Charles Alfred Graves was a legal scholar and law professor, who taught at the law schools of Washington and Lee University School of Law

Washington and Lee University School of Law

The Washington and Lee University School of Law is a private American Bar Association-accredited law school located in Lexington in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Facilities are currently on the campus of Washington and Lee University in Sydney Lewis Hall...

 and the University of Virginia

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...

.

Graves graduated from Washington and Lee, where he studied under John W. Brockenbrough

John White Brockenbrough

John White Brockenbrough was a Virginia lawyer, federal judge, educator, and the founder of the Washington and Lee University School of Law....

 and John Randolph Tucker

John Randolph Tucker (1823-1897)

John Randolph Tucker was an American lawyer, author, and politician from Virginia. He was a member of the Tucker family, which was influential in the legal and political affairs of the state of Virginia and the United States for many years.-Early Life and Family:Tucker was born in Winchester,...

, then joined the faculty in 1873. From 1875 to 1887, Graves taught alone, while Tucker served in Congress. Tucker returned, then in 1896, a third faculty member was added, John W. Davis

John W. Davis

John William Davis was an American politician, diplomat and lawyer. He served as a United States Representative from West Virginia , then as Solicitor General of the United States and US Ambassador to the UK under President Woodrow Wilson...

. Graves became dean in 1897 upon Tucker's death. From 1899 to 1928, Graves was a professor of law at the University of Virginia.

Graves was a charter member of The Virginia Bar Association

Virginia Bar Association

The Virginia Bar Association is a voluntary organization of lawyers in Virginia, with offices in Richmond, Virginia.- VBA Mission : is the independent voice of the Virginia lawyer, advancing the highest ideals of the profession through advocacy and volunteer service.- History :The VBA, , was...

 in 1890. With Judge Edward C. Burks

Edward C. Burks

Edward Calohill Burks was an American jurist.Burks was born in Bedford County, Virginia, the son of Martin Parks Burks, a successful farmer, and Louise Claiborne Spinner. He attended several schools when he was a boy, among them, the New London Academy...

 and Professor William M. Lile, Graves issued the first volume of the "Virginia Law Register" in May 1895.

In 1907, on the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Robert E. Lee

Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....

, Graves gave a poignant speech at the University of Virginia about Lee's years at Washington College. The speech was reprinted in the Alumni bulletin.

In 1911, Washington and Lee conferred on Graves an honorary doctor of laws degree.