Amanda Frost
David Lurton Massee, Jr., Professor of Law
Amanda Frost is a leading scholar of immigration and citizenship law, federal courts, and judicial ethics. Her book You Are Not American was shortlisted for the Mark Lynton History Prize and named a New York Times 'New & Noteworthy' selection. Before entering academia, she clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and spent five years as a staff attorney at Public Citizen. She directs UVA's Immigration, Migration and Human Rights Program.
Teaching Style
Professor Frost is a highly regarded teacher who won UVA's All-University Teaching Award in 2026. She uses a structured Socratic approach in Civil Procedure, methodically working through procedural concepts while keeping students engaged with real-world applications. She is known for being rigorous but approachable, encouraging students to grapple with difficult jurisdictional questions through careful case analysis.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Master the procedural posture of every assigned case before class
- 2Be ready to explain how jurisdictional rules apply to immigration-related disputes
- 3Prepare to discuss policy implications behind procedural doctrines, not just black-letter rules
- 4Review her scholarship on citizenship if taking Immigration Law, as she frequently references her own research
Areas of Expertise
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School
- B.A., University of Pennsylvania
Notable Publications
- You Are Not American: Citizenship Stripping from Dred Scott to the Dreamers
Research Interests
More Professors at University of Virginia School of Law
Privacy Law, Civil Rights, Free Expression, Torts
Constitutional Law, Foreign Relations Law, Presidential Powers
Property, Local Government Law, Church and State, Urban Law and Policy
Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Computer Crime, Conflicts of Law
Constitutional Law, Law and Religion, Jurisprudence
Tax Law, Tax Policy, Behavioral Law and Economics