Tara Leigh Grove
Vinson & Elkins Chair in Law, Professor of Law
Tara Leigh Grove holds the Vinson & Elkins Chair in Law at the University of Texas School of Law, where she teaches Federal Courts, Constitutional Law, and Civil Procedure. She is one of the nation's most-cited legal scholars, recognized for her influential work on judicial legitimacy, interpretive theory, and the constitutional separation of powers. She was named to the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States in 2021. Before joining academia, she served as Supreme Court Chair of the Harvard Law Review, clerked for Judge Emilio Garza on the Fifth Circuit, and spent four years as an appellate attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Teaching Style
Professor Grove employs a structured Socratic method that systematically builds from basic doctrinal questions to sophisticated theoretical inquiries about the role of the federal judiciary. She is known for well-organized cold calls that follow a logical progression, asking students to trace how constitutional text, structure, and history inform judicial interpretation. Her classes are demanding but methodical, and she expects students to engage seriously with competing interpretive philosophies.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Be prepared to discuss the textual basis for constitutional doctrines and the relationship between constitutional text and judicial interpretation
- 2Understand the procedural posture and jurisdictional issues in each assigned case thoroughly
- 3Read and consider the competing views in any concurrences and dissents, not just the majority opinion
- 4Think carefully about separation of powers implications and how cases affect the balance between Congress, the executive, and the judiciary
Areas of Expertise
Education
- J.D., magna cum laude, Harvard Law School
- B.A., summa cum laude, Duke University
Notable Publications
- Named to the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States (2021)
- Ranked No. 17 most-cited author among Top 100 Legal Scholars of 2024
Research Interests
More Professors at University of Texas School of Law
Constitutional Law, National Security Law, Cybersecurity Law and Policy, Evidence
Torts, Contracts, Restitution, Civil Procedure
Federal Civil Procedure, Remedies, Bankruptcy
Federal Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence
Patent Law, Administrative Law, Contracts, Intellectual Property