University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

06/05/2026

Don't miss out on the chance to catch up with Dean Jim Strickland and learn about what's happening at the law school at our "State of the Law School" event on June 15th.

He will share details about current happenings at Memphis Law, things to look forward to in the next year, new faculty developments, and some stories about our amazing students and their accomplishments.

Joining Dean Strickland will be former Dean of Admissions Sue Ann McClellan and new law school Dean of Admissions Justin Aromas-Janosik. We hope you will join us to network with Memphis Law alumni, friends, and prospective students at this wonderful event taking place in this beautiful UofM Athletics Basketball facility on the rapidly growing South Campus at the UofM.

Wine, beer, and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Scan the QR code on the flyer to RSVP!

06/02/2026

It's always fun to brag about the accomplishments of our alumni, but it isn't everyday that you get to note that one of them was named as an official "godmother" to a Viking cruise ship! Memphis Law alumna Becky Webb Wilson (JD '78) was named as the godmother of the newest Viking Mira cruise ship in a ceremony in Venice, Italy earlier this week and to top it off, during the naming ceremony, she used a Viking broad axe to cut a ribbon that released a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to break on the ship’s hull. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260601122010/en/Viking-Names-Newest-Ocean-Ship-in-Italy

06/01/2026

We're thrilled to share the news that law school alum David McKinney (JD '07) and his family recently established and launched the David E. McKinney Law Fellowship here at Memphis Law.

He strongly believes in not waiting for that "perfect" moment to act, whether that is in life or in philanthropy. Our future McKinney Law Fellows will be the direct beneficiaries of this impactful action.

“When it comes to giving and philanthropy, taking that first step is critically important,” McKinney notes. “The need is now. You can make an impact right now. You have got to develop that muscle for giving and that way of thinking when it comes to making an immediate impact.

“Don’t wait. Just do it.”

https://www.memphis.edu/law/about/news/mckinneyfellowship.php

05/29/2026

The Kenneth Maurice Cox Ceremony, hosted every year by our Black Law Students Association (BLSA), is always a touching and memorable event. The ceremony is named after our law school's first Black graduate, Kenneth Maurice Cox, and gives BLSA the opportunity to recognize each of its graduating members for their contributions to the law school's academic, cultural, and professional environments. Here are just a few photos from this year's wonderful event, hosted the night before our commencement.

05/26/2026

Have you ever been curious as to how we ended up in our beautiful historic building? The folks over at The Daily Memphian covered it really well and give some insight into how we went from our old building on main campus to this stately but modern home atop the bluffs of the Mississippi River. From Fred Smith, FedEx, TN Governors, the Federal Government, USPS, and more - it was a monumental team effort.

Just a few decades ago, the law school was in a rundown building with unreliable air conditioning and a flooding problem, and its future Downtown was an underutilized space far removed from its glory days. Here’s how that changed.

05/21/2026

Memphis Law alums (and prospective students) in the Memphis area, mark your calendars to join us at this event! The Memphis-area edition of the Dean's Tour with Dean Strickland and friends will be at the UofM Athletics Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center on the UofM South Campus on June 15 from 5-7pm. Info is below and RSVP link is https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=6loUrrLNakSwWnhY3eXduq09vVcdM4BFqOZKYdSMu_5UMTVYN0E2M1E1NjQ1WVo2SFVZWVQ5NjFYVS4u&route=shorturl

05/18/2026

Law school graduation is a wrap...but what's next for some of our students?

05/18/2026

Hailey Polisano has bravely blazed a trail to law school. First-gen college grad, first-gen master's grad, and a first-gen law student (now grad!). Her mother earned her GED and her dad joined the electrical union right out of high school. She was doing something no one in her family had done before and on top of that, in a place where she was more than 1,000 miles from home and knew no one. Now she's a law school grad with big plans.

After graduation, she will be clerking for Judge Maroney in the TN Court of Appeals and applying for the JAG reserves. She will be taking the TN bar in July, transferring her score to NY and then taking the California bar in February. After her clerkship she is hoping to pursue entertainment law in either Nashville, New York, or Los Angeles.

05/16/2026

Say hello to Spencer Smith, another impressive 3L that will walk across the stage this weekend at graduation. He'll move from the volleyball court to a courtroom after law school, as he'll join the firm of Morgan & Morgan as a personal injury attorney.