UTRGV’s new hub brings law school access to the Rio Grande Valley

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and St. Mary’s University have partnered to launch a legal education hub in Edinburg, creating a local pathway for Rio Grande Valley residents to pursue law degrees without leaving the region.

The Rio Grande Valley Legal Education Hub, announced Thursday during a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony, will be housed at UTRGV’s Edinburg campus and is expected to be operational by fall 2026.

The initiative brings St. Mary’s University School of Law’s online Doctor of Jurisprudence and Master of Legal Studies programs into a physical campus setting, where students can access classrooms, study space, technology, and on-site support while completing coursework remotely.

“Through the Legal Education Hub we are opening doors for UTRGV students and residents who have faced barriers to pursuing careers in law,” UTRGV President Guy Bailey said. “The Hub will retain regional talent, strengthen community legal resources and create clear pathways from classroom to courtroom.”

The partnership is designed to address a longstanding challenge in South Texas, where prospective law students often leave the region to attend school and may not return to practice locally. 

Under the agreement, St. Mary’s will provide academic oversight, legal research resources, and degree authority, while UTRGV will offer classroom space, library access, IT support, and student services. 

Students must be admitted to St. Mary’s online programs and reside in Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, or Starr counties to participate.

St. Mary’s will reserve up to five seats annually in its online J.D. program for hub students, though admission remains competitive and is not guaranteed. Priority consideration will be given to graduates of UTRGV and its legacy institutions.

“The Rio Grande Valley faces a critical shortage of legal professionals, and too many talented students leave the region to pursue legal education, often never returning home to practice,” said Patricia Roberts, dean of St. Mary’s School of Law. “This partnership with UTRGV creates a legal education hub that will encourage Rio Grande Valley students to earn a law degree online while remaining connected to their families, their communities and their futures in South Texas.”

UTRGV officials credited State Rep. Armando “Mando” Martinez, a UTRGV alumnus and graduate of St. Mary’s online J.D. program, with helping to bring the partnership to fruition.

Martinez called the initiative a major step forward for the region.

“What a monumental and historic day for the Rio Grande Valley and for all our students,” he said.