85R16727 JGH-D
By: Dutton H.R. No. 854
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Laymond Wilburn has won great distinction for
himself and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern
University with his selection as one of the 2017 Law Students of the
Year by the National Jurist magazine; and
WHEREAS, This significant honor is being presented to only 25
students from across the nation in 2017, all of them nominated by
their law schools for their academic achievement, community
service, and commitment to justice; and
WHEREAS, The son of Ray and Kathy Wilburn, Laymond Wilburn is
a proud Houstonian who attended Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
before graduating with a bachelor's degree from Xavier University
of Louisiana; after earning his master's degree, he served as
deputy sheriff in Jackson County, Mississippi, in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina; and
WHEREAS, Answering his nation's call to duty, Mr. Wilburn
enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he demonstrated remarkable
drive and ability as an active duty cyberwarfare officer; over the
course of five years, he served in South Korea, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, and the Middle East; in Germany, he commanded the
largest communications flight in the air force, supervising 300
airmen in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; he also
volunteered to preside as officer in charge for more than 75
funerals in the Gulf Coast region; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his military career, Mr. Wilburn applied
to law school, only to be waitlisted each time; when he was at last
accepted, he deferred his enrollment to serve with the Green Berets
and the Navy SEALs in Afghanistan; he then left the air force to
pursue his dream of becoming an attorney; and
WHEREAS, Now a third-year student at Thurgood Marshall School
of Law, Mr. Wilburn was elected "Mr. TMSL" for the 2016-2017
academic year; his extensive volunteer work includes leading many
community service projects as well as performing more than 300
hours of pro bono work with the Houston Young Lawyers Association in
behalf of area veterans; and
WHEREAS, Always optimistic and rarely without a smile,
Mr. Wilburn is currently serving his seventh internship with the
Texas Legislature in Austin, where he is widely regarded as one of
the best-dressed men in the Capitol and, indeed, in the entire State
of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Poised on the threshold of a brilliant career,
Laymond Wilburn has proven to be as successful a law student as he
has been in all his previous endeavors, and he is truly deserving of
national recognition for his initiative, his capability, and his
dedication to serving others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Laymond Wilburn on being named a
2017 Law Student of the Year by the National Jurist and extend to
him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Wilburn as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.