Alma L. López, Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals, has been selected as San Antonio College’s Outstanding Former Student for 2007-2008.  She will be honored at the San Antonio College Commencement Ceremony, to be held May 10 at 10 a.m. in Municipal Auditorium.

After she graduated from Burbank High School, Justice López said her parents insisted she begin her higher education at San Antonio College, which she attended from 1961-1963.  “San Antonio College gave me the foundation I needed,” she said, recalling that Dr. Truett Chance made a significant impact on her:  “He was an excellent professor.”

After earning a Certificate of Completion from San Antonio College in 1963, López graduated from St. Mary’s University with a B.B.A. and from St. Mary’s Law School with a J.D.  She practiced law for 25 years, twenty of those as a solo practitioner prior to being appointed to the court.  She credits her choice of the law as a career to her maternal grandmother, who noticed that even at the age of five she had the skills of a mediator and negotiator.

In 1993 when Gov. Ann Richards appointed her to the Fourth Court to fill an unexpired term, Justice López became the first Hispanic woman to serve on the Fourth Court of Appeals.  She was later elected to two full six-year terms and was appointed by Chief Justice Phil Hardberger to oversee appellate Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).  She was elected as Chief Justice in 2002, becoming the first Hispanic woman to be elected as Chief Justice of an appellate court in the United States.

She presently serves on the boards of the following organizations:  South Texas Higher Education Authority, Kids Exchange, St. Mary’s University Board of Trustees, St. Mary’s University School of Law Alumni Association, Dress for Success, St. Mary’s University School of Law Foundation Board, Hispanic Law Alumni Association, and Council of Chief Justices.  She is also a member of the Democratic Women of Texas, Mexican American Bar Association, South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, among other groups.  She is married to Emilio Cavazos, a 34-year veteran of law enforcement.

Some of Justice López’ many honors include the Mexican American Bar Association “La Unica” Award, St. Mary’s University School of Law “Pioneer” Award, National Association of Women Lawyers President’s Award for Excellence 2004, State Bar of Texas Women and the Law Section 2003 Sarah T. Hughes Award, San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, Outstanding Graduate – St. Mary’s University 2003, St. Mary’s School of Law Distinguished Graduate Award, La Prensa Newspaper Hispanic Heritage Award, and Who’s Who Among Outstanding Americans.  On January 15, 1996, the Mayor of the City of Laredo, Texas issued a Proclamation of “Alma L. López Day” in her honor.

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