Brenda Cook ’25 Receives Thurgood Marshall Award at Law School Commencement

Brenda Cook ’25 was honored with the Thurgood Marshall Award during William & Mary Law School’s commencement ceremony at Kaplan Arena on Saturday, May 17.Cook received the Thurgood Marshall Award from Dean A. Benjamin Spencer during Commencement.

The award is given each year to a member of the graduating class who exhibits the ideals of distinguished public service exemplified by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993).

Cook graduated from James Madison University with a degree in justice studies. As a law student she served as vice president of the Black Law Students Association, a member of the National Trial Team, a student worker for the Office of Student Affairs, a Student Admissions Ambassador, and Associate Diversity Chair for the Student Bar Association.

She was also a judicial extern for the U.S. District Courts in Norfolk, clerked for Marks & Harrison in Richmond, and was a summer legal intern for the U.S. Attorneys’​ Offices in Washington, D.C.

As if she wasn’t busy enough as a student, Cook spent what little spare time she had working with children in the Williamsburg-James City County School District.

Cook will be joining the Virginia Beach Commonwealth Attorney’s Office after graduation.