Dean Brad Toben Honored as the 2023 Baylor Lawyer of the Year
Baylor Lawyer of the Year, Dean Brad Toben speaks at a reception at Ridgewood Country Club on Friday evening, May 19, 2023
WACO -
The Executive Committee of the Baylor Law Alumni Association proudly announces that Dean Brad Toben, JD ’77, has been named the Baylor Lawyer of the Year for 2023. This prestigious recognition highlights Dean Toben’s extraordinary accomplishments and unparalleled contributions to Baylor University, the Law School, and the legal profession.
The Baylor Law Alumni Association hosted a dinner honoring Dean Toben at the Ridgewood Country Club on Friday, May 19. The program commenced with a warm welcome by Associate Dean Patricia A. Wilson. The Honorable J. Rodney Gilstrap, Chief Judge of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, delivered the invocation, setting the tone for the evening’s celebration.
Brad and his wife Beth enjoy a moment during the Baylor Lawyer of the Year reception.
During the dinner, Associate Dean Patrica A. Wilson shared quotes from persons who had nominated Brad for Lawyer of the Year, “Dean Toben is the epitome of a Baylor lawyer. His life and career have been marked by a dedication to faith, family, our profession, and Baylor Law. It is hard to imagine someone any more deserving of the designation of Baylor Lawyer of the Year than Brad Toben.” She ended her remarks by noting, “The shortest letter we received simply stated in its entirety, ‘Brad Toben deserves to be the Baylor Lawyer of the century’.”
Brad’s wife of 41 years, Beth Toben, Assistant County Attorney of Limestone County, offered a heartfelt perspective on Brad, highlighting his dedication to Baylor Law and his deep abiding faith. Remarks from faculty member Jeremy Counseller, the current Abner V. McCall Professor of Evidence Law, followed Beth’s insights. Jeremy’s humorous comments highlighted Dean Toben’s outstanding achievements, unwavering commitment to legal education and practice, and trademark eccentricities. Prof. Gerald R. Powell, the Abner V. McCall Professor of Evidence Law Emeritus and recipient of the 2021 Baylor Lawyer of the Year award, followed Prof. Counseller. “He just has a big heart. And it’s precisely in the right place. Except for those portions of it that are reserved for his family, the rest of it is devoted to everybody else. He is a true servant in that sense, always trying to help others,” remarked Powell. “And that’s, of course, informed by his faith. You can see evidence of it in everything he’s done in his 31 years at Baylor Law.”
The pinnacle of the event arrived with the award presentation, made by the Honorable Christine A. Nowak, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Texas and President of the Baylor Law Alumni Association. The Baylor Lawyer of the Year title was officially conferred on Dean Toben, acknowledging his profound impact on the lives of thousands of Baylor Lawyers and his instrumental role in shaping Baylor Law School.
Following Judge Nowak's presentation, Dean Toben took the stage. He thanked those gathered and the Baylor Law faculty and staff for a delightful evening and noted, "[Baylor Law] is not simply distinctive. This school is unique. And that's a word I seldom use. We put our students first. […] Scholarship is important, but our students in the hallways, classrooms, and courtrooms are number one." He also noted, "We are an outlier because of the high bar we set for our students and because we have a powerful emphasis on service." Dean Toben ended his remarks by stating, "This honor is deeply meaningful to me. I am so touched, and you have my forever and undying gratitude."
Sheila Umphrey, the surviving spouse of Walter Umphrey, JD ’65, and John Eddie Williams, JD ’78, then took to the podium to offer a heartfelt toast to Brad and his 31 years of service to Baylor Law, emphasizing the importance that Dean Toben always placed on relationships and friendships, and how that focus always was evident in how he led the Baylor Law School over the years. The evening was further enlivened by a spirited rendition of “That Good Old Baylor Line” led by the Honorable Ed Kinkeade, U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Texas, capturing the enduring Baylor spirit that Dean Toben embodies.
Dean Toben has led Baylor Law through tremendous change while staying true to its mission and values. He has also been a significant voice in the national conversation about legal education. Over his 31 years as Dean, the Law School has risen to the top 50 US law schools as ranked by US News & World Report. Baylor Law is ranked #3 nationally for trial advocacy by US News, and Baylor Law’s moot court program is ranked #1 by the Blakely Advocacy Institute. Under Dean Toben, Baylor Law has continued its unparalleled success on the Texas bar exam.
Baylor Law undertook an impressive building and endowment campaign at the outset of his deanship. In 2001, the Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center opened on the banks of the Brazos River. In addition, he has raised the Law School’s endowment from less than $1 million to more than $180 million, which now ranks in the top 9% among the nation’s law schools on an endowment per student basis. His leadership also has included significantly expanding the Law School’s faculty and staff and sharply reducing the faculty-student ratio. His tenure has seen marked curricular and programmatic innovation and expansion. The Law School has established a vibrant pro bono and public service program that has won many awards from the ABA and other professional entities. Approximately 90% of Baylor Law’s current faculty and staff were hired during Dean Toben’s tenure. Above all, Dean Toben cares deeply about people – the students, the faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of Baylor Law.
During his faculty career at Baylor, Dean Toben’s academic interests have focused on commercial law and bankruptcy. He also has maintained active interests in constitutional law and public policy studies. He has partnered with a minister to teach a “Law, Public Policy, and Scripture” seminar course inspired by his lifelong interest in theology and its intersection with the law.
Texas Watch, a non-partisan advocacy group devoted to our 7th Amendment jury rights, has named Dean Toben its 2023 Champion of Justice. Dean Toben has been recognized for his “exemplary service and commitment to legal scholarship and the pursuit of justice” at an event in his honor by the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. He has served by appointment of the Governor of Texas as a Commissioner to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. Dean Toben is an elected member of the American Law Institute and has participated regularly in accreditation and membership inspections of law schools for the ABA and Association of American Law Schools. He has been active in the State Bar of Texas, especially in the bankruptcy specialization certification program. He also was previously of counsel to the firm of Dawson & Sodd. He is a Master of the Bench in the Judge Abner V. McCall American Inn of Court and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation.
In February, Dean Toben announced his transition as dean of Baylor Law School and return to the faculty, effective July 1, 2023.
Baylor Lawyer of the Year, Dean Brad Toben speaks at a reception at Ridgewood Country Club on Friday evening, May 19, 2023
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