Raising the Bar Three W&L alumni are continuing their dedication to public service as presidents of their respective state bar associations.

Washington and Lee University sends graduates into the world ready and eager to embrace the opportunities that come their way. For many alumni — of both the undergraduate university and the School of Law — a W&L education is the first step in successful careers rooted in public service and thoughtful leadership.

In any field, W&L alumni can be counted on to raise the bar, and, in 2026, three alumni — including two “double General” law alumni — have certainly taken this duty to heart by assuming office as the president of their respective state bar associations:

• Robby Aliff ’91, ’97L was sworn in as the 80th president of the West Virginia State Bar on April 19.
• Curtis Joseph ’93, ’96L was installed as the 86th president of the Louisiana State Bar Association on June 4.
• Lonnie “Chip” Nunley III ’81 became the 138th president of the Virginia Bar Association on Jan. 24.

Robby Aliff ’91, ’97L

For Robby Aliff ’91, ’97L, becoming president of the West Virginia State Bar (WVSB) is the next step in his nearly 25 years of service to the organization, having previously served on its Young Lawyers Board, the Board of Governors and the Lawyer Disciplinary Board.

“I view my service to the state bar as an opportunity to give back to a profession that has given so much to me,” Aliff said. “I am honored to serve in this role, which provides me with an opportunity to elevate the profession, improve the practice of law in West Virginia and strengthen the public’s perception of lawyers and the legal profession.”

Aliff joined Jackson Kelly PLLC after graduating from W&L’s School of Law and is in his 30th year of practice with the firm. He is part of the litigation department, where his practice focuses primarily on the defense of medical professional liability claims; he also leads the firm’s Health Care Litigation Practice Group and serves as chair of the firm’s executive committee.

Jackson Kelly has provided a supportive community for Aliff, and he appreciates how the firm encourages its lawyers to become involved in their communities and give back to the legal profession. He credits the firm with providing opportunities to participate in community organizations, bar associations and professional service, which have punctuated his career and ultimately led to his current tenure as WVSB president.

Aliff is also grateful for the lessons he learned at W&L, which have guided him throughout his career. His time on campus, as both an undergraduate and law student, provided opportunities to develop his leadership skills, and he remains inspired by the mentorship of W&L’s faculty, including then-Dean of Freshmen Ken Ruscio ’76 (who served as president of W&L from 2006 to 2016 and was named interim president in 2026) and professor of law emeritus Roger Groot, who taught criminal law, procedure and property at the law school.

“W&L’s Honor System and its supportive campus environment provided an important foundation for my approach to the practice of law,” Aliff said. “I try to practice with civility, trust, integrity and a genuine appreciation for the profession and the opportunities it has provided me.”

As WSVB president, Aliff plans to actively support the professional development and relationships of West Virginia’s lawyers and ensure the State Bar is providing its members with benefits and resources that make the practice of law more rewarding and meaningful.

“I hope to use my year as president to elevate the profession and encourage civility among lawyers throughout our state, and, ultimately, I hope to leave the West Virginia State Bar a little better than I found it,” Aliff said.

Curtis Joseph ’93, ’96L

For Curtis Joseph ’93, ’96L, the journey to becoming president of the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) began in the second grade, when he came home from school and told his mother he wanted to be a lawyer because he “wanted to wear the nice suits and carry a briefcase.” Joseph followed this childhood dream to Washington and Lee University, graduating with a degree in journalism in 1993 and with his J.D. from the Law School in 1996. (Joseph’s daughter, Ivy, will attend W&L this fall, joining the class of 2030.)

Joseph’s practice began with attorney Wellborn Jack Jr., who became an important mentor to Joseph and has supported him throughout his career. “He was the real deal,” Joseph said in an interview with the Louisiana Bar Journal (LBJ). Joseph has worked for several firms in Louisiana, focusing on a range of practice areas including plaintiff personal injury, class action suits and civil defense work. In 2022, he joined his current office at Blanchard, Walker, O’Quin & Roberts in Shreveport.

Over the course of his career, Joseph has consistently sought opportunities for public service and ways to give back to his community. He served as the president of the Shreveport Bar Association in 2019, where he was encouraged to become involved with the LSBA. He was appointed to the LSBA House of Delegates and served a three-year term on the Board of Governors before running for president of the association.

“Those who know me will attest that my life has been one devoted to service,” Joseph told the LBJ. “I firmly believe that our lives are made useful by serving others. During my term on the board, I became enamored with the (LSBA’s) servant leaders and amazing staff. When my term ended, I wanted to serve the bar and its 23,000 lawyers in the highest capacity.”

For Joseph, the most rewarding thing about being a lawyer is helping people, and he hopes to use his tenure as president to help other lawyers seek opportunities to become engaged with their communities. He also wants to bring the LSBA — in a more meaningful way — to less occupied parts of the state and encourage more north Louisiana lawyers to get involved.

“I’d love to bring as many people along as possible, because I’d like to share with them how special our bar is,” Joseph told LBJ. “I want to be the bar emissary, and I want people to walk away from all things LSBA feeling good. I realize that, in many respects, I will be seen as the personification, the brand of the bar, and I want to use that platform to get as many people engaged as possible.”

Lonnie “Chip” Nunley III ’81

Lonnie “Chip” Nunley III ’81 graduated from Washington and Lee with a degree in English and politics in 1981 and from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1984. He is the third W&L alumnus to serve as the Virginia Bar Association’s President in five years; W. Ryan Snow ’01L served as the 136th president, and Victor Cardwell ’87L was the 134th president, as well as the first Black lawyer to lead the organization.

Nunley clerked for the Hon. Glen M. Williams, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Virginia, before joining Hunton Andrews Kurth in Richmond as a member of its trial practice group.  Nunley’s practice focuses on representing clients before state and federal courts in complex civil litigation, including cases involving environmental contamination, consumer products product liability and commercial disputes arising from contracts and leases. He also handles regulatory matters before the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

Following in the footsteps of fellow W&L alumnus (and former Hunton attorney) Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell Jr. 1929, 1931L, Nunley is committed to increasing access to justice and is a leader in pro bono legal work. He leads Hunton’s Church Hill Pro Bono Office, where he has overseen the work of Hunton’s pro bono fellows and pro bono attorneys for over 20 years, and Nunley has provided more than 5,000 hours to pro bono clients over the past decade, with most cases involving the representation of tenants in housing disputes.

Nunley received the 2022 Lewis F. Powell Jr. Pro Bono Award from the Virginia State Bar in recognition of his pro bono work and advocacy; he currently serves on the Virginia Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission and has previously served on the board of the Legal Aid Justice Center and as chair of the board of Central Virginia Legal Aid Society. In 2020, he was inducted into the Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame. Nunley is currently involved in the leadership of a state-wide pro bono program, Pro Bono Virginia, which seeks to dramatically increase the number of lawyers doing pro bono work in Virginia.