

From remaining: Amy Tu and Leana Houston
The U of A University of Law Women’s Legislation Student Affiliation, acknowledged as WLSA to law faculty college students and alumni, will honor Amy Tu J.D.’96 and Leana Houston J.D.’92 with the Gayle Pettus Pontz Award.
They will be celebrated and recognized at the Law Alumni Reunion Award Dinner on April 9. Houston and Tu are the 2021 and 2022 awardees, respectively.
Each individual year, students determine females who market WLSA’s aims of serving to women thrive in regulation school, building a local community that will elevate recognition of women’s concerns and advancing females in the authorized profession. The honor recognizes all those who best signify the achievements of females and the lawful neighborhood as a whole.
The Gayle Pettus Pontz Award was established in 1985 to honor the very first girl graduate of the U of A College of Law. Pontz LL.B.’37 was also the award’s initial receiver. Right after law faculty, Pontz returned to her native Louisiana, the place she served as the state’s initial female Assistant U.S. Lawyer. She was a regulation clerk for the Louisiana Supreme Courtroom in New Orleans and the Louisiana Second Circuit Courtroom of Attractiveness in Shreveport. She retired from the 2nd Circuit Court in 1978.
AMY TU
Amy Tu is the main authorized officer and secretary at Tyson Foodstuff, exactly where she potential customers the group that manages the organization’s most considerable dangers and leverages its most significant possibilities. Her International Governance and Corporate Affairs corporation comprises just about 5,000 staff associates throughout 10 capabilities and a lot of regions of knowledge. She oversees the lawful, governing administration affairs, company communications, ethics and compliance, audit products and services, health and fitness and protection, food stuff security and good quality assurance, surroundings, company solutions and aviation features.
Tu joined Tyson Foodstuff from The Boeing Firm, where by she held progressive management positions in regulation and corporate progress and strategy departments. She served as main counsel for Boeing world wide regulation affairs, commercial airplanes and aviation providers divisions, supporting many organization and purposeful leaders around the world. Tu was also instrumental in shaping the international legislation affairs observe as Boeing’s first regional counsel primarily based in London, U.K., with duties for commercial, military and defense matters in Europe, Russia and Israel. Prior to signing up for Boeing in 2001, Amy led world transactions and global authorized issues as an international corporate counsel at The Gap and Walmart.
In excess of the training course of her vocation, Tu has designed deep knowledge creating and supporting world wide functions, executing elaborate cross-border, international and domestic transactions, and creating and integrating groups and new ventures into existing businesses.
Tu acquired a Juris Doctor degree from the U of A School of Regulation and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Wellesley University, and in 2013 was chosen as the Johnson Fellow for the U of A. Tu serves as a member of the Northwest Arkansas Council Government Committee and as a board member for the Minority Corporate Counsel Affiliation.
Leana Houston
Leana Houston has been a committed advocate for indigent defendants for over 20 many years. At present, she serves as the main deputy general public defender for Washington County. She has dealt with a large quantity of felony instances of all stages, doing work diligently to protect the rights of individuals in our community.
WLSA also regarded Houston’s ongoing mentorship and assistance endeavours to inspire gals pursuing undergraduate and law levels and entering the authorized job.
Prior to becoming a member of the Washington County Public Defender’s Workplace in 2000, Houston labored for Lawful Support of Arkansas (then Ozark Authorized Providers) ideal after graduation. She gained her Juris Doctor diploma from the U of A School of Law in 1992.
Houston is a spouse and mom of two. She is a pet lover and has several cats and pet dogs. She also fosters animals from community shelters and will help come across them houses.
About the College of Regulation: The regulation faculty presents a competitive J.D. as effectively as an highly developed LL.M. program, which are taught by nationally regarded faculty. The school features special opportunities for pupils to take part in pro bono get the job done, externships, live customer clinics, competitions, and meals and agriculture initiatives. The university strives to determine, discuss, and challenge troubles of race, color, ethnicity, and the impression(s) they have on learners, college, and team members in an effort to reach a various, inclusive, and equitable neighborhood. From admitting the Six Pioneers who ended up the 1st African American pupils to attend legislation college in the South without the need of a court purchase to graduating governors, judges, prosecutors, and faculty who went on to turn out to be President of the United States and Secretary of Condition, the law faculty has a abundant history and lifestyle. Follows us at @uarklaw.
