ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

Kay '77 and Craig Enoch '75

Some love stories begin with a grand moment, but Craig and Kay Enoch’s started so naturally that they don’t even remember their first meeting. Fate, however, had a plan.

Craig arrived at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ in 1968 from Wichita, Kansas, and Kay followed a year later from Cleburne, Texas. Their paths crossed through shared volunteer work at Canterbury House, mutual friends, and Craig’s fraternity, where Kay was a little sister. Somewhere along the way, a friendship bloomed, and soon enough, Craig made the first move. (“Oh, definitely!” he insists.)

In spring of 1974, Craig was a 2L and Kay had graduated from ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ undergrad and was teaching Spanish at Ursuline Academy—but she quickly realized the classroom wasn’t her calling. Craig offered Kay some simple but life-changing advice: “Well, you should just go to law school!” So, she did. Kay started law school in the fall of 1974 as one of only approximately 15 women in her class. They never took classes together, but Craig was always there—helping Kay through Procedure and Evidence, encouraging her to compete in moot court, and making sure law school never became all-consuming. They spent what little free time they had with friends from undergrad, balancing the demands of law school with laughter and late-night study sessions. By August 1975, they had more than case law and finals in common. They were married.

This year, Craig and Kay celebrate 50 years of marriage, a milestone matched only by the extraordinary careers they built together. In 1981, Craig was appointed to the 101st State District Court, launching a distinguished judicial career that ultimately took him to the Texas Supreme Court in 1992. His work led the Enochs and their two children to Austin, where Craig later co-founded the firm Enoch Kever, PLLC, before joining Butler Snow. Kay practiced law for 26 years, primarily in oil and gas, while also working on Craig’s campaigns and dedicating her time to pro bono legal work.

Their advice for today’s law school couples? “Be kind to each other! Law school is stressful, so give each other grace. And most importantly, faith in the Lord has centered and strengthened our lives, reminding us to serve Him by serving others.” Fifty years later, their story proves that the best partnerships—both in law and in life—are built on encouragement, perseverance, and a shared commitment to something greater than themselves.

Ashley '17 and Jared Norton '17

It was a typical first semester at law school, and as Property class ended, Ashley was welcomed by a friendly voice with a surprising introduction.

“Hey, are you the one with the Christian camp sticker on the back of your car?” Jared asked, walking over with a smile. Ashley looked up, a bit surprised. “Yeah, that’s me,” she said, smiling back, “I was a counselor during college.”

“I was a counselor at a Christian summer camp, too,” Jared responded. “Small world, huh?”

Their shared love for camp life instantly sparked a friendship, one that quickly blossomed over endless hours of studying and getting to know each other. It was a fun and unassuming friendship where everything felt easy. So much so, that Ashley found herself playing matchmaker at times, suggesting that Jared should ask out other women in their section. After all, they were friends, right?

But Jared had something else in mind. Though Ashley was oblivious to his feelings at first, Jared knew what he wanted. He finally made his move the summer before their second year; he asked her out (finally) but she said no. Ashley didn’t want to risk their friendship. But sometimes, life has a funny way of showing you what you’re missing.

It hit her one evening as she spotted Jared pulling into their church parking lot. It was a Friday night, deep into studying for finals, just before their mock trial competition. But there he was, getting out of his car, ready to serve kids and families at the church’s ministry, putting aside the stress of exams for an evening.

Ashley stood there, watching him, and a realization flooded over her. “Who is this guy?” she thought. “He’s choosing to serve others, even when everything else is chaotic. Wait… What am I doing? This guy is incredible.” So, when he asked her out again, this time she said yes.

Their first “unofficial” date was a quiet walk around Lakeside Park, looking at Christmas lights, sipping hot chocolate from Kuby’s. Jared had planned everything, and the evening felt effortless. A few weeks later on their first official date, the night ended with them sitting beneath a Christmas tree, and Jared recited Ephesians 5:25-27 from memory, making his intentions clear. He wasn’t just interested in dating—he was serious about finding someone to marry— and Ashley was completely smitten.

And from that point on, everything fell into place. They pursued separate interests but studied together and were on the same mock trial team. When their coaches joked about how “compatible” they were, neither of them knew just how true those words would turn out to be

The summer before their 3L year, they went from engaged on Labor Day to married on New Year’s Eve 2016, to studying for the Bar exam as newlyweds. It was a whirlwind of a love story, but they knew they were meant to be.

Now, years later, they have two beautiful kids, Albert (“Bert”) who is 4 and Reese who is 2, and have enjoyed success in their respective careers. Their advice to anyone going through law school together? “Be friends first, listen to the convictions of your faith, and build a solid foundation together” they say.

And Ashley always adds, “To the guys - don’t give up, even if you’re stuck in the ‘friend zone.’ She might just surprise you.”

Julia '24 and Honest Kapic '24

While some of our couples count themselves lucky to have met in The Pit or under the tempietto, our next couple made the decision to come to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Dedman School of Law together. When Honest and Julia walked on to campus on the first day of law school, they were already a couple, prepared to support each other through the whirlwind of the next three years. And support each other they did.

Before they were 1Ls, they were the unsuspecting targets of a prank pulled by mutual college friends who set them up by telling each of them the wrong location for a supposed group lunch. When they arrived at the restaurant, their friends were nowhere to be found but they found each other. “We’re not sure if that counts as our ‘accidental’ first official date,” laughs Julia, “but it’s a great story!”

From that moment, they became inseparable. As law students, they took most of their classes together and studied together, always finding ways to make the daunting material a little more bearable. In their second and third years, they were both 1L student mentors and competed as a team in on-campus competitions.

For study breaks, Honest remembers they loved “trying new restaurants, taking fun weekend trips, and spending time with our families.” When finals came around, they had each other’s backs through the late-night study sessions fueled by caffeine and shared encouragement. Their teamwork paid off. Mere months after graduation, they are settling into their new routine and remain each other’s greatest champion. Honest works as a litigation associate, Julia is a corporate associate, and they share a sweet golden retriever puppy named Ollie.

Their advice for law school couples is to always remember you’re a team. “You are stronger together and when you are supporting the other person,” they say.