Lizanne Thomas ‘82L to Deliver Law Commencement Address

By Peter Jetton
May 5, 2022

Lizanne Thomas, a member of the W&L Law Class of 1982 and partner-in-charge of the southern region for the law firm Jones Day, will deliver this year’s commencement address during the graduation exercises at Washington and Lee University School of Law.

Commencement is scheduled for Friday, May 13 beginning at 10 a.m. The event is open to the public. A complete schedule of events is available at the commencement website. Watch the ceremony live here.

Thomas was named to the University Board of Trustees in 2014. At Jones Day, she heads the firm’s corporate governance practice. She also is a Fellow of the American College of Governance Lawyers. Thomas participates in about 100 board meetings per year as counsel to a number of public companies. She represents special committees in control and conflict transactions, as well as in internal investigations. She is experienced in shareholder activism, public and private mergers and acquisitions, and ESG.

Thomas has served on the Boards of Directors of four publicly traded companies, including Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. In 2016, she was named one of the country’s top 100 directors by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).

Thomas has been active with a number of philanthropic organizations, including serving on the Boards of the Georgia Research Alliance, the Woodruff Arts Center, Furman University and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.