Washington and Lee School of Law

Faculty Spotlight /// Professor Leila Lawlor, Director of Academic Excellence and Professor of Practice, has been recognized with the Impact Award from the Association of Academic Support Educators (AASE). Lawlor was selected from among nearly 450 active members in recognition of her sustained contributions to the field, her national leadership, and her commitment to supporting colleagues and students throughout legal education.

“[Professor Lawlor’s] leadership has helped advance AASE’s mission, build community among academic support and bar success professionals, and elevate the work of those serving students at every stage of legal education,” said Nachman N. Gutowski, president of AASE. “Her impact nationally cannot be overstated."

https://columns.wlu.edu/leila-lawlor-receives-national-impact-award-from-academic-support-educators-association/

W&L Law Class of 2029 Spotlight (10 Days till Orientation!) /// Meet Jarvis Chandler

Hometown:
Chesterfield County, Virginia

Undergraduate Institution:
Virginia Military Institute

What you are looking forward to in 1L year:
The challenges. I enjoy racking my brain trying to understand concepts that make zero sense at first. Trying to mentally adjust to a new lifestyle while absorbing difficult material is going to be one of the hardest things I’ve done up to this point. If law school was going to be easy, it wouldn’t be worth doing.

Hobby/Interest:
One of my hobbies is reading; primarily fantasy and historical nonfiction. I also enjoy Mixed Martial Arts, HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts), and tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons or Warhammer.

Why W&L Law?:
When I received my acceptance letter, I took it as a sign that I was meant to return to LexVegas. Being in a small town with few distractions allows me to lock in on my studies. I look forward to getting to know the community from a different lens.

What is the most adventurous thing you have done?:
The year I went to Mardi Gras for my bachelor party. It was an incredibly unique experience I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else in the world.

Something you hope to continue to pursue in law school that brings you joy:
I want to continue strength training and studying martial arts. It would also be nice to have a group to play D&D with every once in a while.

Something unique about you:
I have 3 different swords: a decorative arming sword, an Irish longsword, and a training longsword.

Why W&L Law? 💙

For Haley Lawson '27L, the answer is simple: the people.

From a close-knit community to faculty who invest in every student's success, W&L Law is a place where challenge and support go hand in hand.

Law Class of 2029 Spotlight /// Meet Erin Spiva

Hometown:
I grew up in Keenesburg, CO, but most recently have been living in Wichita Falls, TX

Undergraduate Institution:
West Texas A&M University

What you are looking forward to in 1L year:
Learning as deeply and broadly as I can. I’m happiest when I’m learning something new and am beyond excited to be able to do that in law school!

Hobby/Interest:
Weightlifting, reading, traveling, and baking

Why W&L Law?:
I knew I would thrive best in a close-knit, collaborative school where the professors, faculty, and alumni genuinely knew you and cared about your goals. Before I even visited Lexington, I was impressed by the clear, thorough communication from the admissions team, and my visit during admitted students’ day only further confirmed that W&L Law was the place for me. Everyone was warm and welcoming as they ensured every question my husband and I had was answered fully.

What is the most adventurous thing you have done?:
Pursuing law school after a 12-year career as a nonprofit fundraiser feels pretty adventurous! I have also been certificated in bovine artificial insemination, with all the hands-on practice that entailed.

Something you hope to continue to pursue in law school that brings you joy:
I plan to continue weightlifting – I have been doing it for more than a decade and it’s a great stress relief. My husband, our dog, and I also love seeking out local events wherever we live, from live theatre to festivals, and we're already looking forward to Bread Days.

Something unique about you:
I am a first-generation college student who attended junior college on a livestock judging scholarship.

W&L Law Class of 2029 Spotlight /// Meet Udy Kumra

Hometown: A strangely complicated question for me. I was in Darien, Connecticut for the first six years of my life, then Delhi, India for five years after that, and Hong Kong for seven years after that. Then I went to college in Charlottesville, Virginia, which feels like home in its own way. Hong Kong probably feels the most like home in some ways, but I feel more connected to the people of Delhi and Charlottesville than anywhere else I've lived.

Undergraduate Institution: University of Virginia

What you are looking forward to in 1L year: The classes, honestly! I really enjoyed the studying parts of my undergraduate education more than any other part — and I enjoyed every other part a lot — and I've missed it every day since I've graduated. It's not going to be the same as undergrad by any means, but I'm looking forward to returning to structured classroom conversations and curriculum-driven learning.

Hobby/Interest: I read books, write books, watch movies, watch TV shows, and I play and run tabletop roleplaying games — my whole life is curated around stories. But I'm also really into chess.

Why W&L Law?: W&L offers the combination I was looking for: a practical, hands-on legal education within a genuinely close-knit community. The more students, faculty, and future classmates I met, the more I could picture myself not only becoming a better lawyer there, but also genuinely enjoying life throughout law school. Not to mention I really wanted to remain in Virginia while exploring a new part of the state!

What is the most adventurous thing you have done?: Once at an international debate tournament, between rounds I was dared by my teammates to go up to the podium and use the mic to sing a song to everyone. I ended up accidentally starting a song and dance party in the middle of the debate tournament.
Something you hope to continue to pursue in law school that brings you joy: I love running and playing tabletop roleplaying games, and while I'm going to keep my online game going with my main group, I hope to share this hobby with fellow W&L students and maybe have an in-person group for the first time ever. Whether that's the conventional Dungeons & Dragons or something a bit more adventurous, I'm hoping to just sit around a table and tell some stories with friends.

Something unique about you: I have traveled to over 40 countries in my life! My family is big on travel and so I've been on long flights since I was less than a month old.

Path to Public Interest Program /// 62 students and recent graduates received grants this summer to support their work in public interest positions. Hear from several of the W&L Law students working in public interest jobs this summer--Elle Crawford '28L, Terius Madrigal '28L, Madelynn Sprouse '28L, and Lilly Freemyer '28L.

https://columns.wlu.edu/227956-in-grants-awarded-to-students-and-alumni-working-in-public-interest-positions/

W&L Law Class of 2029 Spotlight /// Meet Ella Colbert

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Undergraduate Institution: The College of William & Mary

What you are looking forward to in 1L year: Getting to connect with W&L Law students, faculty, and admin. The enthusiasm for W&L Law is unmistakable, and I am excited to learn from—and grow with—this community.

Hobby/Interest: I am a NYT Crossword enthusiast!

Why W&L Law?: I was first impressed by W&L Law’s strong employment outcomes and bar passage, but it was from the warmth and openness of everyone I spoke to throughout the admissions process that I knew Lexington was the right place for me. At W&L Law, I felt seen as a whole person—not just as my admission stats.

What is the most adventurous thing you have done?: Moved on my own. At 18, I came to Virginia without knowing anybody and have since lived throughout the DMV. Living in new cities has taught me so much about myself and the importance of building my own support system.

Something you hope to continue to pursue in law school that brings you joy: Hiking! W&L’s proximity to Shenandoah National Park is a huge plus for me.

Something unique about you: I’ve been to all 50 U.S. state capitols (yes, the buildings).

Student Spotlight /// Inside the 1L Year with Brigitte Arcoite ’28L

"Of all the experiences I have willingly put myself through, law school has without a doubt been the toughest. A close second was a twenty-day backpacking expedition with an alternative intervention program called the Wilderness School. What made those twenty days so challenging wasn’t the non-stop mosquitoes or the lack of access to running water. Instead, it was the emotional intensity that comes from pushing yourself past limits you didn’t even know existed...My 1L year here at W&L Law has, so far, brought on much the same kind of challenges, lessons, and self-discovery as my twenty day and other backcountry excursions —just with a lot less walking and a lot more reading."

https://columns.wlu.edu/inside-the-1l-year-with-brigette-arcoite-28l/

Faculty Spotlight /// Professor Josh Fairfield has published two articles recently that examine AI’s impact on the law, including the ability to generate legal consensus and the degree to which AI has evolved to amplify discrimination and avoid detection.

Professor Fairfield is an internationally recognized legal scholar and technology law expert serving as the Bain Professor of Law and AI Institute Director at Washington and Lee University School of Law.

https://columns.wlu.edu/josh-fairfield-publishes-articles-on-ais-impact-on-the-law/

W&L Law Class of 2029 Spotlight (1 month till Orientation!) /// Meet Ky Armstrong

Hometown: San Diego, California

Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Irvine

What you are looking forward to in 1L year:
I am excited to pursue my legal education, but I am most looking forward to creating a community at W&L Law and exploring Virginia. Coming from Southern California I know moving to Virginia will be a big change but I’m looking forward to exploring with fellow classmates.

Hobby/Interest:
My hobbies include reading (any genre but horror) & outdoors activities! Bonus if I can do both together; I love hiking/ rock climbing and finding a beautiful spot to read half way through.

Why W&L Law?:
I feel like a lot of students say this but truly it was the community and experiential education that drew me to W&L Law. I started interacting with W&L Law in 2024 through events; everyone was so kind and truly wanted me to succeed.

After a few months, I had truly fallen in love with the community of W&L so strongly, that after meeting one on one with students I chose to apply binding early decision. Community means a lot to me as someone who always tries to uplift the people around me, and I felt the support from the W&L Law community right away.

When I went to W&L Law for ASD I had made W&L friendship bracelets to hand out and I made so many friends already from that (I have made more and I hope to hand them out the first week at W&L Law).

What is the most adventurous thing you have done?:
I love to travel so I feel like a lot of my travels are adventurous. My top moment(so far) is probably the spontaneous climbing trip I took in undergrad with my housemate at the time, and we went to Washington and went trad climbing while it was pouring rain.

Something you hope to continue to pursue in law school that brings you joy:
I hope to continue doing buddy reads with my best friend, even though we won’t be able to do our meetups in person anymore I know it will still bring me joy. During our buddy reads we choose a book and read it like a mini book club, with chapter updates and questions, then we write a review blog on it. We have been fortunate enough that some of our favorite authors have seen our reviews and loved them so much they let us read their new books before release!

Something unique about you:
I was in Spanish dual language immersion from Kindergarten through 12th grade and continued taking Spanish in undergrad! It’s something I used everyday because I live super close to the border.