Portraits of William & Mary Law Deans Reveley, Butler and Douglas Unveiled
Deans Honored The striking paintings of Deans Reveley, Butler and Douglas by artist Nancy Tankersley depict more than two decades of strong leadership at the Law School and come about through the foresight and enormous generosity of alumnus Joseph T. Waldo ’78. Photos by David F. Morrill
The Dean’s Gallery just grew by three at William & Mary Law School.
During a ceremony in the upper floor of the Hixon Center on the evening of September 28, Dean A. Benjamin Spencer, guests, faculty and staff gathered for the unveiling of three portraits by artist Nancy Tankersley.
The paintings depict more than two decades of strong leadership at the Law School, and come about through the foresight and enormous generosity of alumnus Joseph T. Waldo ’78. The portraits depict W. Taylor Reveley, III (Dean, 1998-2008), Lynda L. Butler (Interim Dean, 2008-2009) and Davison M. Douglas (Dean, 2009-2020).
“It is a pleasure to welcome you to this special occasion and the unveiling of portraits of three of our Law School’s heroes,” Spencer said.
Taylor Reveley, President Emeritus and John Stewart Bryan Professor of Jurisprudence, practiced law at Hunton & Williams in Richmond for 28 years and was a managing partner of the international firm before becoming dean of the Law School in 1998. Ten years into his tenure, he would answer the call to serve as the university’s interim president. Five months later, he became William & Mary’s 27th president and served in that capacity until June 2018.
Lynda Butler, Chancellor Professor of Law, Emerita, enjoys the distinction of being William & Mary’s longest-serving female faculty member. She served in myriad leadership roles at the university and Law School, including eight years as vice dean. She continues to lead the Property Rights Project and its renowned Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference. She has the distinction of being the first women to lead a law school in Virginia.
A distinguished constitutional historian, Davison Douglas led the Institute of Bill of Rights Law and was founder and director of the Election Law Program. His eleven-year tenure gives him the distinction of being the longest serving dean at the Law School over the past 50 years. At the time he returned to the faculty in June 2020 as the John Stewart Bryan Professor of Jurisprudence, he was among the longest-serving law deans in the United States.
“Taylor, Lynda, and Dave have had an immeasurable impact on legal education as individuals and as leaders,” Spencer said. “It is amazing to consider how William & Mary Law School evolved during the years 1998 to 2020.”
About William & Mary Law School
Thomas Jefferson founded William & Mary Law School in 1779 to train leaders for the new nation. Now in its third century, America’s first law school continues its historic mission of educating citizen lawyers who are prepared both to lead and to serve.