Kirgis Fellows

Lindsay Giglio is a third-year law student from Potter Valley, California. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2024 with a major in Economics, and a minor in Chinese Studies.

During her 1L summer, Lindsay first served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Ashley Edwards of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina, in Charlotte. Following her judicial internship, she was a summer associate at Saccucci and Partners in Rome, Italy. She spent her 2L summer as a Summer Associate at Moore & Van Allen PLLC, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Following graduation, she will return to the firm’s Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring Practice Group.

In addition to serving as Head Kirgis Fellow, Lindsay is a Notes Editor for the German Law Journal and a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Rebecca Connelly in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia. In her free time, she enjoys playing guitar, playing and watching soccer, running on the Chessie Trail, and spending time with friends

Madi Gilgo is a third-year law student from New Bern, North Carolina. She graduated from Elon University in 2023 with degrees in Journalism and Strategic Communications with minors in Psychology and Leadership Studies. Prior to law school, she worked at a community health foundation in rural North Carolina. There she supported the foundation's community-building, equity, and grassroot funding initiatives.

During her 1L summer, Madi was a law clerk at Legal Services of Northern Virginia in Alexandria, VA. She spent her 2L summer in Richmond with Christian & Barton, LLP. After graduation she will be clerking for Judge Louise DiMatteo in Virginia’s 17th Judicial District in Arlington, VA. In addition to being a Head Kirgis Fellow, she is the Executive Editor for the Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice, and a judicial extern for the Honorable C. Kailani Memmer in the Western District of Virginia.

In her free time, you can find Madi walking on the Chessie Trial, cooking or baking sourdough in her kitchen, or hanging out with friends.

Lawson Brantley is a second-year law student from Charlotte, North Carolina. She graduated from Washington and Lee University in 2024 with a degree in Global Politics with minors in Classics and Poverty & Human Capability Studies. Prior to law school, she worked at a non-profit in Charlotte, NC working to support the organization’s social services for short-term financial relief.

During her 1L summer, Lawson was an international human rights law intern in Milan, Italy. In addition to being a Kirgis Fellow, she is a Staffwriter on the Washington & Lee Law Review, Czar for the Law School Football League, and a member of the Women Law Students Organization (WLSO).

In her free time, you can find Lawson walking on the Woods Creek Trail, discovering new coffee shops, watching movies, or hanging out with friends.

Chase Caverly is a second-year law student from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 2023 with a major in psychology. Prior to law school, he worked as a litigation paralegal.

Chase split his 1L summer between an internship with the Honorable C. Kailani Memmer of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia and a position at Thomas Combs & Spann, a litigation boutique. During his 2L summer, Chase will split his time between Woods Rogers and Spilman Thomas & Battle.

In addition to being a Kirgis Fellow, Chase serves as a Staffwriter on the Washington & Lee Law Review, is a member of the First Generation Student Union, and cohosts a radio show with his buddy, Henry Carmen.

In his free time, Chase enjoys hiking in the Appalachians, discussing music with friends, and watching Detroit Pistons basketball.

Avery Conner is a second-year law student from Hedgesville, West Virginia. She graduated from West Virginia University in 2025 with a double major in Political Science & Philosophy. While at WVU, she served as the President of the Mountaineer Safety and Wellness Advocates, Vice President of Active Minds, and an At-Large Senator for the Student Government Association.

During her 1L summer, Avery was a legal intern for the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission, working to support the Public Defender Offices for Lexington and Staunton, VA. In addition to being a Kirgis Fellow, Avery serves as a Staffwriter for the Washington and Lee Law Review and SCOTUS Preview Chair for the American Constitution Society (ACS). She is also a member of the Women’s Law Students Organization (WLSO), First Generation Student Union (FGSU), and Story Decisis.

In her free time, Avery enjoys playing tennis with her fiancé, catching a movie at the R/C theater, and FaceTiming her nieces and nephews!

Cayla Dent is a second-year law student from New Orleans, LA. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2023 with a degree in Sociology and minors in Education and Gender Studies. Right after undergrad, Cayla was eager to gain experience in the legal field, so she worked as a paralegal for 2 years in San Francisco, focusing mainly on Asset Management and Strategic Transactions work.

Cayla spent her 1L summer at Ropes & Gray in DC in their Asset Management Private Funds practice group. As a Southerner at heart, Cayla wanted to stay close to the South while also gaining experience in a dynamic legal market.

In addition to being a Kirgis Fellow, Cayla also serves as Secretary of the Black Students’ Law Association (BLSA), a Staff Writer for the Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice, and a member of the Women’s Law Students Organization (WLSO).

Outside of law school, Cayla’s favorite way to spend an evening is enjoying a good dinner with friends followed by a trip to the movies! She also enjoys reading and is a devoted fan of her three teams: Notre Dame, LSU, and the New Orleans Saints. Most importantly, she has a Shih Tzu named Ivy (named after Beyoncé’s daughter, Blue Ivy) who is her pride and joy.

Mike Donnelly is a second-year law student from Richmond, Virigina. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 2020 with a double major in English and Media Studies.

Before coming to law school, Mike spent time as a litigation paralegal for a boutique personal injury firm, as well as a program coordinator for a non-profit in Washington D.C., and a higher education consulting firm in North Carolina.

Mike spent his 1L summer in Richmond, VA working for Spotts Fain, and will be returning to Richmond this summer to work for Williams Mullen. Outside of being a Kirgis Fellow, Mike is a Staffwriter for the Washington & Lee Law Review, an Ambassador for W&L Law Office of Admissions, and on the Executive Board W&L’s chapter of the American Constitutional Society.

In his free time, you can find Mike outside, likely playing pickleball or golf, or watching his beloved Cleveland sports teams lose.

Aislinn McGrory is a second-year law student from North Carolina. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2022 with a double major in Finance and Religious Studies.

Aislinn spent her 1L summer in Washington D.C. interning with the Poverty & Race Research Action Council, a civil rights law and policy organization advancing research-based advocacy to address structural segregation in housing and education.

In addition to being a Kirgis Fellow, Aislinn serves as a Research Assistant to Professor Christopher Seaman, Staff Writer for the Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice, Co-President of the W&L Plaintiffs’ Law Association, and Treasurer of the American Constitution Society.

In her free time, Aislinn bakes, paints, swims, runs, practices yoga, and enjoys the beautiful setting of rural Western Virginia with friends.

Jake Montjoy is a second-year law student from Cary, North Carolina. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 2024 with degrees in Economics and International Studies. During his 1L summer, he was a Policy Intern with the Reinsurance Association of America in Washington, DC.

Outside of being a Kirgis Fellow, Jake is the Treasurer for the Student Bar Association, the Sports Chair for the Sports, Entertainment, and IP Law Society, the Secretary for the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and a Junior Editor for the German Law Journal.

In his free time, Jake enjoys watching sports, playing golf, and spending time with his friends and classmates.

Evren Ozdogan is a second-year law student from Houston, Texas. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2025 with a double major in Economics and International Business. As an undergraduate, he worked most notably with The Fight Against Suicide Foundation to help spread mental health awareness to his peers and to other universities.

Before law school, Evren spent extensive time studying abroad by participating in an exchange program in which he lived with a family in Grenoble, France and by studying international business at the University of Innsbruck in Innsbruck, Austria.

Evren spent his 1L summer working with Latham & Watkins in their Houston office, where he plans to return next summer.

In his free time, Evren enjoys watching all things sports and played bass guitar in a band throughout undergraduate and here at Washington and Lee.

Tierney Reardon is a second-year law student from Greenville, North Carolina. She graduated from East Carolina University with degrees in Political Science and Philosophy and a minor in Religious Studies. While she was an undergraduate student, Tierney gained practical legal experience interning at the Greenville Office of Legal Aid of North Carolina and conducted research on the North Carolina Mental Health Courts.

During her 1L summer, Tierney interned with Central Virginia Legal Aid Society and developed a broad skill set across practice areas including employment, public benefits, elder, and heirs’ property. In addition to being a Kirgis Fellow, she is a Staff Writer for the Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice, Marketing Coordinator for OUTLaw, and a member of the Women Law Students Organization and the Public Interest Law Students Association.

In her free time, Tierney enjoys testing out new soup recipes, baking cookies and walking the Chessie Trail.

Madelynn Sprouse is a second-year law student from Roanoke, Virginia. She graduated from Roanoke College in 2024 with a degree in English Language and Literature with minors in Spanish and Legal Studies. Prior to law school, she worked at an immigration firm in Virginia, working closest with female clients seeking asylum and detained clients in removal defense.

During her 1L summer, Madelynn served as a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Judge Frank K. Friedman of the Virginia Court of Appeals. In addition to being a Kirgis Fellow, she is a Staffwriter for the Washington & Lee Law Review, a Research Assistant to Professor Lauren Hughes, and a member of both the American Constitution Society (ACS) and the Women Law Students Organization (WLSO).

In her free time, Madelynn enjoys thrifting, going to the gym, listening to music, and watching horror movies.

Ben Wheelock is a second-year law student from Santa Barbara, California. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2023 with a major in Economics, and a minor History. Prior to W&L, he worked in venture capital valuation in San Diego.

During his 1L summer, Ben worked at McCarthy & Kroes in Santa Barbara, California. In addition to being a Kirgis Fellow, Ben is a Staffwriter for the Washington & Lee Law Review, Secretary of the Business Law Society, and a member of the W&L Law Jessup International Moot Court team.

In his free time, Ben enjoys basketball, tennis, overly complicated board games, playing guitar (poorly), and overstimulating his roommate’s dog, Juno.

Graham Whitney is a second-year law student from Boulder, Colorado. He graduated from the University of Montana in 2022 with a major in Political Science and a minor in History.

During his 1L summer, Graham served as a summer law clerk for the Honorable Justice Katherine Bidegaray of the Montana Supreme Court. Outside of being a Kirgis Fellow, Graham is a Junior Editor for the German Law Journal.

In his free time, he enjoys running, reading, skiing, and spending time with friends.