WashU Law Professor Sheldon Evans has been named to the National Bar Association’s 40 Lawyers Under 40 list, a national recognition honoring rising leaders in the legal profession. The National Bar Association is the oldest and largest organization of Black and African-American attorneys in the country, with over 65,000 members and 80+ local and affiliate chapters. He is the only law professor included in this year’s cohort.
The annual list highlights legal professionals across the U.S who demonstrate excellence in their practice, leadership in their communities, and a commitment to advancing the profession. Professor Evans joins a distinguished cohort of advocates and innovators recognized for shaping the future of the law.
Professor Evans is known for his work in criminal law and procedure, immigration law, as well as his scholarship examining the intersection of race and the legal system. His work was recognized for its ongoing contributions to dismantle systems of mass incarceration and mass deportation. Since joining the faculty in 2023, he has built a national profile as both a scholar and teacher, following prior appointments at New York University School of Law, Emory University School of Law, and St. John’s University School of Law, where he received Dean’s Awards for excellence in scholarship, teaching, and service.
His scholarship has appeared in leading journals, including the Columbia Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and California Law Review. His article Punishment Externalities and the Prison Tax earned the AALS Criminal Justice Section Junior Scholar Award in 2022 for its contribution to punishment theory and efforts to address mass incarceration.
Before entering academia, Professor Evans practiced at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles, handling complex litigation and devoting significant time to pro bono immigration advocacy. He also served as a law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit for the Honorable Lavenski R. Smith.
Professor Evans has also dedicated time to making a difference through community service. He recently served as the President of the John Mercer Langston Group, Inc., an organization that is committed to expanding diversity in the legal academy. In addition, Professor Evans has spent time in several mentorship programs over the years to develop pipelines for high school and undergraduate students to reach the next level of educational achievement.
The National Bar Association will recognize this year’s honorees at its 101st Annual Convention, scheduled for July 27, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee.
WashU Law congratulates Professor Evans on this well-earned honor.
You can read Professor Evans’s scholarship here, and follow him on Twitter at @prawfsevans777
