Vanderbilt Law School celebrated Commencement Day for the Class of 2024 on May 10. Gathered on Curry Field, 165 students were awarded their Juris Doctor degree, and 25 students were awarded a Master of Laws degree.
Dean Chris Guthrie opened the ceremony by congratulating the graduates, thanking the faculty, staff, family, and friends that supported them through their legal education. He urged graduates to remember the importance of listening, “a skill that will facilitate your professional success, your personal relationships, and your civic engagement.”
“I want to urge you to focus on listening not only because it is in your self-interest, but also because it is in our society’s interest,” he noted.
Rebecca Haw Allensworth, Associate Dean for Research and David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law, was selected by the graduating classes to deliver the 2024 commencement address. She encouraged graduates to take a page out of medical education and “watch one, do one, teach one”– watch the work of those you admire, take on new tasks and responsibilities, and teach when you can, because “you don’t know how much you don’t know, until you teach.”
“It’s not a bad thing,” she added. “I can honestly say that not knowing things is the root of my professional happiness, because it gives me room to grow. So I’ll close with this: may your legal education never be complete!”
Awards and Honors
Nineteen members of the Class of 2024 received academic honors, journal awards, citizenship and leadership awards, or recognition from the Vanderbilt Bar Association. Read the awards recap to learn more about the winners and the awards.
Ceremony Recording
The full 2024 Law School Commencement is available on our YouTube channel and the event photography is available in our gallery.
