Kathryn Querner ‘22
Hi, Kathryn! It’s nice to finally see you on the Hot Bench after three years on Law Weekly. To start off—where are you from, and where are you headed after law school?
I’m from just outside Laguna Beach, in Orange County, California, which is probably my favorite place in the world! I love going home to visit and see my family. After graduation, I’ll be moving to Cincinnati for a clerkship. Then, I’m hoping to head back to the West Coast!
We missed you last semester when you studied abroad! Where did you go, and what’s one thing you learned about yourself while there?
I studied at an international business school in Madrid, Spain in the fall! I had never been to Spain before, so it was a great opportunity to travel all around the country. I was also able to travel to some new countries including Denmark—which totally surpassed my expectations—and Greece. I learned that I’m pretty adaptable because I had to overcome a LOT of COVID-related challenges, including arriving in Belgium and realizing that I could not enter a single establishment—including hotels and hostels—because I was not vaccinated in the EU. Also that business law is not my forte.
Sounds challenging! We’re glad that you made it back safe and sound. What’s something else about you that would surprise people to learn?
Hmm, I feel like I’m not the most surprising person, haha. BUT my family did move to Australia when I was young, and we lived there for a few years growing up, so I learned to speak with an Australian accent. Also, I broke three of my high school’s records in swimming. It's a sport I still really enjoy!
What are the seven wonders of the Law School?
1. Feb Club (I mean, where do I even start? Barrister’s, themed parties, meeting my boyfriend, all the good stuff).
2. The Snack Office (for every time I’ve missed breakfast before class).
3. UVA’s Innocence Project (I just loved contributing to something so meaningful through this org).
4. ScoCo (for giving me every opportunity to hang with people and avoid school work).
5. The Rivanna Trail entrance behind the law school (before it was closed due to Darden construction, ugh).
6. The Law Weekly Office (for the ~mems~ and the free pizza).
7. The Reading Room (idk the little lamps in there just get me so motivated).
Conversely, what’s your biggest law school related pet peeve?
I know every current 3L and 2L is in total agreement on this, but just the fact that COVID took so much from us. I feel like I met friends in my section 1L fall, and then, all of a sudden, it’s two years later, and I haven’t really had the opportunity to branch out socially. And now here we are graduating in less than three months! I feel like we missed out on a lot of new opportunities and friendships throughout our time at law school.
If you didn’t go to law school, what would you have done instead?
I was an English major and actually did some grant research in that field during college. I love studying the intersection between literature and all sorts of other fields, including law, politics, psychology, philosophy, and science, so I think I probably would have pursued a Ph.D. in English. I’ve also always been interested in working on newspapers, so I potentially would have pursued journalism.
Makes sense that you got involved with Law Weekly’s hard-hitting journalism then! What’s your favorite Law Weekly article that you’ve written?
I really enjoyed writing about MLK Day and PILA Day of Service in January, 2020. I thought that the fact that 2020 was the first year UVA ever recognized MLK Day was super meaningful, and I was so honored to cover that news.
Lightning Round!
Favorite pizza topping?
Honestly, cheese. Classic.
Favorite word?
Spontaneity.
Favorite Charlottesville restaurant?
Mariscos El Barco. Best (and biggest) margs ever.
Favorite book?
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Really anything by Dickens. Big Victorian lit girl.
If you won the lottery and could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Patagonia!
What song do you play when you want to feel angsty and dramatic but in a fun, main-character way?
Taylor Swift, Enchanted.
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kmq8vf@virginia.edu