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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The South Texas College of Law is honoring four of |
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its most accomplished alumni at its Awards Gala on April 20, 2013; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Founded on April 13, 1923, the South Texas College |
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of Law is dedicated to providing students with an exceptional legal |
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education while preparing them to serve the profession and their |
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communities with distinction; as Houston's oldest law school and |
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one of the largest private law schools in the nation, it has |
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produced numerous graduates who have made outstanding |
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contributions to their communities and this state; and |
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WHEREAS, Four such individuals are Randall O. Sorrels, Ann |
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E. Johnson, Imogen S. Papadopoulos, and Gordon J. Quan, all of whom |
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bring great credit to the university in their professional and |
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civic endeavors; and |
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WHEREAS, The recipient of the prestigious Dean's Medal is |
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Randall O. Sorrels; a 1987 graduate, Mr. Sorrels is a managing |
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partner of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend, and |
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he has held leadership posts in such organizations as the Houston |
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Bar Association, the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, and the |
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State Bar of Texas; his many accolades include being named one of |
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the Top 100 Lawyers in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine and one of |
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the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the American Trial Lawyers |
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Association; he remains actively involved with his alma mater and |
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the Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics are named in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Ann Johnson of the class of 2001 is being recognized |
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with an Alumni Impact Award for her work in child advocacy law, |
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especially relating to juvenile victims of sex trafficking and |
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exploitation; in 2010, she successfully argued before the Texas |
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Supreme Court that minors under age 14 cannot be charged with |
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prostitution, which resulted in a landmark ruling in her young |
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client's favor that became a model for justice in other states; she |
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currently practices at the Johnson Law Firm alongside her father, a |
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1963 graduate of South Texas, and additionally represents victims |
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of bullying and harassment at schools; and |
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WHEREAS, Imogen Papadopoulos, a 1984 graduate and the 2003 |
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Distinguished Alumna, is receiving an Alumni Impact Award for her |
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many noteworthy achievements; a board-certified family law |
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attorney and mediator, she has won myriad accolades for her work in |
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behalf of children and families; among the multitude of |
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professional organizations that have benefited from her leadership |
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and expertise are the Texas Department of Family and Protective |
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Services Council, of which she is vice chair, and the Houston Bar |
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Association's Family Law Section, of which she is a former |
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president; moreover, she has served on the South Texas College of |
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Law Board of Directors and on the board of the alumni association; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Also receiving an Alumni Impact Award is Gordon Quan |
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of the class of 1977, who is co-chair of FosterQuan, LLP, one of the |
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largest immigration law firms in the country; his ardent concern |
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for the immigrant community led him to help found the South Texas |
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Asylum and Human Trafficking project, which operates in partnership |
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with his firm; he has been a member of the college's board since |
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2008 and presently is chair of the Texas Chapter of the American |
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Immigration Lawyers Association; he served on the Houston City |
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Council from 2000 to 2006 and was named one of the "Lawyers of the |
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Year" in immigration law in the 2012 edition of Best Lawyers in |
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America; and |
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WHEREAS, Exemplary of the highest ideals of their profession, |
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these notable Texans demonstrate the skill and dedication that is |
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essential to the practice of law, and this occasion provides a |
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fitting opportunity to recognize them; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the South Texas College of Law and |
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congratulate Randall O. Sorrels on his receipt of the Dean's Medal |
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and Ann Johnson, Imogen Papadopoulos, and Gordon Quan on their |
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receipt of Alumni Impact Awards from the college; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
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for the South Texas College of Law and for each of the recipients as |
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an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |