of the Student Handbook. Events are posted on CORE. Below is a fillable PDF of the Tracking Form, which includes instructions for submission.

All School of Law students are invited to visit and utilize the Goodness Sake Food Pantry! The food pantry is located near the Office of Graduate Law Programs in the Law Library and is open during Law Library hours. Come visit and see what we have to offer! 

School of Law students may continue to access the Rattler Den food and hygiene pantry located in the Center for Life Directions.

Need help with financial aid-related matters? You can meet with anyone on the Financial Aid by phone, in person, or via email.

Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed 12-1 for lunch) and Fridays 12:00 – 5:00 p.m..

Call them at (210) 436-3141 or via email at FinAid@stmarytx.edu.

Website: Financial Aid Office

Financial Assistance Links

Please visit the Graduate Degree Programs for more information.

If you are a Jewish law student at St. Mary's and are looking for an opportunity to engage with the San Antonio Jewish community, simply looking to connect on campus, or are just missing a home cooked Shabbat dinner, please feel free to reach out to  Robert Eichelbaum, Faculty in Residence, via email to reichelbaum@stmarytx.edu. 

The St. Mary’s University community is invited to attend weekday and weekend Masses on campus and at Holy Rosary Catholic Church throughout the semester.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday - 12:15 p.m., Reinbolt Hall, Assumption Chapel

Tuesday and Thursday - 12:30 p.m., Reinbolt Hall, Assumption Chapel

Saturday (English) - 5 p.m. - Holy Rosary Catholic Church

Sunday (English) - Noon - Holy Rosary Catholic Church

Sunday (Spanish) - 9 a.m. - Holy Rosary Catholic Church

Sunday (Bilingual) - 7 p.m. - Treadaway Hall, Guadalupe Chapel (Note:the evening Mass time has changed from 8 p.m. to 7 p.m.)

Sunday (English) - 11 a.m. - Reinbolt Hall, Assumption Chapel

Interested in a straightforward teaching of the Bible from the original languages?

If so, you are invited to attend Professor Jeffrey Addicott's "Bible Class." Classes are non-denominational and are held in the conference room at the Warrior Defense Project (LF102B) in Raba.

Class times are 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. each Sunday. Also, on Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30 p.m.  Each class is 30 minutes long and covers individual books of the Bible under categorical, isagogical, and exegetical teaching methodology. Bring your Bible.

For more information, contact Alexandra Fagerberg afagerberg@mail.stmarytx.edu.

 

NEED ASSISTANCE? LAW STUDENT AFFAIRS CAN HELP

Do you have an issue or concern, but aren't sure where to go? The Office for Law Student Affairs can help. Students may schedule an appointment with a staff member.

Common topics include, but are not limited to, adjustment to law school, financial challenges, illnesses, and notification of emergencies.

Alyssa Leffall, Assistant Dean for Law Student Affairs

Schedule a meeting: https://calendly.com/aleffall

Email: aleffall@stmarytx.edu

Dr. Monesca Smith, Director of Law Student Affairs

Schedule a meeting: https://calendly.com/msmith71-stmarytx

Email: msmith71@stmarytx.edu  

Please click this link  to access the following important School of Law notices:

Disclosure of Character and Fitness Issues (Law School Application Amendments)

- Includes link to form for submitting law school application amendments

Title IX Academic Adjustments for Pregnancy

Law Students with Disabilities

Inviting Dignitaries to Campus

COVID-19 Policy

St. Mary's University School of Law
The Catholic and Marianist University
www.law.stmarytx.edu