Mackenzi Barrett Ph.D. ’28 was awarded with the distinguished Provost Pathbreaking Discovery Award for her article A Constitutional False Claims Act. The article was published in the Washington University Law Review, with co-authors Vanderbilt Professor Kip Viscusi and Alabama Law Professor Benjamin McMichael.
Their article centers on The False Claims Act, a centuries-old federal law that allows the federal government to recuperate funds lost through fraud and abuse. The authors argue that the False Claims Act often violates either the Excessive Fines Clause or the Due Process Clause.
In addition to the recognition, the prize comes with a $2,500 award.
“I am incredibly humbled and grateful to be recognized by Vanderbilt and join the long list of incredible scholars that chose to further their education here,” Barrett said.
Barrett’s personal research focuses on the effects of land use regulation. She will be presenting a paper at the Southeastern Economic Association annual meeting in fall 2025 that evaluates the effects of Oregon’s recent near elimination of single-family exclusive zoning. The Vanderbilt Law Review will also publish her Note discussing the intersection of densification and noise pollution this fall.
Barrett received the Archie B. Martin Memorial Prize for Scholarship in the 2022-2023 academic year for achieving the highest GPA in the first-year law student class. She was also awarded the Vanderbilt Law School Scholastic Excellence Awards for Contracts, Torts, Legal Writing I, Criminal Law, Corporations, and Evidence and the University Graduate Fellowship. In the 2025-26 academic year, she will serve as the Executive Editor for the Vanderbilt Law Review.
The Provost Pathbreaking Discovery Award is awarded to the most deserving students who have a combined Graduate School and Law School GPA in the top third of the Ph.D. program, have previously received awards for their academic accomplishments, and have demonstrated excellence in research.
