What drew you to the law?
When I was growing up, I argued with my parents a lot. They always said, “You’ll grow up to be a lawyer.” I didn’t know any lawyers, so I had no idea what it would be like, but I never considered anything else. Fortunately, it has turned out to be something I love.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I love seeing the light come on when students figure out how to put together a legal analysis of a problem, and they realize that they can be a success at this profession.
What do you hope students gain from your courses?
In my Cayman Islands class, students get to meet a large group of financial professionals and lawyers who do some very sophisticated transactions offshore. The students learn how to put those sorts of deals together — doing things like enabling a non-profit hospital to serve more clients by lowering its insurance costs. In my Due Diligence course, students learn how to figure out when the numbers in a deal are crooked. In both courses, students learn how real lawyers practice law from the professionals I bring in.
What did you do prior to entering academia?
I clerked for U.S. District Judge Barefoot Sanders and for U.S. Magistrates William Sanderson and John Tolle in Dallas. I also practiced in Texas Rural Legal Aid’s offices in Hereford and Plainview.
What are you passionate about outside of the law?
There are things outside the law? My family and doing things outdoors.
What are your research interests?
My research focuses on international financial centers like the Cayman Islands and the Channel Islands, and on regulatory issues involving the environment and energy.