It was vision, a keen mind and a competitive spirit that drew David J. Beck ’61 to begin what has become one of the most elite law firms in the country— American Lawyer magazine has named Beck, Redden & Secrest L.L.P. one of the Top 5 “boutique” firms in the United States—firms specializing in litigation.
He didn’t hail from a long line of lawyers or a privileged background. Rather than money or status, Beck leveraged his brain to earn success. His dad worked at the Gulf refinery in Port Arthur while his mother worked at home to raise five children. Money was tight, and a degree was most accessible by attending Lamar. “I grew up in Port Arthur, and, had it not been for Lamar, I would not have had the opportunity to earn a college degree. Lamar also gave me a great foundation for law school,” he said.
Now, Beck is taking that vision and focusing it in a new way, aiming to help intellectually curious students like he himself was. Through a gift of $1 million to the Lamar University Foundation, Beck has established the David J. Beck Fellowship for students in financial need who exhibit high academic performance in any discipline. The fellowship will be Lamar’s most prestigious award to students and is unique in that it recognizes students at the undergraduate level, a reflection of Lamar’s distinctive commitment to offering research opportunity to undergraduates that would not be available to them at another university.
In 2002, Beck established a scholarship in political science for students who need financial assistance to attend college.
As a student at Lamar, Beck joined the pre-law program via a bachelor’s degree in government, the registration-day suggestion of Irving Dawson, then chair of the government department.
“He was the first person I met when I showed up at Lamar to register . . . He looked at my test scores and said, ‘You know, you really ought to look into government and history.’ “Professor Dawson was a wonderful mentor. He knew my economic background and helped me get part-time jobs to make some money and stay in school. So he was a tremendous influence on me.” So much so that now Beck, as a top litigator, has come full circle into a position that enables him to mentor students in similar circumstances.
Beck hopes the fellowship will give outstanding scholars with financial need, who are, above all, high achievers, even more opportunity than he had as a student—opportunity to study and research in their chosen field and accept internships or the educational enrichment of travel rather than being tied to an outside job, sometimes more than one, unrelated to their major.
“The academic and leadership opportunities made possible by this generous investment in Lamar University will enable exceptional students, with the assistance of faculty mentors, to participate in a unique undergraduate experience,” said Stephen Doblin, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
“We believe this fellowship will have a far-reaching impact and lifelong effect on the lives of student recipients and will encourage other philanthropists to consider funding leadership development opportunities,” said Camille Mouton, vice president for university advancement.
The David J. Beck Fellowship will be awarded on a competitive basis to outstanding undergraduate scholars who demonstrate financial need. Beck Fellows will receive full academic scholarships (including tuition, books, fees, university room and board), with the addition of a stipend for summer study, research, internship opportunities or international study. The fellowship will be awarded for one academic year but may be renewed upon successful reapplication. Applicants will submit a proposal that includes their personal and professional goals and how the Beck Fellowship will advance those goals. Applicants also will be asked to define how they expect the opportunity afforded by the Beck Fellowship to prepare them to contribute to society.
A faculty committee, appointed by the provost, will review applications, interview candidates and make recommendations to the provost, with the final selection made by the president. Beck Fellows will be required to present a final report, which will include the ways in which the fellowship changed their lives, what was gained and how the experience will directly impact their career plans.
The David J. Beck Fellowship will initially fund two fellows each year. The annual cost per fellow will be approximately $25,000, including up to $10,000 for summer stipends. It is this additional experience that will distinguish Beck Fellows.
“Such fellowships set Lamar apart and provide extraordinary opportunities for our young men and women,” said Kevin Smith, senior associate provost. “Being a David J. Beck Fellow will enhance their applications to graduate school and employment, and we are thrilled that our students will have this outstanding opportunity.”
Beck knows about setting objectives and attaining them. He graduated from high school on a Friday and began college classes the next Monday. He became an associate, then partner, then senior partner at Fulbright & Jaworski, one of the largest and most prominent law firms in the country. Complacency is not in his vocabulary. At the point most people are winding down toward retirement, he was gearing up, starting his own law firm in 1992 with Joe Redden Jr. and Ronald Secrest. “As my wife would say, it just seemed like I needed another mountain to climb,” he said.
He is extraordinarily proud of building the firm to its current position of nationwide respect, achieved in just 15 years. “That took a lot of hard work by a lot of good people,” he said. “It took some of the other firms that were on that list [the Top 5 boutique firms in the country] 30, 40 or 50 years.” Beck, Redden handles high-stakes litigation for corporate defendants in trouble.
He and his wife, Judy, met in high school and now raise longhorns on their Blanco ranch. Two of their three children followed in their father’s footsteps. The eldest, Lauren, is a partner with her law firm in Houston and is mother to two boys and a girl. Son David is a lawyer in San Antonio, completing college and law school after a tour during the Gulf War as a Marine. Their younger daughter, Allison, earned an M.B.A. and is in real estate in Houston.
Beck is president of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the membership of which is limited to the top 1 percent of trial lawyers in the country on both sides of the docket, whether plaintiff, defendant, civil or criminal. He works with lawyers and judges throughout the United States and Canada to accomplish a two-fold mission: to get the best lawyers to work to improve the system of justice and also to foster higher ethical standards.
Beck’s work ethic brought him to the top of his game, and he expects the same in those he hires. The firm normally hires only from the Top 10 percent of a law school class. He looks for a subjective mix of strong work ethic, academic credentials and people skills. “You look for that balance. For example, somebody who’s done well academically, has good people skills and earned 80 percent of their way through school, that’s a real plus.”
His expectations for Beck Fellows will be no different, and the fellowship will recognize hard work and excellence. The students who hold it will gain perspectives and experiences that will help them fully realize character, drive and potential and will become integral to their own visions for the future.
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