Hi! My name is Jess Cooper and I’m a rising 3L at Vanderbilt. I’m originally from Centennial, Colorado. I went to university at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, where I studied International Relations and German and Eastern European Culture and History. Outside of the classroom, I love playing tennis and pickleball. My fun fact is that I lived in East Germany for a year before starting law school!

During my 1L summer, I stayed in Nashville and interned with the Trial Unit at the Federal Public Defender’s office. This summer, I will be working as a Government Contracts Summer Associate at Dentons in Denver. I am looking forward to spending the summer back home and hoping to return permanently after law school!

During next school year, I will be an Executive Authorities Editor on the Journal of Transnational Law. Additionally, during my time at Vanderbilt, I have been involved with the Woodbine Immigration Clinic and Opening Statement, which is the student organization for first-generation law students. Coming into Vanderbilt as a first-generation law student, I had a lot of questions about how to study, prepare for cold calls, apply for jobs, and build a network. I benefited significantly from the advice and support I got from my peers through Opening Statement and others throughout the Vanderbilt community. As an Academic Fellow, I am looking forward to continuing to contribute to Vanderbilt’s strong tradition of peer support!