In this edition of P.S., we report that San Antonio native Cristina M. Rodríguez is set to make history as the first Latina to lead Yale Law School when she assumes the deanship on Feb. 1. Also, the San Antonio Legal Services Association has announced that Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby will serve as the keynote speaker at its premier fundraising event in April. And retired U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn, a trailblazer and mentor to many, will be honored with the Charles O. Galvin Award for Extraordinary Service as part of SMU Dedman School of Law’s 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards.
SALSA Names Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby as Keynote Speaker for 2026 Justice Luncheon
The San Antonio Legal Services Association announced that Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby will serve as the keynote speaker of its 2026 Justice Luncheon, scheduled for Wednesday, April 8.
The annual luncheon is SALSA’s premier fundraising event, bringing together attorneys, judges, business leaders and community advocates committed to expanding access to civil legal services for low-income Texans in San Antonio and surrounding counties.
Justice Busby’s selection highlights his long-standing leadership on access to justice initiatives across Texas, according to SALSA’s announcement. He serves as the Supreme Court’s liaison to the Texas Access to Justice Commission and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, where he has been a strong advocate for expanding affordable legal services and strengthening pro bono efforts statewide.
“We are honored to host Justice Busby, a true champion of access to justice,” SALSA Executive Director James Martinez said. “His record of service reflects the very best of the legal profession.”
SALSA mobilizes and supports volunteer attorneys to address critical civil legal needs, including housing and homelessness, estate and disability planning, and legal services for veterans. In 2024, the organization served 1,621 clients and logged more than 3,000 volunteer attorney hours, assisting hundreds of individuals and families throughout the region.
More details on the 2026 Justice Luncheon may be found here, including information for tickets, tables and sponsorship opportunities.
Texas Native to Become First Latina Dean of Yale Law School
Cristina M. Rodríguez, a native of San Antonio, is set to make history as the first Latina to lead Yale Law School when she assumes the deanship on Feb. 1.
Rodríguez was named the school’s next dean in December. She will become only the second woman to lead the prestigious school. She previously made history there as its first Hispanic tenured law professor.
A nationally recognized legal scholar, Rodríguez was appointed by President Joe Biden to co-chair a bipartisan commission in 2021 that developed proposals to reform the U.S. Supreme Court. She is widely known for her work in constitutional and immigration law and is the co-author of the 2020 book The President and Immigration Law.
“Cristina Rodríguez is a dazzlingly brilliant scholar, teacher and leader,” said Anthony E. Varona, who is a founding co-chair of the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Task Force on Law Professors and Deans. “Her appointment as dean of Yale Law School is a moment of great significance in American Latinx/Hispanic history and a powerful beacon of hope and inspiration for the legal profession and for future generations dreaming of a career in law.”
Rodríguez earned her undergraduate degree from Yale College in 1995 before studying at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. She received her law degree from Yale Law School and went on to clerk for Judge David S. Tatel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
Hon. Barbara M. G. Lynn to Receive Charles O. Galvin Award for Extraordinary Service
The Honorable Barbara M. G. Lynn will be honored with the Charles O. Galvin Award for Extraordinary Service as part of SMU Dedman School of Law’s 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards.
Judge Lynn, who retired from the bench last year and joined her husband’s law firm Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann, will be honored during the award ceremony March 5 in Dallas, according to the firm.
Judge Lynn’s legal career spans more than 25 years on the federal bench, including her service as chief judge and senior judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. During her tenure there, she presided over landmark trials and authored opinions that have helped shape national precedent and earned widespread respect.
Beyond the courtroom, Judge Lynn has been a trailblazer and mentor, leaving a lasting impact on the legal profession and the Dallas community.