Page 55 - Briefcase Volume 38 Number 1

UH ALUMNUS DANNY M. SHEENA GIFTS $1 MILLION

FOR NEW JOHN M. O’QUINN LAW BUILDING

The University of Houston has received a $1 million gift “We are very proud of the accomplishments of alumni like
from alumnus Danny M. Sheena, founder of the Sheena Danny Sheena who have gone on to have successful careers
Law Firm, to support construction of the new John M. in law and business. We are also grateful for his vision,
O’Quinn Law Building, scheduled to be completed in 2022. belief and support of the Law Center and its future. His gift
In recognition of the gift, the planned moot courtroom is transformational and will enhance our efforts to complete
and dividable classroom space within it will be named an iconic new Law Center building for which we can all be
the Danny M. Sheena Courtroom; Danny M. Sheena proud,” said Leonard M. Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center.
Classroom; and Megan D. Sheena Classroom, named for Sheena’s connection to the University of Houston is
Sheena’s middle daughter who is a current student at the
UH Law Center. a family tradition. His wife, Shannon, received her
undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from UH
Construction of the $90 million ultramodern John while his oldest daughter, Lauren, is a 2020 graduate of the
M. O’Quinn Law Building will start this fall. The new UH College of Optometry. Megan just started her second
building will support a learning environment that expands year at the UH Law Center, and his youngest daughter,
student resources, enhances faculty recruitment, increases Hailey, plans to follow in the family’s UH footsteps.
engagement with industry and the community, and Danny Sheena credits his parents for instilling in him the
affirms that the school is investing in the future of its most importance of education and family values.
significant asset – law students. “The University of Houston provided my family and me

“The existing UH Law Center building was built over 50 with valuable education, which shaped our lives. We are
years ago at a time where no computers or cell phones very proud and blessed to be a part of the Cougar family,”
existed. I remember studying for my final exams in the said Sheena. “The combination of a UH engineering degree
underground study areas and thinking of the structural and a UH law degree created countless opportunities in a
components that went into designing the Law Center,” said place that I always considered America’s best city. My legal
Sheena. “As a UH engineering and Law Center graduate, I career led me to interact with thousands of diverse clients,
am happy that I can be a part of the new UH Law Center each with unique issues that I wanted to help resolve.
state-of-the-art building that will continue to provide This interaction led me to better understand the types of
students with an excellent legal education.” businesses that succeed and fail, the types of arguments

Sheena graduated from the University of Houston Honors that win and lose, and the issues that make a difference.”
College in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering Nearly $25 million has been raised through private
but was drawn back to campus years later to study law, philanthropy to help fund the new building which will
earning a Juris Doctor degree from the UH Law Center be located in the northeast corner of campus between
in 1995. He served as associate editor of the Houston Law University Lofts and the current law buildings. Funds
Review, a scholarly legal journal published by Law Center raised for the building are a part of the “Here, We Go”
students. Sheena founded the Sheena Law Firm in 2003, Campaign, the University of Houston’s first major system-
offering clients legal expertise in a wide range of practice wide fundraising campaign in more than 25 years. More
areas including business litigation, construction law and than $1.2 billion has been raised by the System to address
personal injury. key priorities, including scholarships, faculty support
The Danny M. Sheena Courtroom will have 6,200 square and strengthening UH’s partnership with Houston. The
feet of floor space with a seating capacity of 220 people and Campaign will end on August 31, 2020.
will provide a key forum where academic peers, prominent “The Sheenas are a true Cougar family and we are very
judges, lawyers and practitioners from across the country glad to claim them! Their gift will be a lasting investment
can convene for legal and policy symposia, conferences and in the future of the UH Law Center and of Houston,” said
social events. The courtroom and dividable classroom space Eloise Brice, vice president for university advancement.
will include state-of-the-art technology and audio-visual “The support and generosity of successful alumni, like Mr.
systems for courtroom proceedings, lectures, broadcast, Sheena, was critical to making the John M. O’Quinn Law
and recording. Building a reality.”

2020 BRIEFCASE 55