From Panda Express to the Courtroom: How a Chance Encounter Set Taylar Hall on the Path to Justice
By Taylar Hall’s path to becoming a lawyer didn’t start in a courtroom or at a law school fair—it began in an ordinary Panda Express in Houston. That’s where she crossed paths with U.S. Congressman Al Green, and a casual conversation about her future turned into a pivotal moment.
At the time, Hall—a native of Tallahassee and graduate of Florida A&M University—was serving as a Teach for America educator. When she mentioned her aspirations to study law, she discovered Congressman Green was a proud graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
That moment made her decision clear: Texas Southern University was where she needed to be.
“I told him I was interested in going to law school,” she recalls. “When I learned that he was a Thurgood Marshall School of Law alumnus, that sealed it for me.”
Though Hall had multiple offers from law schools across the country, Texas Southern offered her the most substantial scholarship. To her, that wasn’t just financial support, it was a sign that the institution believed in her potential.
“That said to me that they cared enough to invest in my future. That mattered,” she says.
Already grounded in HBCU tradition from her time at Florida A&M, Hall was drawn to the culture of purpose and community at Thurgood Marshall. As a leader in the Student Bar Association, she worked to strengthen ties between students and the administration. But it was the rigor of her first year that left the biggest impression.
Now, she’s preparing for the next phase of her journey: entering the United States Air Force as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer. It’s a future shaped by the discipline, mentorship, and resilience she found at Texas Southern.
Her advice to anyone considering law school there? “Come visit. Talk to the students and staff. Immerse yourself in the culture—you’re not going to want to leave.”
