Professor of Law Brian Serr Named to the Louise L. Morrison Chair of Constitutional Law

WACO, Texas -

Professor of Law Brian Serr is appointed to the Louise L. Morrison Chair of Constitutional Law at Baylor Law. This Chair was most recently occupied by the late Prof. David Guinn, who retired in 2020. For 34 years, Prof. Serr taught the core courses in the law school’s criminal law and procedure curriculum. In the fall quarter of 2020, he took over required and elective core courses in constitutional law. In a testament to his dedication, when a colleague unexpectedly retired from teaching a core constitutional law course, Professor Serr stepped forward and voluntarily assumed the responsibility until a replacement could be hired. As a result, during the 22-23 academic year, Professor Serr has shouldered the heaviest teaching course load in the history of the Law School.

Baylor University has awarded Prof. Serr the designation “Outstanding Faculty Member,” and The Texas Lawyer once dubbed him the “Most Influential Professor” on the most highly regarded teaching faculty in Texas legal academia. Prof. Serr has been the go-to lawyer for the chief justices of the 50 states in a series of United States Supreme Court cases, including two cases involving constitutional challenges to how legal aid to people experiencing poverty is funded in virtually every state. The Conference of Chief Justices, composed of the chief justices of every state, selected Prof. Serr to author amicus curiae briefs in the so-called “IOLTA” litigation involving a constitutional attack designed to undermine the states’ funding of legal services to the poor. The nearly decade-long litigation ended with a Supreme Court decision upholding the states’ IOLTA programs, and Prof. Serr’s work earned him one of the ABA’s top pro bono awards.

“Professor Brian Serr’s unparalleled dedication to teaching, scholarship, and service has made him a highly valued faculty member for nearly four decades. His passion for constitutional law and commitment to mentoring students inside and outside the classroom has left an indelible impact on Baylor Law and the thousands of students he has taught,” stated Dean Emeritus Brad Toben. “The appointment of Prof. Serr to the Louise L. Morrison Chair of Constitutional Law is a fitting recognition of his unwavering commitment to education, his willingness to go above and beyond, and his exceptional contributions to Baylor Law’s academic community.”

Baylor Law currently has thirty-six full-time faculty positions and nine occupied endowed chairs.

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ABOUT BAYLOR LAW
Established in 1857, Baylor Law was one of the first law schools in Texas and one of the first west of the Mississippi River. Today, the school has more than 7,600 living alumni. Accredited by the American Bar Association and a member of the Association of American Law Schools, Baylor Law has a record of producing outstanding lawyers, many of whom decide upon a career in public service. Baylor Law boasts among its notable alumni two governors, members or former members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, two former directors of the FBI, U.S. ambassadors, federal judges, justices of the Texas Supreme Court, and members of the Texas Legislature. In its law specialties rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Baylor Law’s trial advocacy program as among the best in the nation at No. 2. The National Jurist ranks Baylor Law as one of the “Best School for Practical Training” and No. 4 in the nation in its most recent “Best Law School Facilities” listing. Business Insider places Baylor Law among the top 50 law schools in the nation. Baylor Law School received the 2015 American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award, making it only the third law school in the nation to be honored with the award since its inception in 1984. Learn more at baylor.edu/law

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more at baylor.edu