Bringing a law school to El Paso? What, like it’s hard? Not for a few El Paso lawyers who have taken a major step toward bringing a law school to The University of Texas at El Paso!
Tawney, Acosta & Chaparro, P.C. has pledged a transformational $5 million gift to support efforts to establish the long-anticipated law school in El Paso. The announcement was made during a celebration alongside UTEP President Heather Wilson and firm partners James Tawney, Alejandro Acosta and Daisy Chaparro Cavazos.
The donation matches a $5 million challenge grant previously committed by the Paul L. Foster Family Foundation, bringing the current total raised to $10 million.
Credit: University of Texas at El Paso
Credit: University of Texas at El Paso
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UTEP Law School Plan Is A Big Win for El Paso
El Paso leaders say the impact could be game-changing for the region because it could help keep aspiring law students here in El Paso instead of them having to leave the city to study.
For years, many aspiring law students in the Borderland, especially first-generation and Hispanic students, have faced barriers like cost, distance, and the need to stay close to family. A local law school would remove many of those obstacles!
“This is about access and opportunity,” said founding partner James Tawney, noting that students who study locally are more likely to build careers and give back to El Paso.
Credit: University of Texas at El Paso
Credit: University of Texas at El Paso
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UTEP’s Law School Dream Could Soon Be A Reality
A 2024 feasibility study commissioned by the Texas Legislature found that a UTEP law school would help address a growing need for legal services across the region and could become self-sustaining within a decade. Startup costs are estimated at $20 million, not including a facility.
“The legal community is answering the call to make a law school,” said UTEP President Heather Wilson. “Every day, I grow firmer in my belief: There will be a law school in El Paso one day – and it will be at UTEP.”
With continued community support, UTEP leaders hope to seek formal approval as early as the 2027 legislative session which will bring the vision of a hometown law school one step closer to reality.
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