Peyton Pair ‘22
Guest Writer
Southeastern Wahoos
Southeastern Wahoos seeks to provide a space for students interested in the Southeast, both professionally and personally, to interact with employers, alumni, and fellow students. The Southeast has a vibrant legal market filled with UVA alumni and a family-friendly atmosphere with a low cost of living. Major markets include Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, and Nashville.
We plan to offer events with firms, student panels, in-house counsel, and public service. In fact, we are hosting our first student panel on September 9 to discuss their work as summer associates in the Southeast. Furthermore, we will provide resources and guidance to first-year students who want to spend their first summer in the Southeast. These resources include resume review and learning to craft a cover letter geared toward the Southeast.
Beyond career-oriented programming, we plan to offer plenty of social opportunities, like SEC football game watch-parties and happy hours, once the pandemic is brought under control. We encourage everyone, even if you’re just curious about the Southeast, to attend events and get to know your fellow ‘hoos. Simply email Peyton Pair ’21 (pair@virginia.edu) to join the email list and receive updates about future events.
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Garrett Engel ‘21
Guest Writer
Lone Star Lawyers
Lone Star Lawyers (LSL) works to create a network for students interested in the Texas legal market by connecting them with employers, alumni, and fellow students working in the state. LSL helps students find employment opportunities in Texas and provides a social atmosphere for students interested in Texas and alumni working in Texas to interact. LSL focuses heavily on its mentorship program which strengthens the competitiveness of UVA students who want to work in Texas by allowing 2Ls and 3Ls to guide 1Ls through the application and interview process. We help students “put their best foot forward” when they interview with Texas firms and teach them why Texas might just be the best place for them to start their legal career. In the past, LSL has held firm sponsored events such as our annual back-to-school happy hour, a “Taste of Texas” BBQ, professional and practice area focused panels, grab-and-go breakfasts (and lunches), and dozens of regular happy hours.
LSL is gearing up for many events this semester both social and professional in nature. On the professional side, we plan to host great firms such as Kirkland & Ellis, White & Case, Norton Rose Fulbright, and Vinson & Elkins. Socially, not only do we plan to hold opportunities to safely social distance in person, but LSL is hosting “office hours” every few weeks and continuing its Fantasy Football tradition under the leadership of Dillon Tan ’22, our VP of Social Outreach. We are excited to serve the Law School community again this year. If anyone has any questions or would like to join LSL, feel free to reach out to me directly at sge7uk@virginia.edu.
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Luke Versweyveld ‘22
Guest Writer
Heartland ‘Hoos
Heartland ‘Hoos is an organization for students who are from the Midwest, are interested in practicing in the Midwest, or both. The purpose of the group is part social: connecting students from the Midwest; and part career-oriented: connecting and networking with employers across the Midwest. “Heartland” is loosely defined, and if you believe you belong to the Heartland, we are happy to have you in the group. The largest market we serve is Chicago, but we have members interested in markets all across the Midwest, including Minneapolis, Columbus, Kansas City, and more. Wherever our members are interested in, we are happy to act as the intermediary for networking in those markets.
Connor Day ’22 and Luke Versweyveld ’22 came up with the idea for Heartland ‘Hoos in the library last fall. Both are interested in practicing in Chicago, and they were surprised there was no student group serving the third-largest legal market in the country.
The Executive Board includes:
● President – Luke Versweyveld ’22
● Vice President – Connor Day ’22
● Treasurer – Paul Koltz ’22
● Marketing Coordinator – Katie Graves’ 22
● Event Coordinator – Bilal Askari ’22
We will be hosting elections to replace our executive board at the end of this semester. Any interested 1Ls should reach out to Versweyveld at the email below.
Heartland ‘Hoos will be putting on a “Chicago Day” panel on Friday, October 16 from 3-4 p.m. Five top Chicago firms have already committed to attending this event. We will have a panel format where students can ask questions about the attorneys’ respective firms and the Chicago market during the first half-hour. The second half-hour will involve breakout rooms for more individualized communication between attorneys and students. If you have any interest in practicing in Chicago, you won’t want to miss this networking opportunity.
Any questions about membership or participating in Chicago Day can be directed to Luke Versweyveld at ljv3hq@virginia.edu.
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Kathryn Querner ‘21
Executive Editor
West Coast Wahoos
West Coast Wahoos is a regionally-focused student organization at the Law School that seeks to create a network for students interested in legal markets on the West Coast, and to provide these students with networking and employment opportunities as well as alumni resources.
According to our Co-President Nachi Baru ’22, West Coast Wahoos’ goal is to get West Coast firms connected with members, to teach members what West Coast firms are looking for, and to teach members how to market themselves specifically to West Coast firms. Although the West Coast Wahoos’ primary market focuses are in California—specifically San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego—the organization provides for career connections and networking opportunities with all markets west of and including Colorado. So, students interested in markets including Denver, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, and even Honolulu would benefit from joining West Coast Wahoos.
Although the Office of Private Practice has established that 1Ls cannot begin attending networking events until October 1, West Coast Wahoos will be sending out information regarding general meetings and mid-semester 1L networking events through its listserv. And for the 2Ls, West Coast Wahoos will be hosting a networking event with attorneys from Jones Day in mid-September. This is a panel event followed by breakout rooms to give students the chance to more personally connect with the attorneys, and further information regarding this event will be spread via email in the coming weeks.
Baru emphasizes that, despite the pandemic’s negative effects on the economy, he has been in contact with many firms that are still expressing interest in speaking with and hiring UVA Law students. In fact, given the need for virtual networking, Baru explained that even more firms are now expressing interest in networking, as those organizations that were previously constrained by the travel time and expenses from the West Coast to Charlottesville now have the opportunity to network virtually with students.
West Coast Wahoos’ Chair of Career Development Ian Hurst ’22 also expressed that he loves the culture of West Coast legal organizations, and that West Coast Wahoos is a great way for students to learn more about West Coast markets. Further, Hurst adds that it is never too early for students to start developing their networking skills, and West Coast Wahoos provides a host of events that give students the opportunity to network and work on building connections and networking abilities.
To be added to the West Coast Wahoos listserv, students can email West Coast Wahoos’ Student Outreach Chair Sami Ghanem ’22, at sg3wu@virginia.edu.
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pair@virginia.edu
sge7uk@virginia.edu
ljv3hq@virginia.edu
kmq8vf@virginia.edu