President
Ryan Faulkner, ’25 (he/him), is the President of OUTLaw. Ryan’s favorite OUTLaw memory is moderating the 2023 Out in Law panel with Queer attorneys from around the country. Ryan wants to pursue a career in sports litigation, and, last year, he finished as a finalist competing in the Tulane International Baseball Arbitration Competition. His favorite class at Texas Law has been Sneaker Law. When Ryan’s not busy studying or serving as our President, you can find him at the park with his dog Olsen, watching movies at the theater, or hanging out at the baseball field.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INTEREST RELATIONS
Cate Byrne, ’25 (they/she), is OUTLaw’s Director of Public Interest Relations. When Cate’s not at the law school, they love to be outside: early morning Barton Springs plunges, tennis, IM ultimate frisbee, and very long walks keep them same. Her queer icons include Parvati Shallow and Mae Martin. Cate’s advice to incoming Queer law students is to be unapologetically you in every space you enter, including law school and professional spaces. She encourages new law students to take a deep breath, put on Charli xcx, and be yourself every single day–the legal profession is expanding every day because of the proud, diverse human beings who have chosen to become lawyers.
MENTORSHIP/BANQUET DIRECTOR
Thomas McDowell, ’26 (he/him), is OUTLaw’s Mentorship/Banquet Director. Thomas came to law school to improve his arguing skills. His favorite queer TV show is Queer as Folk, and a fun fact about Thomas is that he once cliff-jumped into Crater Lake!
FINANCE DIRECTOR
John Henk, ’26 (he/him), is OUTLaw’s Finance Director. His queer icon is Azelia Banks, and he’s developed a perfect formula for spending non-law-school days: GTL: Garden, Tan, Lindsay Lohan movie. John’s advice for Queer 1Ls is that if you don’t like networking, do just enough to get comfortable but say no whenever you want–it’s overemphasized. OUTLaw events are a great time to do just enough because they’re informal and there are not a lot of queer attorneys, so the ones you meet will remember you and be helpful.
DIRECTOR OF FIRM RELATIONS
Anna McGuffee, ’26 (she/her), is OUTLaw’s Director of Firm Relations. Her favorite OUTLaw memory was the Glassblowing class, and she’s had fun working at the Public Defender’s office this summer. Anna came to law school because she loves litigation and wants to be a trial lawyer. Her queer icon is Dolly Parton.
Internal vice president
Elias Topo-Kemp, ’26 (he/him), is OUTLaw’s Internal Vice President. He’s wanted to be a lawyer since he was very young, but his decision to attend law school as an adult stems from a fascination with the legal system’s complexities and a desire to tackle challenging problems. He’s particularly drawn to intellectual property law because it fosters innovation and creativity. His favorite class has been Torts. This year, he’s looking forward to having more free time to engage in extracurricular activities and hobbies and take elective courses that align with his interests and career goals.
