Graduates of The University of Tulsa’s College of Law were ceremonially hooded on May 15 during the College of Law’s 2026 Hooding Ceremony, marking their transition into the legal profession through a tradition rooted in medieval academia. The doctoral hood, worn by graduates of law and other doctoral programs, traces its origins to garments worn by friars in the Middle Ages. Today, the hood’s colors represent both the university and academic discipline, with purple signifying the study of law.
Held at the Donald W. Reynolds Center, the ceremony recognized students for academic excellence, advocacy, leadership, public service and contributions to the law school community.
This spring, UTulsa Law celebrated 67 Juris Doctor graduates, in addition to 13 graduates from fall 2025.
The evening featured a unique family connection as UTulsa Distinguished Alumnus T. Lane Wilson delivered the hooding address while his daughter, Morgan Williams, addressed the graduating class as valedictorian. Wilson currently serves as chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Alan Armstrong and previously served as senior vice president and general counsel for Williams Cos. A former federal magistrate judge, Wilson earned his law degree with honors from UTulsa Law in 1994 and was inducted into the College of Law’s Hall of Fame in 2022.
“Failure and pain are things you should relish and appreciate,” he told law school graduates. “If you aren’t failing, you aren’t trying. If you aren’t failing, you’re not as successful as you could be. And I need you to know that if you aren’t failing, you’re not truly living. Understanding the value of failure and wishing it on yourself and the people for whom you care about is the most is a critical component in your and their pursuit of long-term fulfillment, growth and, yes, success.”
Williams graduated with highest honors and received several of the College of Law’s top distinctions, including The Order of the Curule Chair, the Robert C. Butler Jr. Award, The Judge W. Lee Johnson Award and the Oklahoma Bar Association Outstanding Senior Law Student Award. She also served as executive editor of the Tulsa Law Review.
“In so many ways, our class is awesome,” she said. “But my favorite thing about this group is how hard we work to support those around us. I realize how incredibly cool it is that TU gets to send this class out, knowing that you all might actually make the world a little bit brighter, just by sheer force of will. And I’m very proud to be part of that class.”
Members of the graduating class earned recognition across a wide range of academic and extracurricular programs. Students received honors through organizations including the Tulsa Law Review, Energy Law Journal, Board of Advocates, Student Bar Association and Native American Law Students Association. Graduates also earned awards for oral advocacy, legal writing, professionalism, public service and pro bono work.
Several graduates received some of the College of Law’s highest honors, including The Order of the Curule Chair and The Order of Barristers. Others were recognized through CALI Excellence for the Future Awards, Oklahoma Bar Association section awards and national moot court and trial advocacy competitions.
The ceremony also reflected the breadth of opportunities available to students at UTulsa Law. Graduates completed concentrations in areas including sustainable energy and resources law, health law, immigration law and Native American law while participating in journals, clinics, externships and advocacy competitions.