McThenia Research Assistants

The Andrew W. McThenia Faculty Research Assistants, a group of second- and third-year law students selected and overseen by the Law Library, provide curated research support for the scholarly activities of the W&L Law faculty and administration.

The McThenia RAs assist with projects of varying scope and duration, and may be assigned to work with any full-time faculty member in need of support during the academic year or summer. Projects assigned to the McThenia RAs usually require 20 hours or less of research time. Our law librarians strive to pair McThenia RAs with projects and professors that are a good fit for their interests and ambitions, and collaborate with the faculty member and RAs to ensure timely, high-quality work product.

W&L Law faculty members in need of research assistance, as well as students interested in serving as McThenia RAs, should contact librarian Andrew Christensen at ChristensenA@wlu.edu. Opportunities for McThenia RA positions may also appear on SCORE, maintained by the Office of Career Strategy. As with other student jobs at the Law School, McThenia RAs are paid at an hourly rate for their work.

Funding for the McThenia RA program is generously provided through the Frances Lewis Law Center. The program is named in honor of Andrew W. "Uncas" McThenia, Professor of Law, Emeritus at W&L Law.

2023-2024 McThenia Research Assistants

	Max Blumenthal - Max is a third-year law student from Norwalk, Connecticut. He received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Rhode Island. During his 1L Summer, Max worked in the Criminal Appeals section of the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. During his 2L summer, he worked in Salem, New Jersey with the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender. Before law school, Max worked as an LSAT tutor and spent a brief stint as a freelance copywriter. He currently sits on the executive board of the Antitrust and Consumer Law Society and is an avid Law School Football League enthusiast.
	Arianna Kiaei - Arianna is a second-year law student from Scarsdale, New York. She graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in International Business and a Masters in Public Service. Prior to law school, she spent time working at a foundation in New York supporting inclusive economies and communities for immigrants and refugees. She is an active member of the W&L community, serving as a staffwriter for the Washington and Lee Law Review, President of the Middle Eastern and South Asian Law Students Association, a Law Student Ambassador, and a Kirgis Fellow. During her 1L summer, Arianna was a judicial intern at the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York.
	Arthur Rosander - Arthur is a second-year law student from California. He holds a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he focused on communication and cognitive science. During his 1L summer, Arthur completed externships with both the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands under Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona in Saipan and with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California under Magistrate Judge Helena M. Barch-Kuchta in Yosemite. Before law school, Arthur worked as a paralegal for a boutique criminal defense firm in Century City. Additionally, Arthur serves on the Powell Board, which oversees the annual Lewis F. Powell Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series at W&L. When not studying or working, Arthur enjoys pursuing his hobbies of studio ceramics and pickleball.