THE 鈥淢OTHER鈥� OF MEMPHIS LAW ADMISSIONS SAYS HELLO TO RETIREMENT
After 30 years of guiding thousands of law students to the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Assistant Dean for Law Admissions, Recruitment, and Scholarships, Dr. Sue Ann McClellan is retiring, effective June 30, 2025.
Over the years, Memphis Law has become known for its personal touch in helping law students acclimate and succeed in law school.
All of that begins with Dean McClellan.
For generations of students and future attorneys, she has been the guiding hand that oversees their entry into the legal profession, shepherding them throughout the admissions process and into their first days and weeks of law school like a mother guiding loved ones through a taxing and critical part of their lives.
And it does not stop there. She keeps tabs on students as they progress from timid 1Ls to worldly 3Ls, as they take the Bar and embark upon their legal careers. Though they may not even know it, Dean McClellan watches their law school careers with a keen eye, always there to provide a little encouragement and a personal bit of attention to those students in need of just a bit more assurance that they can succeed.
She has navigated numerous changes to not only the law school, but also the landscape of legal education during her time leading the admissions office. But regardless of leadership changes, trends, tools, or type of prospective student, Dean McClellan鈥檚 sincerity and devotion to truly helping students always shone through.
鈥淪ue Ann鈥檚 vast experience and wealth of knowledge far exceeds that of so many peers,鈥� said former law school Dean Katharine Schaffzin. 鈥淎s a faculty member on the Admissions Committee or as dean, I have always deferred to her assessment in informing admissions decisions and recruitment strategies. Sue Ann鈥檚 kindness and humanity shine when she interacts with prospective students. She often cultivates relationships with undergraduates as early as their sophomore year. And once she does establish that relationship, she stewards it through law school and beyond. Sue Ann knows which student is from Bristol, Tennessee, and who played collegiate softball at Arkansas State. She knows which former student is getting married, made partner, or lost a parent.鈥�
鈥淪he is at the heart of this law school and will be greatly missed in her retirement.鈥�
Her philosophy about students and recruitment echoes those same attributes, from the beginning of her law school career through today.
鈥淓veryone鈥檚 journey is different and personal. You have to meet the student where they are at,鈥� said Dean McClellan.
鈥淚鈥檝e always felt that listening is such a critical element to building a relationship. And relationships are what all of this is built upon.鈥�
鈥淭he beauty of my longevity is the depth of the relationships I have with graduates that I can reach out to and help both prospective students and alumni,鈥� she noted.
If anything, the biggest change in the real-world practice of this philosophy is the method of communication and interaction. She has seen technology change over the years and notes that it is one of the biggest areas of evolution in law school admissions. Years ago, all conversations might be centered around a letter, a phone call, or an in-person visit, whereas today, technology has drastically ramped up to include text messaging campaigns, emails, social media, Zoom calls, virtual tours, and more. But her goals remain the same, as does her personal approach to dealing with students.
鈥淭he goal has always been to get these students to come to law school here,鈥� McClellan noted. 鈥淭he tools and methods are slightly different. But by building these personal relationships with prospective students, I鈥檝e always been able to really help put the puzzle pieces together to help them decide how Memphis is a great fit for them.鈥�
Those generations of students served over the years are now successful alumni across the country, many of whom still have ties with Dean McClellan and are there to help whenever she calls on them. This unique characteristic to have seen scores of students grow from law school prospects to veteran attorneys has given Memphis Law and its students a very advantageous attribute. She is able to call upon alumni in cities throughout the country and put them in touch with individual applicants with whom they have something in common or can relate to them and their situations in a way that raw data or electronic correspondence just can鈥檛 relay. This institutional knowledge of our student history leading into alumni involvement and career development is something the law school will be sorely pressed to ever replicate.
It鈥檚 something that the law school鈥檚 alumni have long taken notice of.
鈥淵ou could use the words, dedicated, hard-working, never-give-up, best-of-the-best鈥ut these words could still not adequately describe Sue Ann and what she has done for our law school,鈥� said Richard Glassman (JD 鈥�72), former president of the University of Memphis Law School Alumni Chapter. 鈥淚 have observed personally, from afar and through others, the results she has produced over and over again through the years. I鈥檓 incredibly grateful for her dedication and friendship.鈥�
Over the years, Dean McClellan has been integrally involved in a number of long-lasting programs and events that have become a part of Memphis Law.
One particularly meaningful initiative she was on the ground floor for was the Summer Law Intern Program, also known as SLIP, which, alongside the Memphis Bar Association, provides diverse high school students the opportunity to experience the daily legal workplace of private law firms, corporate law divisions or governmental agencies. In the early stages of the program, Judge Gina Higgins and attorney Ruby Wharton asked Dean McClellan for assistance in growing the pipeline program. She not only helped in the instrumental years of growth for SLIP but led the planning of the 鈥淒ay at the Law School鈥� portion of the program and still feels an enormous sense of pride at seeing how the program has flourished over the years.
鈥淚t was an honor to be asked by such prestigious members of the legal community to help in something like SLIP,鈥� said Dean McClellan. 鈥淎nd it has been a true privilege to work with a pipeline program like this and see students who were involved in SLIP grow and become successful law students and attorneys.鈥�
And her involvement with students does not stop with prospective ones. She started one of the most important and visible programs at the law school, when it comes to student involvement. Our Student Ambassador Program is made up of some of the best and most engaging current law students enrolled at Memphis Law. They are on the front lines of prospective student interaction alongside our admissions team. These student ambassadors lead tours, give advice, participate on student panels, and engage with potential law students from a relatable and genuine place, in a way that rings true with fellow students like no other. And all of that was started by Dean McClellan.
鈥淚 think that the people who sell the law school the best are the currently enrolled students at the law school,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have approximately 25 volunteer student ambassadors every year and their impact is insurmountable to our recruitment and admissions process.鈥�
Though she logged her time in the law school鈥檚 longtime building on the University鈥檚 main campus, she truly helped the law school become a valuable member of the downtown community when it relocated to its new home at 1 North Front St. in 2010. In partnership with (at the time) First Alliance Bank, she developed a new two-day event for Admitted Student Open House with a Downtown Vendor鈥檚 Fair and community partner鈥檚 event. With students being new to the downtown Memphis environment, and with the many restaurants, apartments, parking garages, and other businesses discovering how to help these new downtown residents, the event helped to not only allow students to discover downtown, but also for downtown to discover the law school and continued to do so successfully for years.
Professor Kevin Smith was Dean at the time of the law school鈥檚 move downtown and has always appreciated her impact on the law school throughout its various stages.
鈥淪ue Ann鈥檚 integrity, empathy, and deep knowledge of the admissions process have shaped generations of law students,鈥� former Dean Smith said. 鈥淪he meets prospective students with encouragement, wisdom, and a sincere desire to help them realize their professional goals鈥攁 gift to the law school and to the profession. Sue Ann has been the heart of our admissions program and a wonderful and valued colleague.鈥�
That same sentiment is echoed by the law school鈥檚 current Dean, Jim Strickland, as well.
鈥淲e are really going to miss Sue Ann. She is an institution at Memphis Law because of the incredible success she has had over 30 years and the thousands of alumni and students to whom she is beloved,鈥� Strickland said.
After weathering a variety of storms over the years, from forced adaptations resulting from COVID, to the ongoing enrollment cliff facing higher education, as well as the 2008 recession, and today鈥檚 鈥淣IL-style鈥� scholarship arena amongst law schools, Dean McClellan has really seen it all.
With so many changes, it would be easy to overlook the things that have stayed the same in her law school career. But she can still see one common thread that ties the students of years past to today鈥檚 prospects.
鈥淭he passion that students are coming to law school with has remained consistent,鈥� she reflected. 鈥淭he passion to make a difference. To overcome their own personal challenges that have witnessed what they鈥檝e witnessed in life that want to make a difference. I think there is an element of this nationwide, but our students at Memphis carry this passion even more so.鈥�
Now that three decades of law school admissions leadership draws to a close, what does she look back on and treasure the most?
鈥淚t has been a privilege and an honor to open the door to the legal profession for every single one of these students,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd once the door has been opened and I get to watch them blossom, discover their strengths, and move successfully into their careers, that has been a true joy that has kept me incredibly engaged.鈥�
鈥淭hese thousands of students are not my children, in the standard sense of the word, but they鈥檙e my family.鈥�