Before becoming an attorney in Washington D.C., 2019 W&L Law grad Diane Gremillion was a Bonner Scholar at the University of Richmond with a major in Leadership Studies.
“Bonner…made me question why different forms of poverty and inequality existed in my community,” Gremillion said.
““The regulatory backbone of each problem made me appreciate the power of the law to have very real impacts, often disproportionately on vulnerable persons,””
Gremillion’s community service in Richmond sparked the realization that the lives of the people in need were directly affected by government structure and minutiae, “even the least interesting parts of the law and its various regulatory regimes.”
As an attorney at Venable, LLP, Gremillion is working in the regulatory/administrative law realm. Her summer internship with the firm as a law student confirmed that Venable was well-placed to make a difference.
“[During the summer] I worked on a pro bono case, defending an immigrant family after nearby construction flooded their home, which culminated in mediation at the Venable office building,” Gremillion said. “Being with a large firm allowed us to defend the family with first-rate legal representation against multiple large corporations in ways that we would not have been able to otherwise.”
Gremillion’s experience as a Bonner Scholar still informs her personal life and her career as an attorney.
“Bonner instilled in me an appreciation for what is gained personally by helping one’s community. I gained so much more than I ever could give from those experiences. I’m also now aware that, even when I’m not working day to day and seeing poverty in my community, it is there. With my JD, I access the law and advocate in a way that is inaccessible to so many.”
If you are interested in pursuing a law degree, contact the Office of Admissions at W&L Law to learn more. We are proud of our new partnership with the Bonner Foundation, and we look forward to seeing more Bonner alumni in the law school student body.
Washington and Lee Law Admissions
(540)458-8503
W&L Law School’s coverage of the partnership found here.