Jeffrey W. Sheehan teaches first-year Legal Research and Writing to J.D. students. Prior to joining Vanderbilt’s legal writing faculty, Professor Sheehan clerked for the Honorable Gilbert S. Merritt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and litigated at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLP. As a civil litigator, he brought appellate experience and a practical perspective to bear on clients' legal and business challenges from the earliest stages of conflicts through final appeals in state and federal courts. His work focuses on balancing public access to the courts against privacy interests as well as evolving understandings of faith and law. The Tennessee Supreme Court has recognized Professor Sheehan as a Tennessee Attorney for Justice for his pro bono practice representing clients in federal habeas actions, Section 1983 civil actions, and post-conviction actions at every level of the Tennessee and federal courts.

In addition to his legal practice, Professor Sheehan has served as a board member and board chair for Tennessee Justice For Our Neighbors, Nashville's premier non-profit immigration law firm, and as the chair of Belmont United Methodist Church's administrative board. He serves as a volunteer mediator with the Nashville Conflict Resolution Center and is listed by the Tennessee Supreme Court as a Rule 31 General Civil Mediator.

Before attending law school, Professor Sheehan earned his doctorate in history and critical theories of religion at Vanderbilt with a dissertation based on ethnomusicological field research in North Nashville and conducted postdoctoral research in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Before that, he studied saxophone at the Blair School of Music.

Professor Sheehan holds a J.D., Ph.D., M.A., and B.Mus. from Vanderbilt University.