Career Paths: Julianne Freeman ’16L

By Peter Jetton
April 29, 2016

Julianne Freeman ’16L is from Goshen, NY and attended Cornell for her undergraduate degree. She spent this past summer as a Law Clerk at Norfolk Southern Corporation in Norfolk, Virginia. She is a Lead Articles Editor for the Washington and Lee Law Review.

Where will you be working after graduation?

I will be working at Norfolk Southern Corporation in Norfolk, Virginia.

Did you know coming into law school that you wanted to work in house for a corporation?

Before entering law school, I was interested in working as in-house counsel, but I assumed I would need to work in a law firm first. During the summer after my first year, I worked in-house as a legal intern with Major League Baseball. This was a wonderful experience, and it confirmed my ultimate preference for being in-house.

How did you find this job?

I found this job through OCI. I was thrilled to see that Norfolk Southern was recruiting 2Ls for summer positions. I accepted a summer position as a Law Clerk and had a great experience. This past fall, I accepted an offer to return to Norfolk Southern following graduation.

Which W&L classes and/or experiences do you think were most helpful in preparing you for this job?  

My experience at Washington and Lee School of Law has prepared me for this job by giving me both traditional legal education and hands on experience. Having a strong foundation in some of the core areas–including contracts, property, and constitutional law– allowed me to handle assignments and further develop my research and writing skills throughout the summer. This will no doubt continue throughout my employment. Further, my experience with the 3L program, particularly my work with the Immigrant Rights Clinic, has helped me to develop my persuasive writing, legal research, and critical thinking skills. I feel confident that my experience with the clinic will serve me well in my post-graduation employment.

What are you most looking forward to about this position?  

Although I will be sad to leave W&L Law, I am absolutely delighted about my job following graduation. I will be doing challenging, engaging legal work, and I’m lucky to be joining an incredibly talented group of attorneys. Additionally, I am hopeful that I can give back to the law school as an alumna in the future because I have had such a great experience.