Texas A&M law school rising in rankings, and here’s how it benefits all of Fort Worth
Even in a city the size of Fort Worth, institutions matter.
They help bring us together, raise our sights, attract new residents and to define for the outside world who we are – and what we stand for. The pillar institutions of our community warrant our embrace, our encouragement and our support.
The annual U.S. News & World Report rankings of top schools recently recognized Fort Worth’s own Texas A&M University School of Law for yet another significant increase in its rankings. With a seven-point move this year, the law school has gained 30 places in the rankings over the last two years — and an unprecedented 100-plus places since 2014.
It also drew ahead of other leading Texas law schools, placing (for now) behind only those at the University of Texas and Southern Methodist University. Before our very eyes, our hometown law school has gone from good to great – becoming one of the leading law schools in the entire Southwest.
None of that should be surprising. The law school has invested heavily in bringing top-tier students to our community. It also has recruited world-class faculty and staff to Fort Worth – not only to train our next generation of lawyers and leaders, but also to provide direct support to the community.
Families with urgent legal-assistance needs, veterans deprived of their rightful benefits and low-income individuals needing support with their tax filings, as well as businesses seeking assistance with patent or trademark services or business formation needs: All have benefited from Texas A&M Law’s legal-service clinics. They are on the front lines of building the community to which we all aspire.
The law school also has been a leader in building relationships, especially around its fast-growing programs that train non-lawyers in the basics of regulation, compliance, and contracting. Among others, Texas A&M Law’s partners include Cook Children’s Medical Center, Lockheed Martin, Tarrant County College, Texas Christian University and the UNT Health Science Center.
Looking ahead, our community stands to gain tremendously from capitalizing on the success, engagement and downtown location of our law school. At the heart of our community, it can help educate not just future generations of lawyers but also a diverse array of professionals – doctors, hospital administrators, bankers, engineers, landmen and others.
As Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp shared with the community recently, the law school can anchor for Fort Worth a broader engagement with A&M. By building on what we already have in the law school, we can leverage Texas A&M’s programs of Tier 1 research, education and workforce development in agriculture, engineering, and healthcare. That will create a truly transformative engine of economic growth and development for the entire community.
For Fort Worth and Texas A&M, the law school can serve as a springboard to greater things. From enhancing excellence in the legal community and promoting diversity in all its forms to meeting the needs of the business community and advancing social justice, educational excellence, and public health, Texas A&M Law is among the pillar institutions of our community.
In building its success, we build ours.
Elaine Agather is central region head for JPMorgan Chase and co-chair of Fort Worth Now. Marianne Auld is managing partner of Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP and chair of the Fort Worth Chamber. John Goff is founder and CEO of Goff Capital Inc. and co-chair of Fort Worth Now. Brian Newby is managing partner of Cantey Hanger LLP and serves on the Fort Worth Chamber’s executive board.
