Dear Tennessee Law Review Community, 

Serving as Editor-in-Chief of the Tennessee Law Review has been the greatest honor of my law school career, and as that chapter comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on what we set out to do. When I ran for this role, I made a commitment to make TLR a people-focused journal. I meant that in two senses: attentive to the people of Tennessee (and beyond) who are shaped by the law, and attentive to the people who show up every day to put this journal together. Looking back, I believe we accomplished that, and the credit belongs to the members of this journal far more than it belongs to me. 

When I took over, the Journal was behind by an issue. The practical fix was to publish five issues this year instead of the usual four, and I want to acknowledge what that required of everyone. It was a significant undertaking, and the way our members rose to meet it said more about this journal than anything I could put into words. Future classes will inherit a clean slate because of our members’ effort and dedication, and I am grateful for that every day. 

Beyond the production calendar, we tried to keep our attention on what the Journal is actually for. We published a substantial amount of student work, both notes and blog posts, and we made a deliberate effort to stay focused on Tennessee. The law does not exist apart from the people it touches, and we wanted our scholarship to reflect that. Whether the issue was one affecting Knoxville, the rural counties of our state, or Tennesseans more broadly, we always asked whether our articles were speaking to something real. 

I am leaving the Journal in great hands. Caden Stitt and Caitlin Galloway have already hit the ground running, organizing a symposium on the rural justice gap and bringing together scholars and practitioners around one of the most pressing access-to-justice issues facing our state. This is exactly the kind of work I hoped this journal would pursue, and the fact that they arrived at it independently tells me everything I need to know about where TLR is headed. 

To every member who gave their time, their edits, and their patience this year: thank you. This role has been the greatest honor of my law school career, and I will carry it with me long after I have left Knoxville. 

Sincerely, 

Layton Coker 

Editor-in-Chief, 2025–2026