EVER SINCE HIS FIRST DAY at the West Virginia University ( WVU ) College of Law , Austin Longnecker made sure to take every opportunity that came his way . His hard work and commitment to seizing opportunities paid off — he graduated in May with a labor and employment concentration and a wide array of extracurricular activities under his belt . Over the past three years , he has |
served as president of the Student Bar Association , executive notes editor of the West Virginia Law Review , student attorney in the Litigation and Advocacy Law Clinic and member of the executive boards of the Lugar Trial Association and West Virginia Employment Lawyers Student Association .
Longnecker was awarded Best Executive Editor of Volume 123 of the West Virginia Law Review and received the pro bono distinction with more than 400 hours of pro bono work over the past three years .
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As a first-generation college graduate and a first-generation law school graduate , he credits the faculty , staff and students at WVU College of Law for helping fuel his passion in the legal profession .
“ I am eternally grateful ,” he says . “ The last three years have been truly transformative , and I look forward to putting everything I have learned into practice , both professionally and in my personal life .”
After his 1L year , Longnecker also clerked for the Honorable Robert Trumble in the Northern District of West Virginia . He
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later worked as a summer associate for Shuman McCuskey Slicer in the firm ’ s Charleston , WV , and Winchester , VA , offices . After sitting for the West Virginia Bar exam , he will be joining Shuman McCuskey Slicer PLLC as an associate in the Winchester , VA , office .
“ Having the opportunity to be tutored by so many won - derful attorneys as a summer associate cemented my choice for me ,” he says . “ I got to work on a wide array of cases , and I also had the chance to work with clients to help them to the best of my ability .” •
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ORIGINALLY FROM GERRARD-
STOWN , WV , Emily Neely finished her undergraduate education as a fourth generation West Virginia University ( WVU ) graduate after receiving her bachelor ’ s degree in political science and philosophy . In May 2021 , she became the first person in her family to graduate from law school .
During law school , Neely worked as a student attorney in WVU College of Law ’ s Child and Family Law Clinic . She also joined the Alternative Dispute Resolution Society and
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was elected president of the school ’ s community service council and Public Interest Advocates group . She graduated with pro bono distinction and a community service award , and her engagement earned her the Culture of Excellence Spirit of WVU Law Award in 2018 and CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in civil procedure and legal writing .
After her first year of law school , Neely took advantage of her love of service and applied to work as an Equal Justice Works Rural Summer Legal
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Corps Fellow . The program gives students the opportunity to design a legal services project for underserved individuals around the country and interview with potential sponsors . With the help of Equal Justice Works , Neely designed a project with Legal Aid of West Virginia ( LAWV ) to provide mediation services to low-income West Virginians .
“ Equal Justice Works helped me present my project to the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts , which then offered to sponsor my project ,” she says .
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As a result , Neely is returning to her hometown to implement this project as an Equal Justice Works Fellow at LAWV ’ s Martinsburg location . She is excited to start her career blending family law with alternative dispute resolution , and she is proud to be thriving in the state that raised her .
“ I am very lucky to have grown up in the Mountain State and to have benefited from its abundant resources ,” she says . “ West Virginia shaped me into who I am , and I want to help shape it too .’” •
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