Catherine Smith

Catherine Smith is the Vincent L. Bradford Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University School of Law, specializing in children's constitutional rights. Her scholarship reimagines constitutional law through a children's equality framework, challenging doctrines that prioritize adult perspectives. She has published foundational work on equal protection for young people and participated in landmark litigation including Obergefell v. Hodges.

Professor Smith co-founded the Consortium for the Advancement of Children’s Constitutional Rights with $2 million in funding. She teaches Torts, Children and the Constitution, and Children and the Law. Her current research examines how courts apply adult-centered frameworks to children's equal protection claims and develops youth-centered alternatives.