Daniel Cadis never imagined that a mock constitutional convention in 2011, coordinated by HBU Government Professor Dr. Chris Hammons, would lay the foundation for creation of the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty which recently celebrated its grand opening in September.
What began as an academic initiative of the School of Humanities would serve as a model for educating and bringing greater awareness to America’s founding principles and the vision of the nation’s founding fathers. Political science students, like Cadis, who took part in the mock constitutional convention brought green tablecloths and quill pens to mirror the look of the Assembly Room in Philadelphia’s iconic Independence Hall. They also immersed themselves in impassioned arguments surrounding the U.S. Constitution, similar to the ones that took place before the signing of one of the nation’s defining documents.
Thanks to Hammons’ leadership as, then, Dean of the School of Humanities, and the generosity of HCU’s Founding Father Dr. Stewart Morris, Sr., the University is now home to a new educational complex where a new generation of students will learn about America’s founding principles in the same manner as Cadis and his classmates did years earlier.
“In an era when constitutional rights are being eroded and constitutional norms challenged, it is wonderful to have a building in Texas that will remind us of the vision of the Founding Fathers of America when they signed the Declaration of Independence and later drafted the U.S. Constitution, which resulted in the formation of our constitutional republic,” said Cadis.
A 2012 HBU Honors College graduate with a degree in political science and mass communication, Cadis obtained his juris doctor for the University of Texas School of Law in 2017. He now works as a corporate lawyer in the Austin office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, specializing in mergers and acquisitions for private equity clients across a variety of industries, including renewable and clean energy, infrastructure, technology and manufacturing, and conventional energy and oilfield services.
Cadis said he appreciates the wealth of knowledge he gained from Dr. Hammons, now the Director of the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty, and the many professors who invested in him ad served as invaluable mentors during his undergraduate studies.
“Education has been the gateway to opportunities I could only have dreamed of when growing up, and I wouldn’t have those opportunities without the guidance and investment from teachers and mentors, like Dr. Hammons, who saw potential in me,” said Cadis.
As a corporate attorney, he plans to continue working to provide positive outcomes for his clients while providing mentorship and guidance to law students and young attorneys and also serving the needs of pro bono clients.
“Being able to mentor law students and young attorneys is a highlight of my career so far,” said Cadis, who makes a conscious effort to remain grateful for the opportunities he has been afforded.
“This is a small thing, but I leave a sticky note up on my desk that reads “Thank You.” It’s a simple daily reminder for me to view the world through the lens of gratitude, even when work or life may be stressful,” said Cadis.
He calls the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty an important reminder of “the vision of the Founding Fathers of America” and hopes that generations of future students gain a greater understanding and appreciation for America’s founding history and principles.
“Being able to walk in the footsteps of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, James Madison, and more, will hopefully inspire future students to do great things on behalf of their country and communities, even when they are young,” said Cadis. “Jefferson was only 33 when he drafted the Declaration of Independence. You don’t have to wait until you are older to start making a positive difference in the lives of the people around you.”