Profile - Jane Ledlie '08

Undergraduate School: Washington & Lee University  Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia I never thought I would come back to Lexington, after spending four years here as an undergrad, but as I looked at law schools, I found myself comparing every school to W&L. Ultimately, I knew I had to come back. I couldn't resist the small classes, incredible professors and community of trust that W&L offered.

Describe your favorite class or classroom experience.

Oddly enough, I really enjoyed Secured Transactions with Professor Calhoun. He has an extraordinary ability to make seemingly uninteresting subjects incredibly stimulating. During one class, he went on this incredible diatribe about famous historical figures and then finished the lecture by adding the "drafters of Article 9" of the Uniform Commercial Code to the list. Talk about keeping a class engaged.

Who's your favorite professor?

This might be the hardest question to answer at W&L. Since I'm experiencing each for the second time, I have to go with Professors Murchison and Johnson. No one knows more about their respective subjects and no one can better entertain or get the subject matter across better than those two. During both summers, I can remember applying stuff I learned in their classes to various projects at hand.

What's your favorite thing about Lexington?

It's hard to be stressed out about life when you have a 4-minute drive home from the law school that involves interactions with the deer on the law school property.

How has W&L prepared you to meet the challenges of the practical, work-related experiences you've had during your time in law school?

I worked at law firms in Atlanta (1L and 2L summer) and Richmond (2L summer). I found that W&L had more than prepared me for life as a summer associate. I actually felt more prepared than other summer associates in my abilities to balance my workload and handle assignments from attorneys.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Law School's tough no matter where you go. I think coming to W&L has made the experience more than worthwhile. I'm about to graduate with a great job, and W&L allowed me to achieve my professional goals without requiring me to put my life on hold. I've genuinely enjoyed my time here: the people, the scenery, the lifestyle. I'm excited about what lies ahead, but I'm thankful for the experience I had here.

Update: Jane now works in Richmond at Troutman Sanders LLP.