Rodney A. Smolla, is an award-winning author and first amendment scholar. He was the 11th president of Furman University. Smolla went to Yale University as an undergraduate and to Duke University Law School, where he finished first in his class. After his graduation, Smolla served as clerk for Charles Clark, a judge on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in 1978?1979. Smolla began his academic career at DePaul University College of Law in 1980. After teaching at University of Illinois College of Law, University of Arkansas School of Law, and University of Denver College of Law, he served as a professor at William & Mary Law School, where he was also director of the Institute of Bill of Rights Law. In 2003, he was named dean of the University of Richmond School of Law. Smolla became dean of Washington and Lee University School of Law on July 1, 2007 where he established their innovative third-year law program. He was a visiting professor at Duke University Law School and the University of Melbourne Law School. In 2002, Smolla argued Virginia v. Black before the Supreme Court of the United States. The case revolved around the constitutionality of Virginia's cross burning statute.