Tyler Dougherty Joins William & Mary Law as Clinical Assistant Professor

William & Mary Law School has welcomed Tyler Dougherty as a clinical assistant professor of law. Known for her deep commitment to experiential learning, Dougherty will serve as the inaugural Kreisler Director of a new Community Law Clinic launching this fall.

“We welcome Professor Dougherty wholeheartedly to our faculty and look forward to seeing her approach to clinical education in action,” said A. Benjamin Spencer, Dean and Trustee Professor. “Her strong clinical background will be invaluable in launching a vibrant new clinic and enriching our students’ learning experiences in countless ways.”

Dougherty joins the law faculty from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where she served as a Clinical Teaching Fellow in the Advocacy Clinic. Prior to that, she was a clinical attorney and adjunct professor in the Rutgers Criminal & Youth Justice Clinic in Newark, New Jersey.

At Rutgers, she represented young people at various stages of the juvenile and criminal legal systems and in civil legal forums. In addition to representing clients, Dougherty worked on several youth-focused policy campaigns, appellate and state supreme court amicus advocacy, and partnerships with incarcerated youth to develop their own legislative proposals.

Dougherty graduated with a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from Rutgers Law School-Newark.

“Professor Dougherty is an incredible addition to our strong Clinical Program faculty, and we are thrilled that she has joined us, as her knowledge and skills are stellar and her passion for providing exceptional clinical experience for students is contagious,” said Stacy Kern-Scheerer, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of Clinical Programs. “Our Program is made all the better by her arrival here at William & Mary.”

Dougherty’s work with the Community Law Clinic will mark a significant step forward in the law school’s mission to expand its clinical offerings and deepen its impact on the surrounding community. She will also spearhead initiatives that integrate real-world legal practice into the classroom, helping students develop the skills needed to serve clients effectively and ethically.

“I think of the clinic as a way to give students the opportunity to see multiple models of what public interest lawyering can look like,” she said. “Students will gain confidence in their ability to creatively approach legal problems that will last them long into their careers.”