Students Awarded for Highest GPAs

Kevin Hoang ’25 and Brian Curtis ’26 were recently recognized for having the highest GPAs in their classes at the University of Virginia School of Law.

Hoang received the Jackson Walker LLP Award for earning the highest GPA after four semesters, while Curtis won the Carl M. Franklin Prize for the highest GPA after two semesters. Recipients for the awards receive a cash prize and have their names engraved on plaques in Hunton Andrews Kurth Hall.

At the Law School, Hoang, a native of Katy, Texas, and a Karsh-Dillard Scholar, is online development editor for the Virginia Law Review, a participant in the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic and a research assistant for Professor Emeritus A. E. Dick Howard ’61. Last year, he received the Carl M. Franklin Prize. Before law school, he studied biochemistry and international relations at the University of Texas at Austin.

Curtis, of Tappan, New York, is an editorial board member of the Virginia Law Review, is a 2024 Cavalier Classic Champion for the Mock Trial Association, and serves as a Peer Advisor and a research assistant for Dean Leslie Kendrick ’06. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Binghamton University.

Hoang and Curtis recently answered some questions about the paths they have taken to and through law school.

What brought you to UVA Law School?

Hoang: Originally, I wanted to come to UVA Law because of its reputation for excellence: professors at the cutting edge of legal scholarship, an incredible clerkship program and an alumni network spanning the top of every legal market across the country. But what made me realize that UVA Law was the right place for me was Admitted Students Weekend. I remember coming to Charlottesville and meeting so many people who were so earnestly happy to be here and so passionate about this school. The great vibe is really what brought me here, and every day I am grateful to be a part of this truly special community.

Curtis: I loved my four years at Binghamton and the community I found there, so I looked for a similar setting when choosing a law school. I found that environment at UVA’s Admitted Students Open House. All the current and prospective students that I met, some of whom are now among my closest friends, were so warm and outgoing. Also, I could not resist the urge to relive my high school baseball glory days on the softball field every Friday.

What has been your most rewarding academic experience?

Hoang: At the risk of sounding cliche, it’s hard to pick one. I’ve had the privilege of learning from so many leading scholars, and each class has been a pleasure and a challenge. Legislation with Professor Caleb Nelson, Contracts with Professor George Cohen, and Civil Procedure, Conflict of Laws, Evidence, and Civil Rights Litigation with Professor Michael Collins (who I am clearly a fan of) have been some of my favorites. It has also been so exciting to not just apply but shape legal doctrine as the online development editor of the Virginia Law Review.

Curtis: My section benefited from an all-star lineup of doctrinal professors, and the professors I have taken electives with have been equally excellent. I especially enjoyed Employment Law: Contracts, Torts and Statutes with Professor Rip Verkerke, whose mastery over the subject matter is only outmatched by his commitment to effective teaching and seeing his students succeed. I came out of Employment Law not only with a firm understanding of the doctrine, but also a grasp on the policy considerations that may swing a judge’s vote in a close case. Your mileage may vary, though, if you are a Tottenham Hotspur supporter, as Professor Verkerke is an outspoken Arsenal fan.

What are your future career plans?

Hoang: I’m so excited to return to Gibbs & Bruns in Houston after graduation! I will then clerk for Judge J. Paul Oetken of the Southern District of New York from 2026-27, and for Judge Alison J. Nathan of the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2027-28.

Curtis: I am excited to be joining Covington & Burling’s D.C. office next summer! I also hope to clerk after law school. It would be an incredible opportunity to learn from and work alongside a judge who has tackled a career’s worth of difficult cases.

What is something most people don't know about you?

Hoang: I think this hobby of mine has become more well-known lately, but here it is: I’m an unapologetic, devoted, unwavering and borderline obsessive “Survivor” fan. I’ve held “Survivor” watch parties since college, and that tradition has held true throughout law school. Recently, I hosted a monthlong “Survivor” tournament (with votes, advantages, in-person challenges, the whole shebang) for 21 friends at the Law School, and it was genuinely a dream come true. I’ll be reprising my role as host Jeff Probst for another “Survivor” tournament in the Spring — interested future players, reach out to me anytime.

Curtis: I won two national championships in Gaelic football when I was in elementary school. My hometown area, Rockland County, New York, has a sizable Irish-American population, so the sport is as big there as it is anywhere outside of Ireland. As a result, there was no shortage of talented teammates. My grandfather played Gaelic football professionally in Ireland before he immigrated to the United States, and I was proud to carry on the tradition.

What is your favorite study tip?

Hoang: Do what works for you. I remember coming to law school and thinking I had to change the way I operated because it was so different from anything I’d done before. And it is different! But I’ve found that the study habits, schedule and work-life balance that worked for me before law school have been transferable here. I really got into my groove once I started trusting that I knew how I worked best and listening to myself.

Curtis: For the most part, I think the best study plan is the one that has gotten you this far. For example, I’ve never found highlighting the textbook to be helpful (to whoever gets my unmarked used textbooks next year, you’re welcome), though I know most people find it very useful. I am also a big fan of handwritten notes. I am inevitably unable to write down everything my professors say, so it forces me to synthesize information in real time. Then, when I type up my notes later in the week, I am able to interact with the material for a second time. Finally, whatever budget you have set aside for the Law School vending machines, double it.