Discovery Summer 2023 % Volume 9, No. 2
the newsletter from washington and lee university school of law
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
First Year in the Dean’s Office per sona l not es Favorite thing about living in Lexington? It’s an easy walk to almost everything. I often walk to work along Woods Creek. I can walk downtown from home or work in less than 20 minutes. I walk to the post office and to vote.
What has been the most surprising thing about your first year? There have been a number of pleasant surprises. Perhaps two surprises stand out among the others. The first is the absolute beauty of the area. There are so many mountains in view; everything is so green; and Woods Creek and walking trails are just down the hill from the law school. Second, and the most welcome surprise, is the incredibly high level of commitment and loyalty the law alumni have for this law school and for the current students and recent graduates. I had heard so many positive comments about the alumni before I arrived, but they have exceeded my expectations in every way. W&L Law alumni call us when they hear of job opportunities for students. They make calls and write letters to admitted students, emphasizing why this is a special place to study law and to spend three years. They invest in us financially. They show up for special events on campus and respond to calls for help. I am so gratified to lead a law school where the alumni are so proud of their degrees and invest their time, energy, and passion in the graduates who are following the same path.
breakfast or lunch with various student groups, including members of the American Constitution Society, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Black Law Students Association, Christian Legal Society, Federalist Society, First Generation Student Union, J. Reuben Clark Society, Jewish Law Students Association, Latin American Law Students Association, OutLaw, Middle Eastern and South Asian Law Students Association, and Women Law Students Organization, among others. I have also held schoolwide “ask the dean” sessions and attended numerous events, competitions, and symposia. I formed a small, dean’s student advisory group, and meet with them periodically. But, the classroom experience was different. Every Monday and Wednesday, I was reminded of why I enjoy my leadership role at the law school. My criminal law students were wickedly smart, engaged, and thoughtful. They debated each other and me, supporting their arguments with statutory interpretation principles, policy, and legal precedent. They were always well prepared, and they engaged with each other diplomatically and civilly. Our future is bright. These students inspire me, and give me so much hope and optimism for our future.
What was your experience like teaching this semester?
What do you see as the law school’s biggest challenge?
I taught criminal law this spring to approximately half of the 1L class. I loved it. Our students are outstanding. I appreciated the opportunity to get to know them in the classroom context. Over the course of the year, I have been meeting for
There are several. With the continuing help and support of the University and our alumni, we are well-positioned to weather whatever chal-
“Succeeding in an everchanging law school environment will require that we stay mindful and proactive about managing student debt, changing technology, and in the short term — hiring talented faculty who will invest in our students and our community.”
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Names and types of pets? Choden, who is 10 years old, is my blue Great Dane. She’s 106 pounds. Leaper, a brindle English Mastiff who weighs about 160 pounds, is 9 years old. The newest addition to the family is Parker, an 8-month-old, 8-pound black cat, adopted from the Rockbridge SPCA. Parker already rules the dogs.
Book on your beside table? Southern Living Garden Book next to a paper copy of the Lexington News-Gazette and a Gilbert Law Summaries Criminal Procedure book that I need to update before the end of June.
Favorite hike in or around Lexington? I love the Chessie Trail because of the cows, and the view of the Maury River on the back campus trails of Washington and Lee.
Follow Dean Wilson on Twitter, @mdwilson_law, for updates and great nature photos like the one above!