Profile - Kate Brockmeyer '11

Undergraduate School: University of Virginia  Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

What drew you to Washington and Lee?

Both of my parents are attorneys, so I have always been interested in the law. In college, I explored other disciplines, but ultimately decided that a J.D. would afford me the most flexibility after graduation. I knew that the skills I would learn in law school would make me a desirable candidate even if I decided to pursue jobs outside of the legal market. Now that I am in school, I am pretty sure I want to a legal job after graduation, but I like knowing that I have a lot of options available to me.

I chose Washington and Lee primarily for the size. I went to a larger college and wanted to go to a school where I could really get to know my professors and get individualized attention from career services. Also, Washington and Lee was the only school I visited where the students really seemed to want to be there. No one lamented about the schools they didn't get into; instead, they all seemed to have chosen Washington and Lee. I was very impressed by that.

Who's your favorite professor?

My favorite professor was Professor Spencer. I had him for Civil Procedure last semester, and I thought he did a great job relating the material in a clear and concise way while also challenging us to think about the cases and why they are important. I felt like I left each class with more answers than questions, and I appreciated that as I transitioned from working and my experiences in economic classes.

Also, I felt Professor Spencer conveyed his expectations for us as students during the first day of class. I knew what I was expected to do both in preparation for class and in preparation for the exam, especially because he sent us practice problems for his exams and commented on answers with both positive comments as well as constructive comments about where I went wrong.    

Describe your favorite classroom moment.

Professor Calhoun makes a point to introduce students to both Contracts as well as the field of law. In the first two weeks of class, Professor Calhoun spent an entire class lecturing about Oliver Wendell Holmes and both his impact on the legal world as well as his storied past. Professor Calhoun's enthusiasm for the subject shone through, and it definitely made me more excited about being a law student. 

What's your favorite thing about Lexington?

When it is warm, Lexington is a great place to spend time outdoors. Cooking out and laying out on Goshen Pass is definitely something to look forward to when warm weather returns. 

What student organizations were/are you involved with during law school? Was involvement in any of those particularly meaningful to your experience here?

Law Ambassadors—since time is scarce during the first year, I wanted to do something meaningful with my time, and I think helping students understand why W&L is a great law school is a great way to do that. I'm here because of the experience I had at my admitted students' weekend.