Graduation Speakers Announced
March 29, 2017 | By Alexa Brown — The School of Law Graduation speakers and Honorary Doctorate recipient have been announced!
The main speaker and Honorary Doctorate recipient was announced by the University as Michael Boone (JD '67):
"Michael M. Boone is a member of the board of directors of Haynes and Boone and one of the co-founders of the firm. He has over 40 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities transactions, and board of director representations. Boone has been selected as one of the 25 greatest Texas lawyers of the past quarter-century and the "Go-To-Lawyer" in Texas in the field of corporate/business law by Texas Lawyer Magazine. He was also named Best Lawyers' 2013 Compliance Lawyer of the Year, 2012 Dallas Corporate Governance Law Lawyer of the Year, one of the top corporate finance/mergers and acquisitions lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine, and one of the Top 10 Super Lawyers by Texas Monthly magazine and Law & Politics magazine. Some of Boone's professional and business activities include: member of the board of trustees of Southern Methodist University (SMU); member of the executive committee SMU Dedman School of Law; former adjunct professor of law (securities law) at SMU Dedman School of Law; former president of the Highland Park School Board; former member of the board of trustees of Abilene Christian University; and former chair of the Dallas Citizen Council.
His awards and honors include: distinguished alumnus of SMU Dedman School of Law (1990); distinguished alumnus of SMU (1996); distinguished alumnus of Highland Park High School (1998); Next Millennium Award from the Freedom's Foundation at Valley Forge for involvement in education (1999); Justinian Award for Public Service (2004); Friend of the Year Award from the Friends of Texas Public Schools (2006); and the Jack Lowe, Sr., Award for Community Leadership (2006).
Boone received his BBA degree in accounting at SMU in 1963 and his JD degree at the SMU Dedman School of Law in 1967."
Boone is a former member of Pepperdine Law School's Board of Visitors.
The School of Law Distinguished Alumnus is Michael Quigley ('83):
"Mr. Quigley is a leading authority on intercompany transfer pricing, tax treaties, permanent establishment issues and other tax matters affecting multinational corporations. He has negotiated advance pricing agreements with the IRS and the tax authorities of many foreign jurisdictions including obtaining some of the very first APAs between the United States and Korea. He has appeared before the U.S. Competent Authority, and the competent authorities of many other countries including Korea, India, Japan and France, among others, and is experienced in the use of the mutual assistance provisions of tax treaties to eliminate double taxation."
The School of Law is proud to have the addition of a new honor, our "Distinguished Young Alumnus." This year's Distinguished Young Alumnus is Jerren Wright (JD '09), who is Corporate Counsel to Amazon Studios.
The commencement ceremony will take place May 19th, at 10:30am at Alumni Park. You can find more information here.