… Washington and Lee University’s School of Law has two truly spectacular public service law programs worthy of recognition:

Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse. Instead of helping lawyers try to get death penalty sentences set aside after a case has been handled poorly at the trial court level, which is what most law school programs do, VC3 actually helps lawyers in the midst of death penalty proceedings.  VC3 deserves some credit for Virginia’s low death penalty imposition rate.

Black Lung Legal Clinic. When I was a student, I learned that one of the most challenging cases to make was for federal black lung benefits, even if the person were dying or had died from pneumoconiosis.  Washington and Lee law school students have been assisting coal miners and their survivors bring such claims for years and are five times more successful than average.

It’s easy to poke fun at all the rich kids who go to Washington and Lee University, but they did admit a poor kid like me, and some of those rich kids did learn a thing or two about real public service from these fine programs.