HOUSTON, Aug. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Texas-based law firm Gray Reed has created an endowed scholarship at the University of Houston Law Center in the name of the late James “Jim” McGraw, a 1979 UHLC graduate and one of Gray Reed’s founding partners.
Funded through a $50,000 gift from Gray Reed, the Gray Reed 40th Anniversary Endowed Scholarship will support second and third-year law students, with preference for those pursuing business or commercial law.
The scholarship represents a meaningful partnership between Gray Reed and UHLC, an institution with deep ties to the Texas legal community and a mission to prepare practice-ready lawyers. By investing in UHLC students, Gray Reed continues McGraw’s lifelong dedication to mentorship and excellence in legal education.
“The education of future legal professionals was always important to Jim,” said Kyle Sanders, Gray Reed’s managing partner. “We feel that supporting a place that meant so much to him throughout his life is a fitting way to carry on his legacy of cultivating the lawyers of tomorrow.”
McGraw, who died in recent years, was known among colleagues for his encyclopedic legal knowledge, mentorship, and the pocket-sized U.S. Constitution he carried everywhere. A summa cum laude graduate of UH Law, he served as executive editor of the Houston Law Review before launching a decades-long career in complex litigation, including environmental law, antitrust, and business torts.
After starting his career at Reynolds Allen & Cook, McGraw co-founded Gray Reed in 1985, where he shaped the firm’s culture and earned the nickname “the Professor” for his guidance to young lawyers. He also taught as an adjunct professor at UH Law Center, returning to the classroom to mentor future attorneys.
UH Law Center Dean Leonard M. Baynes said, “We are deeply honored by Gray Reed’s generous gift in memory of their founding partner and our distinguished alumnus, James ‘Jim’ McGraw. This scholarship will not only preserve his legacy but also empower future generations of UH Law Center students to follow in his footsteps.
A native of Houston, McGraw graduated from Bellaire High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin.
The scholarship comes as law students face rising tuition costs and tighter federal loan limits. UHLC officials say the fund will provide critical relief for aspiring lawyers while cementing McGraw’s influence on the profession he helped shape.
For more information or to request an interview, please contact Carrie Anna Criado, UH Law Center Assistant Dean of Communications and Marketing, 713-743-2184, [email protected] or Rashda Khan, Communications Director, 325-656-2824, [email protected].
About the University of Houston Law Center
The University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) is a dynamic, top-tier law school located in the nation’s 4th largest city. UHLC’s Health Law and Part-time programs rank in the U.S. News Top 10. It awards Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees, through its academic branch, the College of Law. The Law Center is more than just a law school. It is a powerful hub of intellectual activity with more than 12 centers and institutes that fuel its educational mission and national reputation. UHLC is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter for excellence in undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation’s fourth-largest city and one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse regions in the country, UH is a federally designated Hispanic- and Asian American-Serving institution with an enrollment of more than 47,000 students.
About Gray Reed
As a full-service Texas law firm, with a comprehensive range of litigation and transactional practice groups, Gray Reed’s 150 attorneys focus on understanding our clients’ businesses and industries. We are equipped to support companies and high-net-worth individuals with sophisticated legal needs. Through our subsidiary, Gray Reed Advisory Services, we extend our support with expert consultants who provide strategic business solutions tailored to each client’s objectives. Discover what sets us apart at www.grayreed.com and www.grayreedadvisory.com.
SOURCE University of Houston Law Center