Because of a recurrence of brain cancer and subsequent surgery, the Texas Tech School of Law arbitration team competed without one of its coaches at the American Bar Association’s national arbitration competition.
However, the team still found a way to win a national championship.
Walter Huffman, academic dean of the law school, said Murray Hensley left an impression on the competitors that showed even in his absence.
A team of four third-year students defeated Michigan State University in the final round of the American Bar Association’s national arbitration competition to become national champions Jan. 23 at Chapman University in Orange, Calif.
Courtney Stamper, a member of the team, said a coach from Creighton University approached the team and told them he could tell they were Hensley’s students just by the way they acted.
When the news of Hensley’s illness came to the attention of the team, he said, they decided to work even harder for their goal of victory.
“I was devastated when I found out,” Stamper said.
Even in sickness, Stamper said, Hensley strived to encourage and inspire the team to work for greatness.
“Even though Murray was sick, he still had a spirit,” he said. “He was still encouraging us to go to the competition and do our best.”
In a way, Stamper said, Hensley’s absence might have inspired the team to be more competitive and thus more successful.
“When Murray got sick, it wasn’t about what I wanted anymore,” he said. “It was about winning the championship for him.”
The recent surgery made Hensley unavailable to The Daily Toreador for an interview.
Huffman said although student advocacy teams have been consistently strong, this year has been the highlight of the program.
The success is a testament to the strength of faculty and students alike, he said.
“It says a lot about our faculty and the quality of the students we have,” Huffman said.
The competition is a key element in the school’s efforts to prepare its students for the practice of law, he said. In the 43 years the law school has been in operation student advocacy teams have acquired 22 national titles in various competitions.
“We’ve always had very strong student advocacy teams here, and we’ve done very well,” Huffman said.
Aside from the honor of victory and success, he said, students who participate in the advocacy program gain valuable lessons in dedication, hard work and integrity.
Rob Sherwin, director of advocacy programs for Tech’s law school, said the widespread success of student advocacy teams can be largely attributed to the collaborative effort of all who are involved in pushing toward a common goal.
Sherwin said the advocacy program’s success this year has been partly because of the involvement of faculty and the Lubbock law community.
“The faculty and legal community see the advocacy program as the crown jewel of the law school,” he said.
The advocacy program and recent national championship, Stamper said, are reminders of the quality of the education and preparation law students receive at Tech.
“I feel extremely comfortable walking into these situations and calling myself a student attorney,” he said.
One key factor in the success of the team, Stamper said, is the willingness of every member to work hard, prepare and execute.
“We were all willing to put in the effort and do the work,” he said.
Through involvement with the advocacy, Stamper said, students are bound to become prepared for a career in the practice of law.
“I wasn’t capable of any of these things two years ago,” he said. “Now, I feel very adequately prepared to face a court situation.”
Since the law school and advocacy program have done so much for him, Stamper said, it would be an honor to give back to them in the future.
“If I’m in any position to give back to Tech’s advocacy programs later in life, I will,” he said. “It’s not just an obligation, I want to give back to (the program).”
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