A Wednesday evening in law school is a test of mettle. A Monday event ran longer than you thought, so you put off your readings for Tuesday, and now your entire schedule is thrown off until Friday morning. Particularly for 1Ls, Wednesday evenings are best spent hunkered down in the library, bracing for impact.

Around 5:30 p.m. last Wednesday, however, the gunner pit featured a conspicuously high number of empty seats.

In a stunning feat of national unity, four student organizations—West Coast Wahoos, Midwest Wahoos, Florida Law Association, and Southeastern Wahoos—pulled together to host a coast-to-coast “Kegs in Spies” event. When asked about the inspiration for the event, Southeast Wahoos Vice President and Florida Law Association Recruitment Chair Tanner Noronha-Weeks ’28 responded, “The only way we could get the Californians and Floridians together was with a beach day or free beer—so we went with beer.”

Students from all walks of life stormed the Law School’s courtyard to feast on fried chicken, veggie platters, and, of course, endless Natty Light and Bold Rock cider. Such a unanimous and borderless law school congregation had not been seen since the Great ScoCo Dessert Reception of earlier this month.
In fact, Lone Star Lawyers was the only regional organization that was notably absent from the list of hosting student groups. “Maybe it was because the kegs weren’t Texas-sized,” guessed Noroha-Weeks.

Despite the lack of Texan representation, the event soundly succeeded at bringing together law students from all backgrounds and hometowns. West Coast Wahoos President Niki Dashtban ’28 even noted that several international LLM students were spotted making the rounds over the course of the evening. Dashtban also commented that the theme of unity extended to the music. The playlist snapped quickly from Bay Area-born Mike Sherm to Florida Georgia Line, highlighting the diverse styles and origins present that evening.

Besides the music and much-beloved food and drink options, the Coast-to-Coast kegger also advertised a cornhole tournament, which was intended to include a cash prize. However, it was quickly revealed that law students are hardly in need of external motivation to engage in any manner of contest. After no more than a few sips were consumed, natural gunner instinct kicked in, and many groups of students took to the cornhole setups completely unprompted. While the organized tournament may not have come to full fruition, students had more than enough fun fighting among themselves for beanbag-hurling bragging rights.

The competition certainly did not detract from the event’s central theme. By the evening’s end, students experienced not only a greater sense of community, but also a heightened awareness of the various student organizations at the Law School. “I didn't know Midwest Wahoos was a club,” said Noronha-Weeks. “It's kind of scary. They are living among us in the shadows. Anyone could be a Midwesterner.” The entire affair clearly left an impression on organizers and attendees alike.

For many folks who find themselves outside of the UVA Law bubble, a Wednesday night kegger smack-dab in the center of the Law School’s property might seem like a cartoonishly unserious affair—wholly uncharacteristic of the inherent solemnity of the “law school experience.” These folks would be missing the point of such an event. In a program that is so heavy-laden with “social” events structured around performative professionalism, an event as informal as a kegger serves as a necessary port in the networking storm. When your hands are greasy from chicken or veggie and ranch platter, your cup is full of beer, and you are laughing freely among your pals, will you concern yourself with the firmness of your handshake?

Sometimes a keg is just a vessel. Sometimes, it’s a beacon of humanity.

Author: Emma Lawson ’28, hzk2ny@virginia.edu

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