Abigail Murchison
Class of 2010
Hometown: Lexington, VA
Employer: Gentry, Locke, Rakes & Moore
About Abigail
Abby graduated cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in English literature. As an undergraduate she was a residential advisor and Latin tutor, served as a teaching assistant for talented youth, and was the head undergraduate tutor at the Writing Center. Following her graduation from Princeton, Abby traveled to Thailand to teach speaking and reading skills to primary students. She gained legal experience as a research assistant for the general counsel and vice president for administration at Washington and Lee University and worked as a paralegal specialist at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC. At William & Mary, Abby was an assistant editor of the Law School's bi-weekly newspaper and a volunteer with Student Legal Services. She was a member of the Institute for Bill of Rights Law Student Division and the Election Law, Intellectual Property, and Environmental Law Societies. During summer 2008, Abby split her time as a summer associate at Spilman, Thomas & Battle in Charleston, West Virginia, and at BNG Advocates & Solicitors in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She spent summer 2009 as a summer associate with Gentry, Locke, Rakes & Moore in Roanoke, Virginia, and joined the firm as an associate after completing a clerkship with the Prince William County Circuit Court.
Her Own Words
"William & Mary nourishes students' analytical skills and creativity. The classroom experience prepared me to contribute substantively as a summer associate at two different law firms after my first year, one in the U.S. and the other in Cambodia. I tackled the sorts of legal research and writing projects that any new hire at a law firm would be assigned. In Cambodia, I helped foreign investors establish a commercial presence in the country which, after years of political upheaval, is now emerging as a locus of economic development. Indeed, by emphasizing and exemplifying professionalism, the W&M faculty readies us well for the working world where the stakes are high and issues real."