Quarter-Century Celebration: Baylor Law School’s Dean Brad Toben & Associate Dean Leah Jackson Teague

Dean Brad Toben, Baylor Law School’s longest tenured dean, and Associate Dean Leah Jackson Teague are celebrating 25 years of leadership.

“Leah and I consider it a great honor to lead Baylor Law School,” said Dean Toben, who graduated with honors from Baylor Law in 1977 before earning an LLM from Harvard Law School in 1981. “Everything we do at Baylor Law is done because we have an invested team, with several of our faculty and staff serving longer than Leah and me.”

After graduating from Baylor Law School cum laude in 1985, Associate Dean Teague practiced transactional law at Naman Howell Smith & Lee, PLLC, in Waco. She later returned to Baylor Law in 1989 as an assistant professor. Then, in 1991, when Toben was named Dean, he named Teague Associate Dean within the year.

“Under [Dean Toben’s] leadership, we have greatly expanded our programs while remaining steeped in the traditions and values established by the past giants of Baylor Law School,” Associate Dean Teague said.

Developing curricula, expanding the transactional offerings, creating joint degrees and establishing the Leadership Development and Professional Development programs are some of the meaningful efforts that stand out to Associate Dean Teague as she reflects upon the past her 25 years.

“I attribute the success of these endeavors to the tremendous support of Dean Toben and our colleagues,” she said.

With keen foresight early on in his tenure, Dean Toben recognized the changing landscape and technological shifts in legal education, and the need for a larger, state-of-the-art facility for 21st-century Baylor Law students—a dream that became a reality in 2002, thanks to the generosity of Sheila and Walter Umphrey, Sheridan and John Eddie Williams, Harold and Carol Ann Nix and other prominent donors.

Among her chief goals, Associate Dean Teague will continue to position Baylor Law on the national stage, emphasizing leadership development and innovation in the legal market.

“As society evolves, it is incumbent on all of us to ensure that lawyers continue to play a critical role in shaping our future,” she said. “We must continue to produce graduates who have the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate the transforming landscape of the legal profession, to effectively serve their clients and to positively impact their communities.”