The luncheon will feature a panel discussion titled Celebrating 50 Years of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law: A Moderated Panel Discussion of Bowen鈥檚 Past, Present, and Future. The panel includes alumni from each decade of the law school鈥檚 history, offering reflections on Bowen鈥檚 legacy and its role in shaping the legal profession in Arkansas and beyond.

Panelists include R. Stark Ligon Jr. 鈥�75, former executive director of the Office of Professional Conduct and inaugural director of the Arkansas Supreme Court鈥檚 Office of Ethics Counsel; Justice Barbara Womack Webb 鈥�82, justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court; Michelle Ator 鈥�95, head of the medical malpractice group at Friday, Eldredge & Clark;  Antwan Phillips 鈥�09, partner at Wright, Lindsey & Jennings and at-large member of the Little Rock Board of Directors; Tamika Edwards 鈥�11, director of human resources at Southwest Power Pool; and Mallory Wood 鈥�25, who will soon join the Arkansas Attorney General鈥檚 Office in the criminal division.

The discussion will be moderated by Bud Cummins 鈥�89, who served as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas and now works as a mediator and legal advisor in private practice.

鈥淔or half a century, Bowen has equipped generations of lawyers who now shape the legal landscape of Arkansas and beyond,鈥� said Colin Crawford, dean of the law school. 鈥淭his celebration honors the lasting impact of our mission and the people who carry it forward.鈥�

Tickets are $25 and may be purchased online at through June 6.

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The gift, pledged by Judge Warren鈥檚 husband, James M. 鈥淏utch鈥� Warren, is intended to attract a working or retired judge to spend a semester at the Bowen School of Law as a fellow, teaching a course relating to his or her expertise, and organizing events to educate students and alumni focusing on a question of law related to the role of the Arkansas judiciary, or in an area of juvenile law.

鈥淎 multitude of honors have been bestowed upon my wife, Joyce, to celebrate her amazing legal career,鈥� said Butch Warren. 鈥淚鈥檝e often wondered how I could also honor her 鈥� and Bowen presented this opportunity to establish a jurist-in-residence fellowship in her honor. I am blessed to honor Joyce, the love of my life, in a way that will benefit others and add to all of the other 鈥榝irsts鈥� she has accomplished.鈥�

The legacy he speaks of is an extensive one as Judge Warren is one of the most decorated graduates in the history of the Bowen School of Law. In 1976, she became the institution鈥檚 first Black female graduate, and in 1977, she became the first Black law clerk for the Arkansas  Supreme Court serving Associate Justice Darrell Hickman. In October of that year, Judge Warren began serving as an assistant attorney general to former President Bill Clinton, the state鈥檚 attorney general at the time. In 1983, Judge Warren became the first Black female judge in the state when Pulaski County Judge Don Venhaus appointed her to serve as a juvenile court judge.

Continuing with her legacy of many firsts, Judge Warren is the first jurist to have an official jurist-in-residence fellowship program established at the William H. Bowen School of Law.

鈥淭his endowment will benefit both Bowen and the community at large,鈥� said Jonathan Q. Warren, the eldest son of the Warrens and a 2005 Bowen graduate himself. 鈥淯ndoubtedly, this will only reflect upon, recognize, and advance my mother鈥檚 legacy and influence; the name Judge Joyce Williams Warren will live forever at Bowen.鈥�

The Warrens鈥� middle son, Jamie Warren, said, 鈥淚鈥檓 extremely proud to have a mother who chose a life of service dedicated to helping children and families. This fellowship spotlights her as an enduring beacon of light.鈥�

Justin Warren, the youngest of the Warrens鈥� sons, expressed his thoughts: 鈥淭o me, the fellowship means my mom is a legal rock star. I can only hope to achieve the same heights in my career as she has in hers.鈥�

Judge Warren regards the fellowship as a beautiful and lasting tribute, for which she is immeasurably grateful. She also shared her excitement for the future of Bowen and the newly-established fellowship.

鈥淚 am ecstatic that other jurists will have an opportunity to be at Bowen and use their expertise to educate students and alumni.鈥�

The fellowship is expected to be funded over the next five years, and the law school aims to welcome its first jurist during the 2030 academic year. The gift is a part of the Centennial Campaign, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 largest fundraising effort to date, which aims to raise $250 million by its 100-year anniversary in 2027.

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糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law held its 11th annual alumni awards luncheon Friday, October 13, honoring three notable alumni for their contributions to the legal community, their commitment to public service, and the impact of their leadership within the state and beyond.

鈥淚n my first year as dean, it is an honor to be able to greet the Bowen community at the most important alumni event of the fall semester and to be able to celebrate our three remarkable honorees,鈥� said Dean Colin Crawford.

Kevin A. Crass received the Distinguished Alumnus award, the highest honor awarded to an alum by the Bowen School of Law. Crass is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group with Arkansas鈥檚 largest law firm, Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP.  He focuses his practice on significant, complex business litigation in federal and state courts, and he has also served as personal counsel to several of the State鈥檚 constitutional officers. Crass currently serves on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Board of Trustees, among several other important community involvements.

Judge Amy Dunn Johnson (鈥�02) received the Outstanding Alumna in Public Service Award. Johnson presides as a family judge for the 6th Judicial Circuit Court. Prior to her election in 2020, Judge Johnson was the Executive Director of the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission, which exists to provide equal access to justice in civil cases for all Arkansans. She also served as the CEO of the Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation and the Arkansas Interest on Lawyers鈥� Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program.

Cody McKinney (鈥�21) received the Emerging Young Alumni Award. McKinney is a Lieutenant in the United States Coast Guard serving as a staff attorney with the Coast Guard Office of the Judge Advocate General (JAG). During his time at Bowen, McKinney served in the mediation clinic and as an editor at both of the school鈥檚 law journals, among other activities.

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During the celebration, Bowen will recognize three distinguished alumni. Each was nominated by their peers for their contributions to the legal community, their commitment to legal education, and their leadership within the state.

This year鈥檚 honorees are:

The Honorable Joyce Williams Warren (Retired Circuit Judge) graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (糖心Vlog传媒LR) with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology in 1971. She started her law studies in 1971, and Warren holds the honor of being the first black female graduate of what is now the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Her graduation was the beginning of a career of 鈥渇irsts鈥� for this trailblazing alumna.

• 1977 – first black law clerk for the Arkansas Supreme Court, serving Associate Justice Darrell Hickman.
• 1983 – first black female judge in Arkansas when she was appointed as a juvenile court judge by county judge Don Venhaus.
• 1986 – first black female appointee and the first black chairperson of the Arkansas State Board of Law Examiners.
• 1990 – first black judge elected to a state-level trial court judgeship in Arkansas.
• 1993 – first black person elected to the Arkansas Judicial Council Board of Directors.
• 2010 – first black president of the Arkansas Judicial Council.
• 2011 – first female Chairperson of the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission.

Warren has served on two separate American Bar Association advisory committees related to juvenile and domestic justice. She has also served on the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Permanency Planning for Children Department Advisory Committee.

In October 2000, the Arkansas Coalition for Juvenile Justice named Warren 鈥淛uvenile Judge of the Year.鈥�

She helped create the Pulaski County Safe Babies Court Team in 2009, and presided over Safe Babies Court Team cases until her retirement. In 2014, the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges designated 10th Division Circuit Court, Juvenile Division, over which Judge Warren presided, as an Implementation Sites Court. That Court was also trauma-informed and trauma-responsive.

On December 31, 2020, Judge Warren retired from her position as 10th Division Circuit Judge, having presided over juvenile and domestic relations cases for over 31 years. She is a member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the Arkansas Bar Association, the Pulaski County Bar Associations, and the W. Harold Flowers Law Society. She is a board member of the Arkansas Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (JLAP) Foundation and the Arkansas Commission for Parent Counsel.

In June of this year, the Arkansas Bar Association and the Arkansas Bar Foundation chose her as “Outstanding Jurist of the Year.” She is the first black person to receive this award.

She was, and still is, an ardent supporter of appropriate evidence-based programs and services for children and families, and serves as a Judicial Consultant for ZERO TO THREE related to the Infant Toddler Court Program (ITCP).

Sherry Bartley entered law school as a non-traditional law student and earned a Juris Doctor with Honors from what is now the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 1979. During her time as a student, she served as editor-in-chief of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Law Review.

Upon graduation, she served as law clerk to Arkansas Supreme Court Justice John A. Fogleman. In 1980, she became an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. From 1983 to 1984, she served as Assistant Director of the Attorney General鈥檚 Advocacy Institute in Washington D.C. where she co-directed the training institute for all assistant U.S. Attorneys in the nation. Bartley was recruited to Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. as a trial lawyer, and in 1986 she was elected a member of the firm.

Throughout her career, Bartley has demonstrated her commitment to her profession and to sharing her legal knowledge. She mentors young attorneys in her firm and was an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at Bowen for over ten years. She has also served as an instructor at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and Arkansas Advocacy Institute.

Bartley has been a consistent supporter of legal aid in Arkansas. She has been both a pro bono attorney and a donor to VOCALS (Volunteer Organization of the Center for Arkansas Legal Services) since 1982 and has represented many low-income clients. Bartley served on the board of directors of the Center for Arkansas Legal Services (CALS) from 1990 to 1999, and served as board chair from 1994 to 1996.  In addition, Bartley served as the pro bono coordinator for Mitchell Williams from 1997 through 2020.

Bartley served on the Arkansas State Board of Bar Examiners from 1998 to 2004, serving as Chair in 2004. As a member of the Board, she wrote exam questions specific to Arkansas law and her area of practice. She also graded bar exams each time it was administered.

Bartley has been actively involved with the Arkansas Bar Foundation. since she was selected to become a Fellow in 1996 and served as President in 2004-2005. With her leadership and collaboration, she helped acquire the current location for the Arkansas Bar Center on Cottondale Lane.

Bartley served as a Director of the Arkansas Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Foundation from 1998 to 2004. She also has years of service and involvement in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Arkansas, Chapter serving as President in 2017.

Price Gardner earned his Juris Doctor from what is now the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 1988. During his time as a student, he served as managing editor of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Law Review. Following graduation from law school, he obtained an LL.M in Taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Gardner joined Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP, in 1989. In 2019, he was named managing partner. In 2021, the firm received the Olivia Farrell Gender Equity Leadership Award from the Women鈥檚 Foundation of Arkansas, recognizing the firm鈥檚 commitment to the values of equality and equity and its efforts in creating and fostering a gender-equitable business environment. Also in 2021, the firm created the Friday Forward Fellowship with the goal to increase the number of law school students from diverse backgrounds by providing financial aid to attend an LSAT prep course and a mentorship with a firm attorney during their undergraduate and law school careers.

A 1984 graduate of Arkansas State University and four-year letterman in football, Gardner continues to be actively involved with the university.  In 2017, he was appointed to the Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees by Governor Hutchinson. This year Gardner began his term as chairman of the board. During his term, he has overseen completion of the Henderson State University merger into the ASU System and the expansion of the board from five members to seven.

In addition, Gardner and his wife, Sara, have established the Price and Sara Gardner Pre-law Scholarship at Arkansas State University in order to help students who are interested in pursuing a career in law.

Gardner is recognized for his expertise in tax, real estate, and transactional law. Recent projects include the formation of Delta Peanut, LLC in Northeast, Arkansas, a farmer-owned peanut processing and marketing company serving more than 80 family farms in Arkansas, Missouri, and Louisiana, and the acquisition of The Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, LLC (CTEH) by Montrose Environmental in a transaction valued at $280 million.

He is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and a member of Fifty for the Future, the Arkansas and American Bar Associations, the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Arkansas Repertory Theatre Board, and the Red Wolves Foundation. He and Sara have two children: Megan Adams, a pharmacist at the Central Arkansas Veterans Hospital; and David Gardner, who will be a first-year law student at Bowen this fall.

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This year the will celebrate 45 years since the Arkansas General Assembly enacted legislation making it the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law. This also marks the law school鈥檚 55th year as the night program of the University of Arkansas Law School.

Event co-chairs are Michelle Ator (鈥�95), a partner at Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP, and The Honorable Dustin McDaniel (鈥�98), a founding partner at McDaniel, Wolff & Benca, PLLC.

鈥淚t has been two years since the alumni have hosted an event to raise money for Bowen due to COVID-19. Since then, our faculty and administration had to reinvent legal education using virtual technology for everything from staff meetings to classes to clinics. We should all be extremely proud of the creative and unwavering dedication they demonstrated during this unprecedented time,” McDaniel said. “Our current graduates will never know what it was like to practice before the advent virtual court rooms, and Bowen has prepared them for the future. I am honored to cohost this year鈥榮 Gala to celebrate the past 45 years of excellence at Bowen, and I hope that we all do what we can to support the amazing work our law school is doing today.鈥�

Although legal education has existed in different forms in Little Rock since 1868, it was not until 1975 that the Arkansas General Assembly enacted legislation making the Little Rock Division of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Law School into the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law. The legislation allowed the Law School to continue its part-time program but also to enroll full-time students.

The School of Law graduated its first full-time class in 1978. In 1992, it moved into its present location at the edge of MacArthur Park in downtown Little Rock and, in 2000, it became known as the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, in honor of its former dean, Bill Bowen.

鈥淔or almost half a century, Bowen alumni have had a positive impact on almost every aspect of life in Arkansas. Our alumni provide wise counsel in business, leadership in government service, and play key roles in helping all of us navigate the challenges of day-to-day life,鈥� Ator said. 鈥淭he importance of educating skilled, ethical lawyers to serve our communities cannot be overstated. The gala is a great opportunity to celebrate 45 years of achievement, to see old friends, and to support the success of the next generation of Bowen-trained lawyers.鈥�

The law school currently plans to celebrate at its 45^th Anniversary Barrister Gala on Friday, October 22. This exciting evening will include a cocktail hour, seated dinner, dancing, and presentations of the 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Any individual, group, organization, or board may nominate a Bowen alumna/alumnus to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award. Nominations must be made no later than May 31. The selection committee will choose three honorees from those nominations.

鈥淲e are excited to mark this occasion and celebrate Bowen鈥檚 history as Little Rock鈥檚 law school,鈥� said Dean Theresa M. Beiner. 鈥淥ur alumni are daily examples of Bowen鈥檚 core values of access to justice, public service, and professionalism. To us, they are all distinguished; but that would make for a very long ceremony.鈥�

Tickets for the 2021 Barrister Gala are $250 ($125 is tax deductible). Tickets and tables can be reserved by contacting Assistant Dean for External Relations Wanda Hoover via email or by calling 501-916-5425.

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Cynthia Aikman plans to practice in Bluffton, Arkansas, where she grew up and her family has lived for eight generations. Aikman owns a home there and spent weekends there during law school. She is active in the community and is working to retain and expand community services.

Aikman graduated from Bowen in 2018 and passed the Arkansas Bar Exam in 2019. During her last semester at Bowen, she volunteered over 200 hours as a Rule XV law clerk for the Center for Arkansas Legal Services. After she passed the baar exam, Aikman interned for 14 months with Robert Tellez at the Tellez Law Firm in North Little Rock, representing the firm鈥檚 clients in court while also representing Yell County clients pro-bono with the firm鈥檚 assistance. During that time, she developed her rural practice plan, gained courtroom experience, and improved the skills that would best benefit her community.

The law is Aikman鈥檚 second career. She retired from the U.S. Army at the rank of Major. After her retirement, she chose to go to law school, in part, because she was frustrated by the lack of services and resources available to her rural community. Her time at Bowen widened her perspective on the critical need for access to justice in her community.

鈥淭he rural, impoverished, and uneducated are discriminated against in nearly every aspect of their lives,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to assist my community, but I also want to educate its members in ways they can help themselves.鈥�

Aikman will focus her practice on the Fourche Valley, a 32-mile area with few amenities, no nearby facilities, no cell service, and no attorneys. The closest law offices are 30-60 miles away.

Aikman will open her own solo practice in Bluffton, and plans to base it on a legal aid model. If clients cannot pay for services, they will receive free or discounted assistance. She also plans to hold free legal clinics in her community. She has already held three such clinics since April 2019.

Abraham 鈥淪am鈥� Keefer plans to practice in Sharp County, Arkansas, focusing primarily on Cave City and Ash Flat. He grew up in Poughkeepsie, Arkansas, where he lives on his family鈥檚 farm.

Cave City does not currently have an attorney to serve its approximately 2,000 residents. Ash Flat has an aging attorney population, and local attorneys have already welcomed Keefer into the community.

鈥淚鈥檝e spoken to local attorneys,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淭he consensus is that a younger attorney is greatly needed in this area.鈥�

Keefer, who served in the Marine Corps from 2001-2006, graduated from Bowen in 2020 and passed the bar this summer. He鈥檚 not worried about starting a new firm immediately after law school. He sees his experience at Bowen as great training, having spent time clerking for busy firms and gaining mentors in both Little Rock and Independence County.

He also points to his training in law office management, his expected low overhead, and his situation on the family farm as reasons he believes his practice will be successful.

鈥淢y family and I are used to a student income and lifestyle. We鈥檙e committed to spending the next few years working to build a law practice.鈥�

He is excited about working within the incubator program to receive additional training and support from coaches and mentors other than the network he has cultivated.

Keefer is passionate about the Sharp County area and his fellow residents.

鈥淭he citizens of Sharp County need the help,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥�The law is something they generally avoid, not something they feel they can use for their own protection or benefit.鈥�

The Rural Practice Incubator Project is part of Bowen鈥檚 commitment to its core values of access to justice, public service, and professionalism.  According to the ABA鈥檚 most recent Profile of the Legal Profession, Arkansas has a ratio of 2.1 attorneys per 1,000 residents. Citizens in many rural counties have little to no access to legal representation.

鈥淲e are excited to welcome Ms. Aikman and Mr. Keefer into the incubator,鈥� said Theresa Beiner, dean of the law school. 鈥淭hey are passionate about the areas they call home and committed to helping their neighbors and fellow residents. We look forward to helping them achieve their goals.鈥�

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The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law has received a gift from Rose Law Firm as part of its 200^th anniversary philanthropic initiative. The law school will use the funds to create two public interest fellowships.

鈥淩ose Law Firm has been blessed to survive and thrive for two centuries. It is in that spirit of gratitude that we have committed to give back to our community in honor of our 200th anniversary. These gifts will benefit several legal aid, nonprofit and educational institutions in our state, including the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law,鈥� said managing member Robyn Allmendinger.

The public interest fellowship is an emerging initiative at Bowen. Through these fellowships, the school will provide monetary stipends to student fellows filling unpaid positions providing public service during the summer semester.  The program supports Bowen鈥檚 core values of access to justice, public service, and professionalism by providing opportunities for students who wish to pursue careers in public interest legal work.

Brian Rosenthal, member and chair of the 200th anniversary committee, stated, 鈥淲e are delighted to participate and support this new and exciting initiative. For nearly a half a century, the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law has served our profession and community. Both our firm and our state have been the beneficiaries of its well-trained students. Our donation is a reflection of the law school鈥檚 continued public service mission, which we hope continues well into the future.鈥�

The goal of the program is to increase students鈥� exposure and training in public interest work and thereby increase their post-graduation employment prospects in these areas of the law.

The law school will help students identify fellowship opportunities. Interested students will secure employment with the entity for which they wish to work. Once students are matched with a particular program, students will apply to the law school for funding. After reviewing applications, a law school committee will choose students for participation. Rose Law Firm鈥檚 gift will provide ten weeks of financial support for two summer fellows.

鈥淢any of our students attend law school to make a difference in their communities,鈥� said Theresa Beiner, dean of the law school. 鈥淲e are pleased Rose Law Firm identifies with this need and sees the value in supporting these opportunities. We are grateful for their support.鈥�

The law school plans to award the first fellowships during the summer of 2021 if public health considerations permit it.

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The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will honor outstanding graduates Ron Sheffield, 鈥�72 and 鈥�89, and Becky Blass, 鈥�73 and 鈥�82, with its Distinguished Alumni awards during a virtual ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23. 

Sheffield, a former associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, is the 2020 recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, and Blass, a special associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, will receive the Presidents Award.

The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Association annually awards the Distinguished Alumnus Award to a Little Rock Junior College, Little Rock University, or 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock alumnus. The award is reserved for individuals who have achieved extraordinary distinction in their chosen field and made special contributions to the community.

鈥淩on is known for his distinguished record of service to the people of Arkansas,鈥� said Christian O鈥橬eal, vice chancellor for university advancement. 鈥淎s a student at Little Rock University in the 60s, he helped to integrate the LRU baseball team. Later in his career, he became only the sixth African American to serve on the state鈥檚 highest court. Ron remains a visible and vocal supporter of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and of Trojan Athletics, where he is a fixture at most basketball home games.鈥�

After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Sheffield earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science and a Juris Doctor from the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Law School (now the William H. Bowen School of Law). In 2010, he was appointed to the Arkansas Supreme Court by Gov. Mike Beebe. His most important opinion led to the liberation of the West Memphis Three, the three young men convicted of first-degree murder of three boys in West Memphis in 1994.

He also served as head of the Arkansas Insurance Department, where he investigated complaints against insurance companies. This led to the establishment of a consumer division to expose insurance schemes that defrauded college students, farmers, and others. The division鈥檚 investigations resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue for those affected in Arkansas and the nation.

In 2004, Sheffield ran for lieutenant governor against Winthrop Rockefeller. He was the first African American in the school鈥檚 history to be inducted into the Lettermen鈥檚 Hall of Fame in 2014 as a baseball player. A .346 hitter who started in center field, Sheffield had a reputation as an outstanding hitter and base runner and earned NAIA All-District honors in 1971.

The Presidents Award was established to recognize 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock graduates who achieved success in their career, donated time and talents to their community, and remained in touch with their alma mater as a volunteer and resource person.

鈥淏ecky is a passionate advocate for the university,鈥� O鈥橬eal said. 鈥淪he is a tireless proponent for students and their involvement in campus life. She has dedicated her volunteer work to the Chi Omega Sorority as well as the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Association. Becky leans in so that students will have an experience that will make their time at the university the most memorable and meaningful. Whether it is finding the right spot to host a recruiting event, or raising money for endowed scholarships, you can count on Becky giving 110 percent.鈥�

Blass earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business and a Juris Doctor from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. A tireless supporter of scholarships, Blass was active in Chi Omega Sorority as a student and is still involved with the organization today. She was instrumental in establishing its first endowed scholarship and assisted in the sorority鈥檚 50th anniversary celebration in 2014. She is also the immediate past president of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors and has been a proponent of encouraging alumni to establish needs-based scholarships.

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A graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law is hoping his gift of nearly $270,000 will help other Arkansas law students complete their education.

Wylie Cavin III, a 1986 graduate of the William H. Bowen School of Law, has donated $269,000 to the law school. The gift will be used to create the Wylie D. Cavin III Endowed Scholarship for Bowen students.

鈥淭he law school has meant so much to me and my career,鈥� Cavin said. 鈥淚 knew I wanted to practice business law. With Little Rock being the capital city, I thought 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock would be the best place to learn business law, and that turned out to be true. I wanted to leave a legacy and give back to the school for everything it did for me.鈥�

To honor Cavin for his generous donation, the Bowen School of Law renamed the Dean鈥檚 Conference Room after Cavin during a Jan. 22 celebration at the law school.

鈥淲e are happy that Mr. Cavin has returned to Bowen for this occasion and are honored to receive his generous gift,鈥� said Theresa Beiner, dean of the Bowen School of Law. 鈥淭his gift will continue to benefit students by creating additional scholarship funds to help offset the costs of their legal education. We appreciate the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Development Office鈥檚 work with Mr. Cavin and Bowen to make this gift a reality.鈥�

Cavin, a Little Rock native who now lives in Austin, Texas, is a 1975 graduate of Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock and a 1979 graduate of Vanderbilt University with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration. After graduating from college, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and served four years of active duty aboard destroyers. He is a former commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

He graduated from Bowen in 1986, having served as editor-in-chief of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Law Review. He later served as an adjunct instructor of banking law at Bowen.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 forget where you came from,鈥� Cavin said. 鈥淏owen was a great experience for me. All the professors were down to earth and approachable. Hopefully, I鈥檓 returning some of what I received through my gift.鈥�

After law school, Cavin joined Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, PLLC, where he practiced corporate law from 1986 to 1995. In 1996, Cavin entered the banking industry by joining First Commerce Corporation in New Orleans. Cavin co-founded Red River Bancshares, Inc., a publicly-traded bank holding company, in 1999, where he worked until his retirement in 2010.

The scholarship will benefit full- and part-time Bowen students in good academic standing and can be used for tuition, books, fees, and room and board. Financial need will be strongly considered.

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Achievement is no stranger to University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law summa cum laude graduate Cara Tomlinson Butler. Making the highest score among all statewide participants on the Arkansas Bar Examination in July 2019 was just one of her many accomplishments. 

Between 2016 and 2019, Bowen honored Butler with 12 Top Paper awards, including awards in the subjects of constitutional law, contracts, federal income taxation, research writing and analysis, and professionalism and the work of lawyers. Bowen also selected Butler among the top 10 percent of students to serve on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Law Review Editorial Board as notes and comments editor.

Since graduating from Bowen in May 2019, Butler has been serving in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit as a clerk for Chief Judge Lavenski Smith. The Eighth Circuit has federal appellate jurisdiction over district courts in Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

鈥淲orking as an appellate clerk in the Court of Appeals has been a great learning experience,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淣ot only have I sharpened my skills, but I now have a good sense of what types of legal cases appeal to me most.鈥�

Next fall, Butler hopes to engage in public sector work, possibly civil litigation.

鈥淚 enjoyed my previous clerkships with the Arkansas Municipal League and state Attorney General鈥檚 office,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淚 look forward to expanding my opportunities to provide legal services for the public good.鈥�

Public service was the inspiration that originally drew Butler to the Bowen School of Law.

鈥淏owen has a big push for public service, which was a good fit for me,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淏owen is also a really special school. There are opportunities to clerk in the capital city of Little Rock. Gaining hands-on experience while you are still in law school is a rare opportunity. It鈥檚 a really special school, and I鈥檓 glad to be a Bowen graduate.鈥�

Butler is thankful for her professors at Bowen who helped provide her with opportunities.

鈥淧rofessors George Mader and Josh Silverstein have been very influential in shaping my legal writing, which is so important,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淭hey also helped provide me opportunities by writing letters of recommendation for clerkships, and I served as a research assistant for Silverstein.鈥�

Originally from Searcy, Arkansas, Butler graduated in May 2016 from Lyon College with degrees in English and economics before pursuing a law degree at the William H. Bowen School of Law, which she completed in May 2019.

Story by Catherine Beynon / Photo by Benjamin Krain

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