Alumni Spotlight
UH Law Center Mourns Former UH Law Foundation President Susan Bickley (J.D. ’84)
Susan Bickley (J.D. ’84), alumna of the University of Houston Law Center and a distinguished legal leader whose legacy of service, mentorship, and generosity continues to inspire the UH Law community.
April 6, 2026 - The University of Houston Law Center is deeply saddened at the passing of alumna Susan Bickley (J.D. ’84), co-chair of Blank Rome's Houston office, on March 30, 2026. Over a legal career spanning more than four decades, Bickley was known for her work as a civil trial and appellate lawyer, her leadership in the legal community and her commitment to legal education. She recently served as President of the UH Law Foundation.
“Susan’s life reflected a rare combination of professional excellence, superior emotional intelligence, public service, and heartfelt generosity,” said UH Law Dean Leonard M. Baynes. “Her influence on our students, our alumni, our faculty, our world-class facility, our Houston community and the legal profession will endure. The UH Law Center has lost a great friend. We all feel the pangs of her passing”
After completing her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Bickley received her J.D. from the UH Law Center in 1984. She went on to earn national recognition for her work representing clients in employment litigation, commercial and business disputes, trade secret matters, and the defense of claims against professionals.
In 2011, Bickley joined Blank Rome as a partner and played a key role in building Blank Rome’s Houston office along with key partners, including her husband, Robert Scott.
Bickley maintained a strong and active connection to the UH Law Center throughout her life. From 2006 to 2010, she served as an adjunct professor, teaching trial advocacy and mentoring UHLC students pursuing careers in litigation.
She was also a big supporter of UHLC’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Center. Bickley was a founder and contributor to the Blank Rome Energy Scholarship, which recognizes UH Law students for their scholarship in energy and environmental law. She was also instrumental in developing the annual North American Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Conference in collaboration with UHLC. Now in its 10th year, the conference is a leading forum for legal and industry dialogue on contemporary issues.
“Susan was a friend and mentor who led by example and paid it forward at every opportunity. Her dedication to EENR, the Law Center, and its students was unwavering. We will deeply miss her wisdom, her kindness, and her generous spirit,” said Gina Warren, A.L. Quinn Chair in Environmental Studies and co-director of the EENR Center at UHLC.
In addition, Bickley served on the board of directors of the UH Law Foundation since 2016 and as its president for 2023-2025. She and her husband chaired the UH Law Center Alumni Association’s Law Gala in 2015.
She was a major donor to the Law Center’s new building campaign and actively helped fundraise for it by hosting events in her home, advocating for the new facility with members of the Texas Legislature, and participating in numerous programs benefiting law students and the broader school community. Bickley also served as the liaison to the Dean's Society from the Foundation Board and is honored on the UHLC website as a “Dean's Society Leader.”
In recognition of her commitment and service to UH Law Center, Bickley received the President’s Award at the UH Law Center Alumni Association’s 43rd Annual Law Gala in 2019.
Bickley also believed in public service. She served as a past chair of the Houston Bar Foundation’s Board of Directors, and as chair of John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science. She was a member of the United Way of Greater Houston’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society, serving on the steering committees for its Women’s Initiative and Law Initiative. Bickley also volunteered with the Houston Bar Association’s Communities in Schools Sumer Legal Internship Program and received the HBA’s Justice Ruby Kless Sondock Award.
“Susan embodied the very best of what it means to be a UH Law alum. She was a leader, a mentor, and someone who gave selflessly of her time and talent to support others,” said Associate Dean for Alumni & Community Relations Sondra Tennessee. “Her impact on our students, alumni, and the broader legal community is profound, and her legacy will be felt for generations. She will be deeply missed.”
