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Dear alumni and friends:

As students conclude their spring semester coursework and prepare for finals, we are excited to connect with alumni at the Law School and across the country. Next month in Nashville, we honor two alumni at the Founders Circle Dinner and welcome the Board of Advisors. Joyce Soliman BA’94 JD’97 is hosting a luncheon in Houston on April 3, and Anne and Walt Burkley JD’96 and John-Paul (JP) Motley JD’99/MBA’99 are hosting a reception in Santa Monica on April 30. Please see below for full details.

There is much to celebrate at the Law School as well.

Our faculty are contributing to public discourse on a variety of topics: Rebecca Allensworth on the DOJ's antitrust case against Apple; Joseph Fishman on Tennessee's ELVIS Act; Ganesh Sitaraman on TikTok-related legislation and airline safety; Lauren Sudeall on intellectual disabilities and the death penalty; and Ingrid Brunk on weapons financing for the war in Ukraine, among others.

We finished No. 8 in Law.com's 2024 list of "Go-To" Law Schools, which is based on the percentage of 2023 graduates who took associate positions at the 100 largest law firms based on attorney headcount. This is our highest finish ever, and a testament to the success of our students and our alumni network. Thank you for recruiting, mentoring, and advising our students. We – and more importantly, they – are truly grateful.

I am amazed by and always grateful for the engagement of our alumni community. Thank you for your support, and I hope to see you soon.

Sincerely,

Chris Guthrie
Dean and John Wade-Kent Syverud Professor of Law

Upcoming Events

Houston Luncheon
Wednesday, April 3, 11:30 a.m.
Hosted by Joyce Soliman BA ’94 JD ’97
Porter Hedges
1000 Main Street, 33rd floor
RSVP to Sarah Bochicchio

Founders Circle Dinner
Thursday, April 11, 6:00 p.m.
Celebrating donors and honoring distinguished alumni
Law School
If you haven’t already replied, email Sarah Poteete

Greater Los Angeles Reception
Tuesday, April 30, 6:30 p.m.
Hosted by Anne and Walt Burkley, JD’96 and John-Paul (JP) Motley, JD’99/MBA’99
438 Palisades Avenue
Santa Monica
Be on the lookout for invitations in the mail.
Questions? Contact Eileen Cunningham

Save the Date: Giving Day is April 11

Join us in celebrating the spirit of generosity and community on Vanderbilt Giving Day 2024. Gifts of any size can make a significant impact on Law School students and faculty now and for generations to come. Join the countdown or give now.

New Book Co-Authored by Owen Jones Offers Guide to Neuroscience in the Legal Landscape

"Brain Science for Lawyers, Judges, and Policymakers," co-authored by Owen Jones, offers a comprehensive and accessible overview of developments in legally relevant neuroscience.

The book serves as a resource for legal practitioners to navigate the complexities of neuroscientific evidence in light of legal standards such as the Daubert and Frye Rules. Read more.

Vanderbilt Immigration Practice Clinic Announces Collaboration with Visalaw.ai

The Immigration Practice Clinic announced a collaboration with Visalaw.ai to use Gen, the first and only immigration law generative AI legal research and drafting product. The clinic is the first anywhere to have access to the product. Read more.

Thank-a-thon

We are grateful to our Law School students who called over 550 donors who gave $500 and above during our annual Thank-a-Thon. Thanks to our loyal donors, our students receive an outstanding legal education— and they love to say thank you!

This year’s callers were Chris Cao (2L), Rachel Lester (2L), Dana Branstetter (2L), Nick Kasik (2L), Mary Margaret Burniston (1L), Kathleen Sharkey (3L), Dallas Kastens (2L), Shery Girgis (1L), Molly Cohn (1L), Reagan Leverett (2L), and Olivia Augustini (2L)

Save the Date & Join Us at Our Future Campaign Events!

San Francisco – Monday, May 6, de Young Museum