Wake Forest Law

Congratulations to the newly elected 2026-2027 Honor Council board!

Wake Forest Law Professor Chris Nero Coughlin and Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine Professor Emeritus Nancy M. P. King explore pregnancy, health justice, and public policy in their article, “Dialysis Machine or Fetal Container,” published in Annals of Health Law & Life Sciences.

The article argues that an approach centered on choice rather than force is both more ethically sound and more likely to support the health goals of the pregnant person and the fetus.

Read the article:

Annals of Health Law & Life Sciences - Volume 35 Issue 2 - page58

Mark your calendars! Registration for Law Alumni & Homecoming Weekend will open in late August. Reconnect with classmates and make plans to join us November 6-8.

The Wake Forest Law Office of Development and Alumni Engagement is pleased to announce the appointment of 22 new members to the Law Board of Visitors and Rose Council. These alumni and friends of the Law School began their three-year terms on July 1, 2026, bringing with them a wealth of experience and a shared passion for advancing the mission of Wake Forest Law.

Joining the Law Board of Visitors: Coleman Cowan (JD ’95), McLaurin Files (JD ’96), Lawrence Matthews (JD ’10), Jean Martin (’89, JD ’98), Edie Johnson (JD ’88), Will Dickinson (’07, JD ’10), David Daggett (JD ’85), Mary Sharp (JD ’93), Rich McPherson (JD ’10), Chris Behm (JD ’98), Paul Fanning (JD ’98, P ’30), and Jasmine Gardner (JD ’14).

Joining the Rose Council: Kylie Hamilton (JD ’20), Chance Villarreal (JD ’25), Walker Phillips (JD ’25), Joshualan Parrish (JD ’23), Nick D’Auria (JD ’16), Phillip Jester (JD ’20), Jada Williams (JD/MDIV ’24), William Gilchrist (JD ’25), and Mary Catherine Baker (JD ’25).

View the full Law Board of Visitors roster: https://law.wfu.edu/alumni/boardandcouncil/lbov/
View the full Rose Council roster: https://law.wfu.edu/alumni/boardandcouncil/rose-council/

A contract negotiation. An HR dispute. A cybersecurity concern. A compliance issue.

Today’s professionals are making decisions with legal implications every day whether they work in healthcare, business, HR, finance, or compliance.

That’s where legal knowledge becomes a real advantage.

The online Master of Legal Studies from Wake Forest University School of Law helps professionals build practical legal understanding they can apply directly in the workplace to reduce risk, communicate more effectively, and make informed decisions.

Because in today’s workplace, understanding the law can help set you apart.

https://bit.ly/4wBUwhA

The bar exam is officially over! Congratulations to our on completing this major milestone. We are proud of all the hard work and determination that brought you here. You did it! 💛🖤🎩

To all of our taking the bar exam this week: You’ve got this! We’re cheering you on every step of the way. 🎩

Associate Dean Tanya Marsh, an expert in funeral and cemetery law, was quoted in a recent CNN article, “A greener way to bury the dead is gaining ground—and sparking backlash.”

“We’ve outsourced death so completely to a professional industry that when people encounter it in a more natural form, it can trigger panic rather than recognition,” says Dean Marsh. “And that panic often leads to misinformation, fear, and stigma.”

Read the article:

A greener way to bury the dead is gaining ground — and sparking backlash | CNN A sprawling 20-acre hayfield in rural Minnesota was meant to become a green cemetery where loved ones could be buried in a more environmentally friendly manner. But as word of the project spread, opposition in the community of Blackhoof Township quickly mounted.

We asked what's getting you through bar prep. Here are your [adorable] responses.