Biography
Laura A. Heymann is the James G. Cutler Professor of Law at William & Mary Law School, where she joined the faculty in 2005. She writes primarily in the areas of copyright law and trademark law; her widely cited scholarship has focused on subjects such as fair use, authorship, legal policies around naming, and authenticity in the art world, among other topics. Her recent co-authored work, on open-source software license compliance, resulted from a collaboration with colleagues from the university’s Computer Science department. She has taught Copyright Law, Trademark Law, Contracts, and Torts, as well as shorter classes on Advertising Law and Law & Sexuality.
Prior to her appointment, she was a Visiting Associate Professor of Law and Administrative Fellow at The George Washington University Law School. She has also served as an assistant general counsel at America Online, Inc.; as an associate at Wilmer, Cutler, and Pickering in Washington, D.C.; and as a law clerk to the Hon. Patricia M. Wald of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Prior to attending law school, she worked as an assistant editor at St. Martin’s Press in New York.
She was selected by the 2008 graduating class as the recipient of the Walter L. Williams, Jr., Memorial Teaching Award. She was also the 2012 recipient of the university’s Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award and a 2024 recipient of the McGlothlin Award for Exceptional Teaching. She received a Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence in 2012 and was the Class of 2014 Professor of Law from 2011 to 2014. She served as Vice Dean of the Law School from 2013 to 2017.
