Whitney Carter ‘23
Interviewed by Jack Brown ‘23
Where are you from?
Seattle, Washington.
Where did you go to undergrad and what did you study there?
I went to a school called Whitworth University, which is in Spokane, Washington on the east side of the state. It’s a small liberal arts college, and I studied Communications and minored in Political Science.
What made you start thinking about law school?
I graduated early. Going into my last semester I thought, “Wow, I hate journalism, I do not want to do this anymore,” but it was too late for me to change my major and still graduate early. So I decided to join the Peace Corps to take some time to figure out what the next step was. While I was there, I decided to take the LSAT because the law seemed like a place where you can make a lot of change and that was something I always wanted to do.
Where were you stationed in the Peace Corps?
Ukraine, I taught English in a small village in Southwest Ukraine.
What was it like taking the LSAT in Ukraine?
It was difficult because I had intermittent Internet access and couldn’t buy books or take a class so I ended up only using used Powerscore books that someone had already written in and tried to study with that. The actual test was only offered once a year in the capital, so I had to take an overnight train and a bus to stay there for the weekend to get there and take it. I also took it on my birthday, which was kind of rough.
How did you get interested in Public Defense?
Brian Stevenson, who wrote Just Mercy and is well known within the public defense world, spoke at my school. After that, I read his book and thought, “Okay this is super cool, I want to do something like that.” At that point, it wasn’t necessarily public defense, but I wanted something where I could make an impact. Then, when I settled on the law I decided to go in that direction because that’s what he did.
How has it been pursuing public defense at UVA?
Initially, it felt very daunting. It can feel like there’s a Big Law push at UVA. But I’ve still been able to find my niche through both PILA and LPS. I have mentors who remind me that law school is only a step in the process and to remember why you’re here and what your goal is.
What has been your favorite 1L memory so far?
Not school related, but I got engaged right before the fall semester started. We got engaged on campus, which was beautiful and it's really cool because we both go to school here together.
Wow! What is the story behind that?
When we met we didn’t know that the other was going through the application process. It was on our first date that we found out. We just started dating knowing there were a lot of unknowns with where we were going to end up. Both of us intended to go to the best school we could get into and since we had very different interests in the law we only applied to three of the same schools.
Initially we were both going to be in D.C., which was going to be great because we’d both be together even if we wouldn’t be at the same school. Then I got in here, which was an incredible opportunity I couldn’t turn down. Luckily, right before we put down a deposit anywhere, he got in here and it was like, “Oh my gosh, it’s all meant to be.” Later we drove all the way out here [from Washington] to move in and got engaged on the steps of the Law School.
Okay now let’s do some lighting round questions, favorite food?
Thai food!
Favorite class from undergrad?
International Relations, but it was really just because I liked the professor.
Class you’d want to teach?
I'd probably just want to rant about the injustice in the criminal justice system. Something about bail or prison reform.
If not law school, what would you be doing?
I think I'd be working for a non-profit, doing some sort of service work. That was always kind of my path in general.
Last movie you saw in theatres?
Just Mercy, Brian Stevenson’s movie. It was in February, right before everything shut down.
Last non-law book you read?
Over Christmas break I read Gideon’s Promise, which is about the Sixth Amendment right to public defenders. It all tracks I guess!
I definitely think you’re in the right place.
I know, right!
How do you de-stress?
I try to watch the trashiest TV imaginable. Right after finals, I watched the Real Housewives of New Jersey, which is my guilty pleasure.
Do you have a favorite case?
Reiss v. New York—it’s the case where her boyfriend threw lye in her face and then they got married after that. Everything that happened around that case was absolutely insane.
If you could give yourself one piece of advice what would it be?
The best advice I’ve ever gotten was when I was fifteen, when my teacher told us to always surround ourselves with good people.
Any shoutouts?
Reidar and Weekend Thursdays.
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wc5fe@virginia.edu