Press Release

Contact:
Maggie Martin
Director, Marketing and Communications
O: 346-471-3428
maggiem@hba.org

Houston Bar Association Law Day Contest Winners Claim State Recognition

Four Houston area students placed 1^st and 3^rd in the statewide contest

(HOUSTON – April 18, 2023) Today, the State Bar of Texas announced the winners of its 2023 Statewide Law Day Contest. The Houston Bar Association (HBA) is proud to share that four of the Houston area students who took first place in the HBA’s own Law Day Contest also placed on the statewide level. They are:

1^st in HBA contest, 1^st in Statewide contest

• Nicholas Nguyen, Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Care Professions (Houston ISD) – Essay/Editorial Contest, Discourse Drives Democracy

• Luis Angel Gomez, Carver High School (Aldine ISD) – Photography Contest, Poor Hands

• Claire Montizaan, Willow Wood Junior High School (Tomball ISD) – Poster Contest (6^th-8^th grade), Assembling Democracy

1^st in HBA contest, 3^rd in Statewide contest

• Wren Schumacher, Hayes Elementary School (Katy ISD) – Poster Contest (K-2nd grade), Being Good and Talking About Safety

The theme of this year’s Law Day Contest was "Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration.”

“We are thrilled these students placed in the State Bar’s Law Day Contest,” said HBA President Christopher V. Popov. “It’s so exciting to see such bright young minds engage with the HBA and State Bar in these contests to share how they interpret the rule of law. It’s an important reminder of the legal profession’s role in building a future where individuals of all ages are civically engaged. As the nation’s fourth largest city, Houston plays such a huge role in sewing this rich fabric of our society.”

The Law Day contests are part of the activities leading up to Law Day on May 1, a national holiday established by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1958 as an annual celebration of America's heritage, liberty, justice, and equality under the law. The HBA and American Bar Association have sponsored and promoted Law Day since its inception 65 years ago.

The HBA has eight categories for its Law Day Contest, including Essay, Photography, Poster (K-2nd grade; 3^rd-5^th; and 6^th-8^th grades), Special Needs Photography; Special Needs Individual Poster Contest; and Special Needs Team Poster Contest. This year’s HBA winners were selected by a panel of 22 judges. For the full list of HBA Law Day Contest winners, click here. See the full list of the Statewide Law Day Contest winners here.

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The Houston Bar Association is a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys that provides education and service programs for the legal profession and the community. With over 10,000 members, the HBA is one of the largest metropolitan bar associations in the nation. Learn more at HBA.org.