UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law

UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law At the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, students build practice-ready legal careers with purpose, support and momentum.

Through hands-on experience, personal mentorship and access to Arkansas’s legal system, Bowen prepares students to lead.

Bowen is on the road this fall, meeting students and answering questions about law school, the admissions process and th...
09/05/2026

Bowen is on the road this fall, meeting students and answering questions about law school, the admissions process and the opportunities a legal education can create.

MaryScott Polk Timmis, assistant dean for admissions and enrollment management, recently represented Bowen at Harding University’s Meet the Firms Fair. Throughout the fall, Timmis and Gabriela Wells, director of admissions, are traveling across the region to help prospective students learn more about Bowen’s full-time and part-time JD programs, the support available to students and the many paths a legal career can take.

For students considering what comes next, these conversations are a chance to ask questions, explore their options and learn what Bowen can offer.

Bowen’s connections to Arkansas’s legal community extend well beyond the classroom.Director of Advocacy Pat Harris recen...
09/04/2026

Bowen’s connections to Arkansas’s legal community extend well beyond the classroom.

Director of Advocacy Pat Harris recently joined fellow Bowen graduates at the Saline County Bar Association’s monthly luncheon in Benton, where he spoke about the trial advocacy work taught at Bowen.

Pictured with Harris are Ashton Adcock, CEO and chairman of the board of Merchants and Farmers Bank; Selleck Childress, president of the Saline County Bar Association; attorney Abby Belcher; and Laura Westbrook, vice president of Merchants and Farmers Bank. All are Bowen alumni.

We are proud to see Bowen alumni serving, leading and staying connected throughout Arkansas’s legal community.

From appellate advocacy at Bowen to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.Bowen Law student Justin Maggerise ...
09/03/2026

From appellate advocacy at Bowen to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Bowen Law student Justin Maggerise has been selected to clerk for Judge Bobby E. Shepherd following his graduation in 2027. The highly competitive federal appellate clerkship builds on Justin’s experience in legal writing, Moot Court, Law Review and clerkships with Arkansas law firms.

Learn more about Justin’s path to the Eighth Circuit and the Bowen experiences that helped prepare him for this opportunity.

https://ualr.edu/law/2026/09/02/justin-maggerise-eighth-circuit-clerkship/

The Bowen community mourns the loss of Judge Wayne Gruber, ’79, a distinguished alumnus, devoted public servant and long...
09/02/2026

The Bowen community mourns the loss of Judge Wayne Gruber, ’79, a distinguished alumnus, devoted public servant and longtime friend of the law school.

Gruber served Arkansas’s legal community for many years, including as a Pulaski County district judge from 2001 until his retirement in 2024. His commitment to service extended well beyond the bench.

Together with his wife, Judge Rita Gruber, ’79, he was a longtime supporter of Bowen and its students. In November 2024, the Grubers were named Bowen’s Distinguished Alumni of the Year. In 2025, they established a $25,000 endowed scholarship to support Bowen students completing externships at the Arkansas Court of Appeals.

Judge Gruber’s life reflected a deep commitment to public service and professionalism. His legacy will continue through the students he supported, the colleagues he served alongside and the many people whose lives he touched.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Judge Rita Gruber, their family, friends and colleagues. Bowen is deeply grateful for Judge Wayne Gruber’s service, friendship and enduring commitment to our law school.

Bowen student leaders took their service and leadership to the national stage this summer at the American Bar Associatio...
09/01/2026

Bowen student leaders took their service and leadership to the national stage this summer at the American Bar Association Annual Conference in Chicago.

Lamar Townsend, a 2L and Bowen’s ABA representative for the Student Bar Association, joined Daniel Burley, a 3L and SBA president, in Chicago from July 30 through Aug. 1. During the conference, they connected with law student leaders from across the country and represented Bowen in the ABA Law Student Division Assembly. As delegates, they participated in discussions and voted on resolutions concerning law student needs and priorities.

During their time in Chicago, Townsend and Burley also had the opportunity to hear from and meet retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (pictured), as well as build connections with student leaders from other law schools.

Experiences like these give Bowen students opportunities to engage with the legal profession beyond the classroom, strengthen their professional networks and represent their law school among future colleagues from across the country.

We are proud to see Bowen students leading, connecting and contributing to the profession at the national level.

Bowen’s First Week events gave our newest students an early opportunity to begin building the professional relationships...
08/29/2026

Bowen’s First Week events gave our newest students an early opportunity to begin building the professional relationships that will shape their law school experience and future careers.

As part of orientation, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, PLLC hosted a reception for Bowen’s incoming first-year students. The first floor of the law library was filled with Mitchell Williams attorneys, faculty, staff and members of the new class enjoying conversation, networking and time together as the semester began.

We are especially grateful to our friends at Mitchell Williams Law for their continued support of Bowen and for helping welcome the next generation of lawyers into our professional community.

Bowen’s newest out-of-state students received a warm Arkansas welcome before the start of the semester.For the past seve...
08/28/2026

Bowen’s newest out-of-state students received a warm Arkansas welcome before the start of the semester.

For the past several years, Bowen alumnus Chad Cu***ng Jr. '07, shareholder and director at Gill Ragon Owen P.A., has hosted a dinner reception at his home for students who are new to Arkansas. The gathering gives students a chance to build friendships, connect with the Bowen community and learn more about Little Rock and central Arkansas as they settle into their new home.

This year, Dean Colin Crawford joined the students for the evening along with MaryScott Polk Timmis, assistant dean of admissions, and Blake Buchanan, director of development and external relations.

For dessert, attendees enjoyed Bowen-themed sugar cookies from Community Bakery.

We are grateful for alumni like Chad whose generosity and hospitality help make Bowen a welcoming community from the very beginning.

Finding your place at Bowen starts early.During First Week, our newest students had the chance to meet members of Bowen’...
08/27/2026

Finding your place at Bowen starts early.

During First Week, our newest students had the chance to meet members of Bowen’s student organizations, learn about opportunities to get involved and begin building connections with classmates across the law school.

From professional interests and public service to leadership and community, student organizations are one of the many ways Bowen students can shape their law school experience beyond the classroom.

We loved seeing our students make those first connections before the semester even began.

Bowen is teaming up with Legal Aid of Arkansas for a Facebook Live presentation on back-to-school tax credits this Thurs...
08/26/2026

Bowen is teaming up with Legal Aid of Arkansas for a Facebook Live presentation on back-to-school tax credits this Thursday, Aug. 27, at noon.

Jennifer Gardiner, director of Legal Aid of Arkansas’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, and Xul Perez, assistant professor of clinical education and director of Bowen’s Tax Clinic, will lead two 20-minute sessions designed to help families understand valuable tax credits from childhood through college.

The presentation is open to students, parents, faculty, staff and members of the broader community.

Watch live on Facebook at Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc.

Becoming a lawyer begins with more than the first day of class. It begins with a commitment to the profession and the co...
08/26/2026

Becoming a lawyer begins with more than the first day of class. It begins with a commitment to the profession and the community you will serve.

Last week, Bowen welcomed our incoming students at the annual Pledge of Professionalism and Pinning Ceremony. Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice and Bowen alumnus Cody Hiland ’98 delivered the keynote address, encouraging students to approach their legal education and careers with hard work, resilience, civility and integrity.

Dean Colin Crawford also welcomed the class and reminded students that their professional reputations begin from their first days in law school.

Following the ceremony, that connection to the profession continued at the Dean’s Reception, where Pulaski County Bar Association President Erin Lewis '15 and Arkansas Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Chair Eli Cummins '22 joined Dean Crawford in welcoming students to Arkansas’s legal community and encouraging them to get involved.

For our newest Bowen students, it was an introduction not only to law school, but to the lawyers, judges and professional organizations that will be part of their journey from the beginning.

Read more about the Pinning Ceremony: https://ualr.edu/law/2026/08/20/bowen-law-pinning-ceremony-cody-hiland/

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Little Rock, AR
72202

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