Washington and Lee School of Law
Millhiser Moot Court Room
Dean Melanie D. Wilson
Melanie D. Wilson is the dean of Washington and Lee University's School of Law, a position she has held since July 1, 2022. She is also the Roy L. Steinheimer, Jr., Professor of Law. Dean Wilson is an acclaimed scholar and teacher, specializing in criminal procedure, particularly the Fourth and Sixth Amendments, as well as prosecutorial issues. She has authored multiple books and articles, including the co-authored "Criminal Procedure, Ninth Edition." Before joining Washington and Lee, Wilson served in various roles at the University of Kansas School of Law, including professor of law, associate dean for academic affairs, and director of diversity and inclusion. She also served as the dean of the University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville. Dean Wilson is actively engaged in professional organizations, such as the Association of American Law Schools, where she served as President in 2024. She holds a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law and has extensive experience in both the private and public sectors as an assistant United States attorney and assistant attorney general for the state of Georgia.
Jenny Yang, Symposium Editor, Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice
Jenny Yang is a third-year law student at Washington and Lee School of Law and is the 2023-2024 Symposium Editor for the Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice. She graduated undergrad in 2018 from New York University with a double major in Economics and Politics and a minor in Chinese. Prior to attending law school and during her first two years of law school, she worked within the compliance and legal department at a mortgage fintech company. During law school, Jenny has been engaged in various student-run organizations such as APALSA, WLSO, and the First-Generation Student Union. She has had chances to work with real clients within the community through the W&L Tax Clinic and a Startup Practicum focusing on local businesses. Jenny’s Note, titled Fitting a Block Into a Sphere Mold: The Inadequacy of Current Data Privacy Regulations in Protecting Data Privacy Within the Blockchain Space is set to be published in 2024 within W&L JCRSJ Volume 30. After graduation, Jenny will be joining Morgan, Lewis, and Bockius LLP in their Structured Transactions group in New York City.