Davin Laskin ‘22
Interviewed by Devon Chenelle ‘23
Why and how did you find yourself at UVA Law?
UVA Law stood out from its peer schools I looked at in that it seemed like it was the only place where people genuinely enjoyed law school. It's hard to describe, but during my law school visits and interviews, I got the sense that at most places students put their heads down to study and slogged through three years to be a lawyer. When I spoke to alums at UVA, it was almost like an undergrad-style school spirit. When I went to apply, I ended up on the waitlist, so I bought an impromptu plane ticket to Charlottesville and walked into the admissions office to plead my case. I guess I'm a good salesman.
What is your favorite place in Charlottesville, and why is it The Gym™?
That place definitely kept a lot of us sane during COVID. Getting the chance to see my friends from the Law School again was great, and as a bare bones kinda guy, a warehouse with nothing but free weights, dogs running around, and the speakers blasting Lamb of God is pretty much my element.
What is the most unexpected experience you've had at UVA Law?
Common Law II with Doug Leslie. IYKYK.
I know you're an avid fisherman. Any fishing tips for anglers new to the area?
I'm probably a bad person to ask, because the real scene out here is fly fishing, which I'm hoping to get more into this year. But as far as traditional bass fishing goes, I always have the best luck in smaller waters, golf course ponds, community ponds, etc.
What is your favorite bar on the Corner?
That's tough, but I'll have to go with Crozet. I'm a sucker for live music, Fauxfield was phenomenal, and on a good night, everyone's dancing. What's not to like?
Any fun experiences this summer?
This summer was great! I spent it in Houston, so it was cool getting to see a new city for the first time. I’d say a recurring theme was Thursday night turtle racing at a nearby bar, which I didn't know was a thing. The associates at my firm love it. They draw a big circle, place about eight or nine turtles in the middle, and whichever turtle walks out first wins. Add in the firm's bar tab and it's a hell of a time.
I consider you one of the avatars of pre-COVID UVA Law. What are you trying to bring back to North Grounds from the before-times?
Live music at Bar Review and house parties. Also, Bar Review and house parties.
Rapid fire round, pick one of two: Skrillex or Galantis, Miami or Las Vegas, Bodo's Bagels or Mellow Mushroom, Torts or Contracts, Squats or Deadlifts, and White Claw or Truly.
- Skrillex, because I always find myself at the bass stage. I also peaked about a decade ago, so we've got that in common.
- Miami. All the fun nightlife of Las Vegas with the beautiful outdoors activities of the bay, national parks, etc.
- Bodo's Bagels, but I definitely miss their drive-thru.
- These were my two favorites from 1L, but I'll have to give the nod to contracts.
- Bench press
- Truly lemonade/tea > regular White Claw > regular truly
Short or Long on Tesla?
Long. They make great cars, and I think the infrastructure package is going to help further the push towards EVs. Their actual technology is years ahead of the competition as well, and they've been teasing a new entry-level car as well. Assuming the competition doesn't catch up and they're able to successfully roll out an economy car, I think they're in a good position over the next decade, even if the stock price doesn't justify itself at the moment. Having said that, I do think Tesla fanboys are a bit optimistic about their ability to take over the world and push their superiority complex. They're kinda like crossfitters or TOOL fans, it's cool that you like it, just stop talking about it.
Tell us about a fun adventure from your sojourn in Miami.
It was great catching up with old friends! On the advice of counsel, I'll leave it at that.
Your cat Bass became a star of the Law School for his frequent interludes during class. Will you tell us more about him and why he's the best?
I was out fishing at a nearby pond when this stray cat made a beeline through traffic to come sit in my lap. I went to see if I had anything in my car to feed him, and he jumped in the passenger seat. Fast forward a year and a half, and his love for sitting in my lap hasn't gone anywhere, so he has become a frequent guest star in my Zoom calls. He even managed to get himself out of a locked bathroom to lay on my keyboard during an OGI callback. That's determination.