Alistair Newbern, assistant clinical professor of law, has been appointed by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean to the Metro Human Relations Commission. Her appointment was confirmed by the Metro Nashville Council on March 20.
Newbern will serve as one of 17 commissioners appointed by the mayor who work with the Metro agency tasked with investigating complaints regarding perceived discrimination, reviewing allegation of discriminatory misconduct by Metro Government employees, developing education programs designed to eliminate prejudice and promote tolerance, and proposing legislation to address human relations issues.
At Vanderbilt, Newbern teaches the Appellate Litigation Clinic, in which students gain practical legal experience by working on federal appellate cases under her supervision. She is affiliated with the law school’s Social Justice Program, and her research focuses on underrepresented litigants. Newbern is president of the Nashville chapter of the American Constitution Society, and also serves on the Steering Committee for Nashville for All of Us and on the Access to Justice Committee of the Tennessee Bar Association.
“Alistair Newbern is an awarding-winning legal scholar and writer who also advances social justice within our community,” said Caroline Blackwell, executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission. “She has used her professional expertise to successfully represent victims of consumer fraud, employment discrimination, and civil and immigration rights violations. I’m thankful she has volunteered to contribute her time and talents to the Metro Human Relations Commission.”