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Dear alumni and friends:

I hope you are having a joyful start to the holiday season! There is much to celebrate at VLS as we approach the end of the semester.

I enjoyed seeing so many alumni and guests during Reunion Weekend.  We’re always happy to welcome alumni back to the Law School for events and programs throughout the weekend.  As I traveled around Nashville to many class parties, it was great to see classmates reminiscing about their days at VLS and catching up with one another. We are grateful to our Reunion volunteers for their efforts to make it a fun weekend for everyone! 

This fall featured several programs that reflect viewpoint diversity and commitment to free speech, two core values we pride ourselves on maintaining at the law school. This includes the launch of the Respectfully Dissent series, which builds on more informal, unbranded events like our debate on race-conscious admissions, as well as this year’s Victor S. Johnson Lecture, featuring ACLU President Deborah Archer. It also inludes several programs sponsored by the American Constitution Society and Federalist Society, clubs with nearly identical membership counts.

We closed the semester with exciting news about a wonderful commitment from Sara Finley ’85 that will advance the Law School’s work in the areas of equal rights, equal opportunity, and nondiscrimination.

One final bit of news to celebrate: congratulations to Paul Atkins '83 on being nominated to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission!

Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

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

Save the Date for the BLSA Banquet

The BLSA banquet for students and alumni will take place on Saturday, January 25. The reception and dinner will be held at Bass, Berry & Sims in Nashville beginning at 6:00 p.m. Register here.

Questions? Contact Katie Armstrong at kathryn.g.armstrong@vanderbilt.edu.

Vanderbilt Law Students and Graduates Secure 42 Clerkships in the 2023-24 Academic Year

Michael Bressman, Director of Vanderbilt Law School’s Clerkship Program, has announced that 40 Vanderbilt Law students and recent graduates secured 42 clerkships during the 2023-24 academic year, which extended from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

Annual Victor S. Johnson Lecture Hosts ACLU President Deborah Archer

Archer delivered this year’s Victor S. Johnson lecture on her work and the importance of free speech to democracy as part of Vanderbilt’s second annual Free Speech Week.

An award-winning teacher and legal scholar at NYU Law School, Archer is a nationally recognized expert on civil rights, civil liberties, and racial justice. Read more.

Reunion 2024 Volunteers

A special thanks to our Reunion 2024 volunteers for their enthusiasm and dedication to Vanderbilt Law School!

1974
Chairs – Lee Barfield, Bob Buchanan, and Torry Johnson

1979
Chairs – Robert and Terry Banta
Promotion Chair – Bill Purcell

1984
Chairs – Blaine and Ann Sanders
Promotion Chair – Lisa Welch Silbar

1989
Chair – Andy Bayman
Promotion Chair – Brad Gilmore

1994
Chair – Brad Williams
Promotion Chair – Jack Risenhoover

1999
Chair – JP Motley
Promotion Chair – Brian Michael

2004
Chair – Sarah Brooks Gabriel
Promotion Chair – Tony De Yurre

2009
Chair – Dave Bartz
Promotion Chairs – Ben and Julia Ost

2014
Chair – Sabrina Tour
Promotion Chair – Merrick Parrott

2019
Chair – Ben Colalillo
Promotion Chair – Garrah Carter-Mason

See the list of committee members here.

Save the Date and Join Us at our Future Campaign Events!

Nashville – March 2025 (TBD)
Boston – April 1, 2025
London – May 21, 2025

Details coming soon.