UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law

10/23/2026

Professor John Cook’s impact on Bowen continues through the students he taught and the work he championed.

FOX16 recently spoke with Bowen student Jon-Austen Linch about Professor Cook’s influence as an educator and mentor. Linch described Cook as “the finest educator I’ve ever had,” reflecting the care and commitment Professor Cook brought to his students.

A memorial fund has now been established in Professor Cook’s honor to support the Rural Practice Incubator Project, which he directed and strongly advocated for. The project helps Bowen graduates establish sustainable legal practices in rural Arkansas while expanding access to legal services in underserved communities.

Contribute to the memorial fund: https://ualr.edu/giving/product/in-memory-of-professor-john-cook/

Read the FOX16 story: https://www.fox16.com/news/local-news/the-finest-educator-i-ever-had-ua-little-rock-law-professor-remembered-following-his-passing/

In a career that spanned decades and took him from North Dakota to North Carolina and, for the past three-plus years, to Little Rock. John Cook practiced and taught law, leaving a legacy that his l…

10/22/2026

Bowen alumni were well represented at the recent Fraud and Consumer Protection Summit, contributing to discussions on issues ranging from cryptocurrency scams and robocalls to title fraud, Medicaid fraud, and state and federal strategies for combating fraud.

Jonathan Ross ’02, Karyn Tierney ’03, Amanda Wentz ’20, Wesley Lasseigne ’98, and Leigh Patterson ’96, were among the Bowen alumni who spoke during the two-day summit.

Seeing our graduates contribute to conversations that affect consumers, businesses, and communities across Arkansas is another reminder of the many ways Bowen alumni are putting their legal education and professional experience to work.

Photos courtesy of the Office of the Arkansas Attorney General.

10/22/2026

Access to justice is central to Bowen’s mission, and that includes preparing lawyers to serve communities across Arkansas where they are needed most.

Thank you to Arkansas Money & Politics for spending time with Dean Colin Crawford and helping bring attention to the legal needs and opportunities shaping our state.

Bowen Law School Dean Colin Crawford discusses Arkansas' need for more lawyers, legal education and the future of the state's legal profession.

10/21/2026

With great sadness, we share the news of the passing of one of Bowen's beloved faculty members, Professor John Cook.

Read more at:

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is mourning the loss of John Cook, an assistant professor of law at the William H. Bowen School of Law, who passed away following a battle with cancer. Cook joined Bowen in 2023 and quickly established himself as a respected educator, scholar and colleague.....

10/21/2026

Bowen faculty, students, and friends recently joined a lively conversation on law and politics at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center.

Sponsored by ACLU Arkansas, the event featured ACLU National Board Chair and New York University School of Law Professor Deborah Archer in conversation with ACLU Arkansas Executive Director Holly Dickson ’98.

Dean Colin Crawford and Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law Terri Beiner attended alongside Bowen students and friend of Bowen Dr. Jay Barth.

Opportunities like this give our students a chance to engage with legal leaders, hear a range of perspectives, and connect classroom learning with the issues shaping law and public life today.

10/20/2026

Pat Harris, Bowen Law’s director of advocacy, spent part of September at Harvard Law School helping teach in its Trial Advocates Workshop, joining judges and attorneys from across the country selected to work with second-year law students on trial practice.

Directed by Harvard Law Professor Ron Sullivan, the intensive three-week course focuses on opening statements, direct and cross-examinations, closing arguments, and ultimately trying a complete case.

Harris participated during the first week of the program, working with approximately 50 Harvard Law students. As part of his teaching, he also took the witness stand for an exercise in which students conducted both a direct examination and a cross-examination before the full class.

Bowen alumnus and former U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins ’89 also joined the group of legal professionals teaching in the workshop.

For Harris, who leads Bowen’s advocacy program, the opportunity was a significant professional honor and a chance to share his trial advocacy experience with students at Harvard Law.

10/19/2026

Bowen students and alumni were well represented at the recent Sistas-in-Law Bar Association Warren Nance Scholarship Celebration, an evening centered on legacy, leadership, and support for the next generation of law students.

Sistas-in-Law was founded by Bowen alumnae Judges LaTonya Honorable ’02 and Cara Connors ’09. The Warren Nance Scholarship honors former Judge Joyce Williams Warren ’76 and former UA Law Dean Cynthia Nance, and this year’s celebration recognized the Honorable Alice Sprinkle Gray ’84.

Dean Colin Crawford joined Bowen alumni Keesa Smith-Brantley ’05, Rosalyn Middleton ’01, Danyelle Walker ’95, and Shaneen Sloan ’00, along with current students Mazjai Oates, Hannah Malone, Clarence Kilcrease, and Tah-Jai Sharpe.

The evening reflected the strength of Bowen’s legal community across generations, with alumni, students, donors, and supporters coming together to invest in the future of the profession.

10/18/2026

Bowen students recently welcomed Judge Margaret Dobson ’99 back to campus for a conversation hosted by the Christian Legal Society.

Student interest was so strong that the event outgrew its original room and was moved to a larger space to accommodate more attendees.

The discussion gave students an opportunity to hear directly from a Bowen alumna and member of the judiciary, continuing the kind of connections between students and practicing legal professionals that extend learning beyond the classroom.

10/16/2026

Congratulations to a few familiar Bowen faces in the inaugural Create at the Capitol cohort.

We’re proud to see alumni Clifford McLeod ’25 and Cassidy Brady ’24 among the emerging leaders selected for this new civic leadership experience at the Arkansas State Capitol.

It’s always good to see Bowen graduates continuing to build connections, deepen their understanding of public service, and engage with the issues shaping Arkansas.

Meet the inaugural cohort of Create at the Capitol! 🎉

Selected through a competitive application process, these emerging leaders will spend a day at the Arkansas State Capitol engaging directly with statewide elected officials, legislative leaders and lobbyists to gain a firsthand understanding of the issues shaping Arkansas.

They’ll learn how policy is developed, explore the legislative process and even have the opportunity to develop and advance their own bill.

At Create Little Rock, we believe investing in young professionals means investing in the future of our state. Create at the Capitol is designed to equip the next generation of leaders with the knowledge, relationships and civic experience to make an impact in Arkansas. 💪