With great respect and admiration, we enter Black History Month. As conversations continue to evolve regarding racial justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, we take this opportunity to pause and reflect on the progress made and the historic accomplishments of the Black community, but with acknowledgment that much work still needs to be done.

Black History Month initially started as a week of observance in 1915 by historian Carter G. Woodson, who is now known as the “Father of Black History.” February was purposefully selected because it’s the birth-day month of both Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass. What began as a weeklong acknowledgment has become a crucial cultural and societal observance.

Last year, we highlighted and focused on health law professionals in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, as we all collectively face the onset of the climate crisis, the topics of energy, the environment, and sustainability are more important than ever before. Thus, we want to bring to attention to those who are working in environmental and energy law. Among those talented professionals is University of Houston Law Center alumnus Chris Jones (1999). Jones currently serves as Vice President, North Central Regional Operations of Calpine Corporation. For more than 17 years, Jones has worked at Calpine, the largest generator of electricity from natural gas and geothermal resources in the country. He began as an Asset Manager venturing into various other roles, which ultimately lead him back to the corporate legal department as to a Regional Managing Counsel for Calpine’s 13 Texas plants then finally transitioned to Plant Manager before assuming his current role. One of his proudest career moments was being part of the team that helped design and construct the electrical service arrangement to the Space Center Houston in the Clear Lake area.

An electrical engineer and proud HBCU graduate, it was this background that propelled Jones to pursue energy law. In addition to his time at Calpine, Jones was a senior attorney at GDF SUEZ and a manager of transmission market operations at CenterPoint Energy. While a student at the Law Center, Jones was a part of Phi Alpha Delta and Mock Trial and a presenter for the International Intellectual Property Symposium (EU). He maintained full-time employment with CenterPoint while completing his legal studies as well as serving as an officer in the US Army active/Reserves/National Guard for 15 years. For Jones, it was his contracts class at the Law Center that he felt made the strongest impact on him and helped prepare him for his career. His most memorable moment in law school was a trip to Europe as part of a partnership with the University of Munich.

As we take this time to laud the incredible work and contributions of Jones, I would also like to call to mind other extraordinary alumni of the Law Center. Please take a moment to click through the slideshow to see more about other Black alumni who have made significant strides in their industries, be it in law practice, academic institutions, or other entities.

BHM Slideshow

At the Law Center, we don’t view Black History Month as only one moment in time. Rather, it is an opportunity to celebrate and contemplate the historic accomplishments of the Black community. As we reflect on these accomplishments, we are only more encouraged for the future and the societal obligation to lift underrepresented voices and create opportunities for all.

Sincerely,

Leonard M. Baynes
Dean & Professor of Law
University of Houston Law Center

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