Texas Bar Journal September 2022

Celebrating This Moment in Time

Fifty-year lawyer Gladys Goffney reflects on her original inspiration to study law, passing the bar exam, and more

Interview by Will Korn

During a reception at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in Houston in June, an expansive class of 906 Texas attorneys were celebrated for becoming 50-year lawyers. Gladys Goffney was one of just 48 women—representing about 5.3% of the entire class—to receive this prestigious recognition. Goffney began her journey in law in September 1966, when she enrolled at South Texas College of Law in Houston. At the time, Goffney was one of only a handful of female law students at the college and was just the third Black student to attend there. By the time she received her J.D. in September 1971, Goffney became the college’s second Black female graduate. She jumped into her new career and never looked back.

Joining Goffney at the reception were 10 family members including her son, attorney Keith O. Goffney; daughter, Dr. Cheryl Goffney Franklin, M.D.; son-in-law, Rev. Robert M. Franklin Jr., Ph.D.; son, Dr. Willie H. Goffney Jr., M.D., FACS; daughter-in-law, Carmen Goffney; daughter, attorney Tara R. Goffney; granddaughter, attorney Imani X. Franklin, J.D.; grandson, Robert M. Franklin; grandson, Cameron W. Goffney; and granddaughter, Courtney R. Goffney. A solo practitioner in Houston, the 90-year-old Goffney spoke to the Texas Bar Journal about her law career, the challenges she faced along the way, and what it meant to be surrounded by family during her celebration as a 50-year lawyer.

WHAT WAS YOUR ORIGINAL INSPIRATION TO STUDY LAW?
My cherished dream of becoming a medical doctor seemingly became unobtainable due to long-running racial and gender biases as well as then-present family circumstances—married with four children, ages 7 to 12. At that time, I was enjoying a successful career in my first full-time professional job as a medical technologist and a Texas-licensed member of the American Society for Clinical Pathology at Houston’s Veterans Affairs hospital. I realized that for me to obtain the professional goals and career advancement that I desired, it would necessitate a complete change of profession. Thus, at age 34, I began studying law in September 1966 at South Texas College of Law.

IN THE SOUTH DURING THE MID-1960S, DID YOU FACE ANY CHALLENGES WHILE APPLYING FOR ADMISSION TO STCL OR WHILE IN SCHOOL?
To my complete amazement while reading the Houston Chronicle classified ad section on a Sunday afternoon, I ran across an advertisement by STCL, which advertised “night law school,” with schedules arranged and directed for “working people.” Furthermore, the school was located at the intersection of Polk and San Jacinto in Houston. I was curious and amazed that such a school existed in Houston, as I had never heard of it. Nevertheless, I stopped by the school the very next afternoon. I walked up and said I wanted to enroll, and the clerk handed me an enrollment form and schedule of classes. Real property was the only “course” I recognized so I checked it, paid the fee, and left to return for class on the date set on the calendar. There was no challenge to my enrollment! No one noticed that I was Black/female, though I was not in any way disguised. Several students standing around laughed when I checked real property as my only course, and when I inquired as to the reason for their laughter, it was because the class was full. To my chagrin, I found out that this real property course was all about blackacre and the old feudal system of property, and that the professor failed everyone as a “grading system.” I took three weeks and a visit to the public library, where I was told that I needed a legal dictionary, which enabled me to define the words and squeeze a passing grade. There were probably less than 10 women enrolled at STCL and therefore, seeing another female was rare. All or most of my classes consisted of 99 white men and me. Classes were scheduled for working people and all held after 5:30 p.m., and therefore, there was little or no time to make acquaintances or even have a friendly chat.

THERE WERE ONLY A HANDFUL OF FEMALE—AND ONLY TWO OTHER BLACK FEMALE—STUDENTS AT STCL DURING THE TIME YOU ATTENDED. HOW DID YOU FEEL BEING IN A MOSTLY MALE ENVIRONMENT?
I became accustomed to the environment and spoke to and engaged in conversations with a few of the guys. At some point, there were enough women—four to six—and we did organize a women’s group. Ironically, several of the other women law students were also mothers with school-age children. I believe that the environmental, legal, and social attitudes at the school were set by former Dean Garland R. Walker and faculty member Judge Spurgeon Bell, both great men of integrity.

DESCRIBE THE FEELING YOU HAD WHEN YOU LEARNED YOU PASSED THE BAR EXAM AND BECAME A LICENSED LAWYER IN TEXAS IN 1972.
Elated! I had gone to law school incognito while employed at the VA hospital. Even my closest co-workers were never told for six years. So, when I passed the Bar Exam, Dean Walker called me at the VA and told me that I had passed. I was jumping and screaming. To my co-workers’ surprise I had done all this without missing a beat at the VA and they never knew. I can keep a secret!

WHAT AREAS OF LAW DID YOU START OUT PRACTICING? WHAT AREAS OF LAW DO YOU CURRENTLY PRACTICE?
My first entrance to a courtroom was when I walked into practice. I had met several juvenile judges through community events who all hastened to give me court appointments. A good friend introduced me to the family judges who blessed me with court appointments, and therefore I became quite successful in family, juvenile, and criminal law. Later, my practice expanded to include probate matters. I have served as referee, attorney ad litem in hundreds of cases, and as associate judge in the 246th Family District Court in Harris County. I have remained a solo practitioner, and after 50 years of practicing in many areas, I now restrict myself to non litigious probate matters.

Above: From left, Cameron Goffney, Willie Goffney, Carmen Goffney, Tara Goffney, Gladys Goffney, Keith Goffney, Cheryl Goffney Franklin, and Robert M. Franklin at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting’s 50-Year-Lawyer reception in June 2022 in Houston. Photos by Eric Quitugua

AS A BLACK ATTORNEY BEGINNING YOUR CAREER IN THE EARLY 1970S, DID YOU FACE ANY CHALLENGES IN ESTABLISHING YOUR PRESENCE IN YOUR PRACTICE? WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL IMPRESSION OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AND THE LEGAL COMMUNITY AROUND YOU?
At age 40, married with four teenage children, involved with church and community activities and having two degrees and a full-time career as a medical technologist along with the progressively gradual implementation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the influx of women lawyers, and meeting Judge Ruby Sondock, who was the first female judge in Harris County, I felt socially independent and competent enough to meet and overcome racial and gender barriers, which I did by attending conferences, joining bar associations, and even playing softball. I was impressed with my colleagues of all races and genders, as I found the majority of them helpful, friendly, competitive, and hard workers for ethics, fairness, and justice. The judges were highly respected and held high standards, and I sought to meet every judge. I found an open-door policy and getting past their clerks took expertise! I was an attorney watcher and made a habit of watching various attorneys in action. This was very helpful

BECOMING A 50-YEAR LAWYER IS QUITE AN INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT. WHAT HAS KEPT YOU GOING SO STRONG OVER THE YEARS? WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO REMAIN SO DEDICATED TO YOUR CAREER?
My family and I were certainly thrilled and honored at the superb attention focused by the State Bar of Texas in celebrating me and other lawyers who have attained 50 years. My being the first Black STCL graduate to reach 50 years in the Texas bar happened sadly because Mamie Proctor, the first Black STCL graduate—1968—died in 2010. I am thrilled and thankful that good mental and physical health have been blessings for me, as well as the need to support myself, thus, helping me to achieve and celebrate this moment in time. ^TBJ