McKenna McNonnenmann
On Wednesday, September 13, Pre-Law Society (PLS) was thrilled to have our first meeting of the Fall ’23 semester! With a fantastic guest speaker, distinguished attorney and SHSU Alumni Chris Tritico, along with having broken a record for the largest membership in the organization’s history, PLS set an exemplary tone for the evening-and for the rest of the 2023-2024 academic year. It was also an opportunity for our new officers–including our new President, Olivia Discon–to put their stamp on the organization.
We had several new and familiar faces to acquaint ourselves with, so we began our meeting with an icebreaker in which everyone introduced themselves with their name, major/minor, classification, and one thing they would like to see from Pre-Law Society. This opening, while giving us the opportunity to get to know each other, also allowed for collective understanding of our goals as an organization.
After doing some general housekeeping, we went on to have our guest speaker, Chris Tritico, present to our members. Tritico graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1983 and has worked under Richard “Racehorse” Haynes, who was regarded as one of the best criminal defense attorneys in the nation. Mr. Tritico is most famously known for representing Timothy McVeigh, otherwise known as the Oklahoma City Bomber, but has also gone on to represent several notable athletes, such as former Houston Rocket Moses Malone and former Houston Astro Julio Lugo.
“People don’t come to me for plea bargains, people come to me to do a good job.”, he noted.
Being a defense attorney is a tough job, but it’s crucial to do it the right way. It involves defending individuals, often accused of serious crimes, and dealing with complex legal and ethical issues. Chris Tritico, who represented a domestic terrorist, epitomized this commitment. He emphasized that beyond his client’s heinous acts, he had a profound responsibility to the justice system, ensuring a fair and rigorous defense, even in the most challenging cases.
Chris Tritico went on to answer several of our member’s pressing questions about his career, in which he thoughtfully gave his insight into law schools, challenges and triumphs in his career, and how the legal field has changed over the last 20 years. Through these questions, he highlighted the highly rewarding nature of being a defense attorney, providing a fascinating glimpse into the dynamic world of law.
With that, our first meeting of the year ended tremendously! We greatly appreciate Chris Tritico for taking the time to speak at length to our members, and for our coalition of 2023-2024 Pre-Law Society members for joining us.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 