As we mark Veterans Day on Friday, Nov. 11 this year, it is met with a mix of gratitude and reverence. We thank our veterans who have bravely put their lives on the line for our nation, and we remember the legacy of so many who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The Law Center’s history has afforded many veterans opportunities for fulfilling careers after they completed their years of service. Many of our graduates also served as Judge Advocate Officers (JAG), using their legal education in a military setting. Roles like these have sent our alumni around the world, providing them opportunities to work alongside attorneys and judges from different countries in addition to civilian and military lawyers.
Recent Census statistics indicate there are approximately 18 million veterans in the U.S., about 7 percent of the adult population. If seeking a legal education, the Law Center welcomes active-duty personnel and veterans. The Law Center also provides legal assistance since 2020 when the Law Center launched the Military Justice Clinic under the leadership of clinical adjunct professor Jason Marquez. The Clinic offers counsel and representation to members and veterans of United States military on a wide variety of legal matters that they may encounter within the military justice system.
As we pay our respects to these brave men and women, I would like to highlight the remarkable life of Benjamin Schleider, Jr., a member of the Law Center’s first graduating class in 1950. Schleider passed away on Oct. 1 at the age of 101, leaving behind a decorated military career and impressive credentials as a legal professional.
Schleider was a fourth generation Texan born in Brenham on Jan. 21, 1921. He graduated from Brenham High School in 1939 and then from Texas A&M University in 1943.After completing his undergraduate education, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and sailed with the Sixth Armored Division to Great Britain for training and deployment to France. From April 1944 to early 1946, he served as an Aide to Major General Robert W. Grow, the commanding officer of the Sixth Armored Division. He fought in Normandy, Brest, the Battle of the Bulge and through Germany.
Schleider was released from active duty in 1947 with the rank of Captain. But he continued to serve in the National Guard and Army Reserve, retiring with the rank of Colonel in 1975. He received the Bronze Star with First Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Meritorious Service Medal, five Bronze Battle Stars, and the German Occupation Medal. He also received the Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur, the highest French order of military merit, for combat service in France during the war.
During his law school tenure, he was elected President of the Student Bar Association. He was the first University of Houston Law student to take and pass the Texas Bar Exam, finishing third among test-takers in the state.
After practicing law briefly in his hometown, he returned to Houston and established a law practice that lasted nearly six decades. He was admitted to practice before the Texas Supreme Court, and the Fifth and Eleventh U.S. Courts of Appeals. He was a Life Fellow of the American, Texas and Houston Bar Foundations.
Marvin Nathan, a distinguished Law Center alumnus from the Class of 1966, provided a touching tribute to Schleider, who he considered a close friend and role model.
“Ben was an exceptional student, graduate and alumnus of the Law Center,” Nathan said. “He set the highest standard of professionalism and ethics for others who came after him including me. Ben was an outstanding attorney and Law Center icon. He served for many years on the University of Houston Law Foundation.
“He was a truly great and courageous man who served his country and community with integrity, loyalty, respect, and faith. I was privileged to meet Ben when I was a UHLC student, and I am beholden to Ben for his encouragement, support, grace, and kindness over a span of nearly 60 years.”
Schleider (back of jeep) serving in France during World War II.
|
Schleider’s legacy is outstanding, and I am proud to count him among the ranks of Law Center alumni. His military service and his work in the legal field demonstrate the significant contributions veterans make to society. On behalf of the Law Center community, I would like to send our deepest admiration and respect to our nation’s heroes on this Veterans Day.
Sincerely,
Leonard M. Baynes
Dean & Professor of Law
University of Houston Law Center
Share Your Thoughts with the Dean
Learn more about Dean Baynes
Follow on Twitter at @UHLawDean. |
