Trey Ratliff

Hometown: Wake Forest, North Carolina

Who I was then: I graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in engineering management. After West Point, I spent a little over three years as an infantry officer, which included a deployment with the 82nd Airborne Division as a rifle platoon leader. I have no lawyers in my family and knew very little about the legal profession. I was lucky enough to be introduced to the Army Funded Legal Education Program, or FLEP, and that led me to UVA.

Amazing law school class: Given my STEM background, I gravitated towards intellectual property courses. My favorite IP course was Trade Secrets with Professor Elizabeth Rowe. Trade secret law is relatively new and the case law is fascinating. The cases almost always involve fascinating stories of disgruntled former employees accused of stealing valuable business secrets. Another favorite class was Torts with Professor Kenneth Abraham. Professor Abraham is a legend, and it was an amazing introduction to the legal world.

Outside class: I was proud to serve as the vice president of the Virginia Law Veterans for two years. VLV is a smaller organization but very close-knit due to our shared experiences. I am proud of the relationships that VLV fostered with other veteran organizations across UVA during my time. The next wave of VLV leadership is now working tirelessly to establish a Veterans Legal Services Clinic and I look forward to following their success.

Favorite outing/activity to unwind: I took up golf when I arrived in Charlottesville and was immediately hooked. I played countless rounds with many different law students over the past three years. Beyond that, my wife and I had an amazing time trying new restaurants, attending concerts, going out with friends, and seeing a ton of movies at the Alamo Drafthouse.

Noteworthy summer job: My second summer, I returned to Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and the 82nd Airborne Division as an intern in the JAG office. It was great to many former friends and mentors and see the Army in a completely different lens. I worked most of the summer in their criminal law division and was able to work on several courts-martial (the military’s equivalent of a criminal trial).

What’s next (job/location): I will return to the Army as an officer in the JAG Corps. After completing the bar exam, I will go next door to the JAG School and attend the Officer Basic Course. My wife and I are ecstatic to stay in Charlottesville a little longer until we head off to wherever the Army sends us next.

Who I am now: UVA Law has given me every tool to succeed as an attorney. I am confident that the legal foundation I gained here will help me continue to serve in my military career and beyond. Perhaps more importantly, I believe that my time at UVA made me a more well-rounded, better person. I was nervous about how I would adapt to the law school culture — my adult experience at that point was West Point and then the Army. To my surprise, my experience at UVA was filled with peers and professors who were generally curious about my experiences and more than happy to share their own. These three years challenged me and completely changed how I think about the world. I am so thankful to the amazing people of UVA Law for that.

What you should know about Virginia Law: Virginia Law is a community that wants you to succeed. You will be surrounded by brilliant professors and students alike, and they are almost universally eager to help you on your law school journey. Outside of school, make the most out of your time in Charlottesville — it is a special place, and three years goes by fast!