Career Paths: Will Vardy ’26L After graduation, Will Vardy will clerk for Judge Paul M. Black at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia.

Will Vardy ’26L

Will Vardy ’26L is from Guilford, Connecticut. He earned his BSFS in international politics and his MA in security studies from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. Before law school, he was employed as a risk and compliance analyst in Reston, Virginia. At Washington and Lee School of Law, Will is a co-author and research assistant to Professor Mark Drumbl, as well as a member of the Federalist Society and an editor for the German Law Journal. Outside of law school, Will plays bass and guitar, tries to keep up with legal and historical writing projects, is an avid reader, and enjoys a run now and again.

Where will you be clerking after graduation?

I am honored to be clerking for Judge Paul M. Black at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke, and ecstatic to have the chance to spend an extra year in the Valley.

Did you know coming into law school that you wanted to clerk?

I actually entered law school with the belief that if I ever found myself in a courtroom or speaking to a judge, I must have made a serious mistake. In fact, by the end of my first semester, I fully expected to enter a corporate practice. I was lucky enough, over the past three years, to get some unexpected exposure to litigation, namely with the Fourth Circuit, Western District of North Carolina, and McGuireWoods’ Richmond office, which quickly convinced me to reconsider that initial thought.

What classes do you think are helpful to prepare for this job?

Judge Connelly and Professor Chaplain’s bankruptcy course certainly guided me towards a practice I would never have otherwise been exposed to and introduced me to a distinct segment of law implicating unique code and procedure, a distinct body of common law, and a fascinating combination of intersecting practices. I highly recommend giving it a go if one has even a passing interest in the subject—bankruptcy needs new blood!

Unsurprisingly, Judge Carson’s externship practicum has been one of the most rewarding, hands-on experiences I have had the luck to participate in at law school. It is, of course, an invaluable opportunity to spend time in chambers and learn directly from judges and clerks what the expectations and challenges of clerking are, how to draft critical internal judicial documents, and observe courtroom procedure. Beyond that, Judge Carson is highly effective in building upon the research and argumentative writing principles established in 1L and 2L and tailoring them towards clear, concise, and objective language required for judicial opinions and orders.

Business Associations, Mergers & Acquisitions, and the Uniform Commercial Code Survey are also critical courses for anyone planning on entering a practice that even touches upon corporate or commercial matters.

Can you describe the job search process?

Searching for federal clerkships is, thankfully, a bit less hectic than hunting private sector positions, and is generally controlled by OSCAR—the judiciary’s job board. I took a day or two parsing through each of the available positions for the term, speaking with my fiancée, and making a shortlist and spreadsheet tracker of which markets we were interested in. If a location we were particularly interested in lacked a posting, I made a call directly to that court’s chambers to ask if they were accepting applications. Thereafter was the process of submitting each application package, be it digital or physical. Rounds of interviews generally follow. A few weeks later, and more likely than not, you will find your position for the next term.

As far as general wisdom goes in relation to the job hunt, networking is essential, unfortunately, even for those seeking clerkships. Be prepared to perform the uncomfortable task of asking those around you for guidance, direction, and connections where you believe it would benefit you. People want to help and will almost always be happy to put you in touch with a colleague, serve as a reference, or offer any wisdom they can. With courts, too, do not be afraid to reach out directly to chambers and ask whether openings are available (unless the judge has expressly asked candidates not to), as most clerks are happy to talk to their potential replacements.

What are you looking forward to about this job?

I am, above all, keen on getting into the thick of it and assisting residents of the Shenandoah after a financial disaster. Bankruptcy is often the only option for some in regaining any sort of stability in their lives after a medical catastrophe, job termination, credit collapse, messy divorce, protracted lawsuit, or particularly hard quarter, and I greatly look forward to offering some kind of assistance. Beyond that, it will be a privilege to learn the tools of the trade directly from an accomplished practitioner and jurist, Judge Black. I am also looking forward to wrestling with and familiarizing myself with the Code in his chambers.