Baylor Law School Awards Two Jaworski Scholarships

by Julie Carlson, director of communications, Baylor Law School, (254) 710-6681

Baylor Law School has awarded two prestigious Leon Jaworski Scholarships to Ed Cloutman of Dallas and Amy Foster, a native of Wellington, Fla. The full-tuition scholarship, named for the Baylor Law alumnus who served as Special Prosecutor during the Watergate crisis, is awarded to incoming law students who have outstanding records in advocacy programs, such as debate, mock trial and moot court.

Cloutman received his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas where he majored in government and history and minored in sociology. While an undergraduate, Cloutman was a member of the UT Mock Trial team, serving as the A Team captain and vice president. He received the "top attorney" award at the Silver Flight Nationals and was named an "all American attorney" by the American Mock Trial Association. Cloutman also co-owns UT DJs, a deejay company that UT-affiliated organizations and events.

Although he had planned on eventually attending law school, Cloutman originally thought he first would teach high school history through the Teach for America program. But his mock trial coach persuaded him not to wait.

"My coach, Jamal Alsaffar, was a Baylor Law grad. He knew I wanted to be a trial attorney and convinced me that Baylor was the place to go. I knew I was in the right place when I heard the Associate Dean (Leah Jackson) give her welcome speech at orientation," Cloutman said. "My grandfather went to Baylor Law School. In fact, he was in the first class when the school reopened after World War II. He could not be more ecstatic that I am here. I feel lucky to be part of the Baylor family."

Foster received her bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri in Kansas City, where she majored in English and communication studies with a minor in classical and ancient studies. After her debate results in high school, she was recruited by UMKC to debate for the university. While at UMKC, Foster compiled an impressive debate record, including competing in the National Debate Tournament three times, taking second place at the prestigious tournament in 2007. She also was an active volunteer who worked on multiple Special Olympics equestrian events.

"I always have focused on law as my career choice. Many aspects of it are similar to debate. I probably want to be a trial attorney, but I also like research and writing, so I will leave my options open," Foster said.

Because of her debate background, Foster was familiar with Baylor, which is well known on the national debate stage. She arrived at the university more than a month before fall classes began to work as a volunteer coach with the undergraduate debate team.

"I hope I will have enough time to go to some tournaments and help coach, but I don't know right now," she said.
Leon Jaworski carved his place in history on Nov. 1, 1973, when he was appointed the Watergate Special Prosecutor. The talented Texas lawyer destined to play a leading part in the Watergate investigation had humble beginnings in the legal profession. Born in Waco on Sept. 19, 1905, the son of Polish and Austrian immigrant parents, he received his law degree from Baylor Law School in 1925 and at the age of 20, he was the youngest lawyer ever licensed in Texas. He "cut" his legal teeth during those early days with a Waco law firm by defending bootleggers during the Prohibition era.

But Jaworski became so skilled as a courtroom lawyer that he was soon hired by a prestigious Houston law firm and later became a managing partner of Fulbright & Jaworski, one of the nation's largest law firms. Jaworski became a leader in the legal profession and held the presidencies of the American Bar Association, the American College of Trial Lawyers and the State Bar of Texas.

In addition to private practice, he served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Department during World War II and was made Chief of the War Crimes Trials Section of the U.S. Army during the late stages of the war in Europe. He personally prosecuted the first major war crimes trial in the European Theater.

Jaworski maintained close links with his alma mater and presented a number of lectures there over the years, including a six-part lecture series he delivered in September 1980 on "The Lawyer in Society." Two years later, on Dec. 9, 1982, Jaworski died at the age of 77 after suffering a heart attack during a visit to his country home in Wimberly, near Austin.

He is memorialized at Baylor Law School by the Leon Jaworski Center, a major component of the Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center, and by the Leon Jaworski Office, a recreation of Jaworski's original Houston office, containing his desk and other furniture and personal artifacts. The items were donated to Baylor Law School by Jaworski's family and by the Fulbright & Jaworski law firm.

"Colonel Jaworski was so proud of his Baylor roots, and I know he would be very proud of our Baylor Law School today," said Baylor Law Dean Brad Toben. "The consistent successes that we have experienced in interscholastic competition have been made possible, in very significant measure, by the support of our outstanding student advocates by the Leon Jaworski Foundation through the Jaworski Scholars program. The Foundation's magnificent gifts indeed make a difference each year in our program and for these very talented students."