Vanderbilt Law To Add Sports Law Program Under Direction Of Current Athletic Director

Law schools annually compete for the best and brightest incoming students, and often try to sell enrollment based on things like U.S. News & World Report ranking, geography, class size and specialty programs. One such program — a focus on Sports Law — is somewhat rare throughout the United States. That said, law schools such as Tulane, Marquette and, more recently, Arizona State and Villanova have built a reputation for the sports-specific offerings they provide.

Soon, another law school will be added to the Sports Law mix. Vanderbilt Law School is preparing to launch a Sports, Law & Society Program in the near future.

A unique attribute to the new program is that it will be led by the current Vanderbilt athletics director David Williams, who will be stepping down from that role after working for fifteen years within Vanderbilt’s athletics program. Williams will be teaching at the law school while also running the new Sports, Law & Society Program.

“Establishing the Sports, Law & Society Program at the Law School will lay a new foundation for deeper understanding of the role sports has and continues to play in shaping many of the biggest issues in our country and the world,” said Williams. “I am excited to return to teaching, which is one of my first loves, and to do some research and writing in the areas of law, sports, society and social justice as well as leading the Sports, Law and Society initiative at our Law School.”

Beyond his experiences and years’ of teaching, Williams will bring an interesting perspective to the newly created Program as the first-ever African-American athletic director in the Southeastern Conference.