2024
Jessica Haught
Teaching Professor of Law , Director of the Fitzsimmons Center for Litigation and Advocacy and Co-Director of the Legal Writing Program , WVU College of Law
Photo by Kaelyn Pavlick .
SABRINA MCCLURE
AS A CHILD , Jessica Haught , West Virginia University ( WVU ) College of Law teaching professor , director of the Fitzsimmons Center for Litigation and Advocacy and co-director of the Legal Writing Program , dreamed of becoming a writer . It ’ s that love of writing and telling a compelling story that led her to law school and to eventually becoming a professor at WVU College of Law .
Haught was born in New Martinsville , WV , and grew up across the Ohio River in Sardis , Ohio , with her parents and three brothers . Her father was an educator and school administrator , and her mother was a homemaker .
“ I am very blessed to have had such a loving and supportive family ,” she says .
Haught attended Bethany College in Bethany , WV , where she studied political science and economics . After earning her undergraduate degree , she worked as a paralegal for the Federal
Trade Commission in Washington , D . C . During that time , she worked on several trials and decided she wanted to apply to law school .
“ I learned that a strong case turns on telling a compelling and persuasive story , and a solid team of professionals is needed to successfully manage a case from the start through trial ,” she says .
Throughout law school , Haught enjoyed the legal writing and oral argument classes the most as well as preparing for moot court competitions .
“ Preparing the briefs and arguing in various moot court competitions , including the Baker Cup and the Moot Court National Team , were the highlights of law school ,” she says . “ I enjoyed putting the written and oral advocacy skills I was learning into practice , and the daily class preparation for the Socratic-style of teaching helped me to anticipate and respond to questions from the bench in those competitions .”
Haught graduated from the WVU College of Law in 2004 and began working as a litigation associate at Reed Smith , LLP in Pittsburgh , where she became adept at managing the varying expectations of clients and partners at the firm .
“ I quickly learned to know my audience and adapt my work product to different styles and expectations ,” says Haught .
She also worked as a law clerk to federal district court Judge Gary Lancaster in the Western District of Pennsylvania .
“ Judge Lancaster mentored me and built my confidence as a legal writer ,” Haught says . “ He always reminded me that great legal writing is clear , concise and understandable , even to a non-lawyer .”
After that , Haught served as an adjunct legal writing professor at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh , which she says solidified her desire to transition from practicing law to teaching .
“ After one semester of teaching , I knew I wanted to translate my practical litigation experience into the classroom to help students develop foundational legal analysis and writing skills ,” she says .
Haught now teaches at WVU College of Law and is passionate about her work at the university . She is helping shape new lawyers by providing support and guidance while also being able to support the bench and the bar . She has been involved in creating curriculum and Continuing Legal Education programs for several groups throughout the state .
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE