The BeyGOOD Foundation, established by Grammy-winning icon and Houston native Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, has gifted $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) to support its Criminal Justice Clinic. This significant donation will enable the clinic to expand its reach and strengthen its commitment to providing free legal services to underserved communities.
Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center, expressed gratitude for the gift, emphasizing its transformative impact. “I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” Baynes said. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”
The Criminal Justice Clinic, one of nine in-house clinics at UHLC, offers students hands-on experience in criminal defense work while serving vulnerable populations in Houston. The funding will support a full-time faculty member and director for the clinic, allowing for greater student enrollment and increased community outreach efforts.
“The clinic provides a unique and valuable training experience for our students in how to navigate and work within the criminal justice system through client interaction, interviewing, counseling, negotiating, and oral and written advocacy,” said J. Anna Cabot, clinical associate professor and assistant dean of clinical programs at UHLC. “We’re teaching future attorneys not only legal and lawyering skills but also how to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the system so they can serve communities that lack options for effective and ethical legal representation.”
The clinic aims to address systemic inequities within the justice system. Research shows that defendants of color often experience worse outcomes compared to white defendants, and anywhere from 2–10% of incarcerated individuals in the U.S. may be wrongfully convicted—equating to as many as 230,000 people. With BeyGOOD’s support, UHLC plans to empower its students to tackle these issues while providing high-quality representation to those who need it most.
Eloise Brice, vice president for advancement and alumni at UH, noted the multifaceted benefits of the gift. “Our students will be able to benefit from practical, real-world experience and impart their expertise to members of our community who are in need of their services. We are so appreciative to the BeyGOOD Foundation for this impactful gift.”
BeyGOOD, launched in 2013 by Knowles-Carter, focuses on empowering communities through initiatives promoting well-being, economic prosperity, and justice. This latest donation aligns with the foundation’s mission and reflects Knowles-Carter’s enduring connection to her hometown.
“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas, and the nation.”
Through this partnership, UHLC’s Criminal Justice Clinic will continue to provide life-changing advocacy for individuals in need while fostering a new wave of socially conscious legal professionals.
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