Houston fifth-grader Montoia Murray performing her award-winning speech at the University of Houston Law Center.
The University of Houston Law Center recently welcomed an extraordinary young voice to the John O’ Quinn Law Building: fifth-grader Montoia Murray, the only two-time champion of Houston’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Best Oratory Competition. She delivered her 2025 winning speech to an audience of UHLC law students, faculty, staff and friends.
Montoia Murray receives a standing ovation at the end of her speech, which won the 2025 MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
Although Montoia is 11 years old, her voice and wisdom are far beyond her years.
"America," she said, her voice clear and strong, "needs CPR."
"Just like the heart needs surgery when it is damaged or weak, the heartbeat of America requires care when it is out of sync and filled with hateful rhetoric," Montoia said going through the motions of performing CPR. "C! Call on God to uphold justice ... P! Promote peace among all people. In a world fractured by division, Dr. King would implore us to build bridges, not walls. R! Righteousness living required."
Montoia started with a simple question: “What would Dr. King say if he were here today?” She and other fourth- and fifth-graders from Houston ISD elementary schools researched, wrote, and practiced their speeches about two months before the final competition. She credited her teachers at Blackshear Elementary, especially Rhonda Miller-Eaglin, for their support.
UH Law Center Dean Leonard M. Baynes, a long-time judge for the oratory competition and an advocate of making legal education accessible for all, wanted to celebrate Montoia and encourage her growth. “It’s really important for us to have her here to give her presentation, but also for her to see what we do,” he said. “I want Montoia and others to know that law is a possible career choice.”
Executive Director Amy Hawk with UHLC’s Blakely Advocacy Institute, which supports the school’s award-winning mock trial, moot court, and alternative dispute resolution teams, shared how law students regularly learn, compete and succeed on national and international contests, from Houston to Hong Kong. “We have classes that teach you how to do a trial, negotiate a deal or mediate a case,” she said. “We have classes that teach you how to speak before the Supreme Court.”
Cailley Vaughan, a 2L student and member of UHLC’s nationally recognized mock trial team, with Montoia Murray, two-time MLK Jr. Oratory Competition champion.
To give Montoia and others a glimpse of what those skills look like in action, Cailley Vaughan, a second-year UHLC student and member of the Law Center’s nationally recognized mock trial team, performed an excerpt from an opening statement she used in the American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, where her team was a finalist.
Cailley’s opening statement involved a car crashing into the rear of a stalled 18-wheeler between a highway lane and the exit. Her compelling delivery transported the audience into the mindset of the driver of the 18-wheeler — demonstrating how the skills honed in competitions like the MLK Best Oratory competition could translate to a legal career.
During the Q&A session, Montoia and Cailley exchanged notes on how they prepared for their competitions. The key was to practice – a lot, …work hard and keep going. “Even though it’s stressful, keep going,” Montoia said. “And believe in yourself.”
The MLK Jr. Best Oratory Competition, sponsored by Foley & Lardner LLP for 29 years, showcases talented young people in the Houston, Dallas and Chicago communities.
“We give [students] a different topic each year,” said Scott Ellis (J.D. ’06), managing partner at Foley & Lardner, who attended the event. “The topic is…related to the celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King to think about how he impacted all of us here today.”
Montoia’s visit wasn’t just an inspiring moment — it was a concrete example of UHLC’s commitment to bridging the gap between the classroom and the community. It underscored the Law Center’s ongoing mission: to empower voices, shape future leaders, and champion the pursuit of justice, one student at a time.
Montoia Murray (front) with (L to R) her father, Shawn Murray, Dean Leonard Baynes, Professor Katherine Brem, Professor Amy Hawk and Scott Ellis with Foley & Lardner LLP.
