WVU College of Law Class of 2024
WVU College of Law Class of 2024
By Megan Bevins
Zachariah Spurrier, a dedicated and accomplished 2024 graduate of the West Virginia University (WVU) College of Law, has had a unique journey from a successful STEM background to beginning a promising career in law.
Spurrier grew up in Wellsburg, WV. With his father working as an engineer and his mother working as a nurse practitioner, there were no legal influences in his family.
After finishing college in 2019 and earning a dual bachelor’s degree in bioinformatics and molecular biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Spurrier contemplated continuing his education in biological sciences but determined five more years in school and a career in research were not in the cards for him.
Spurrier worked a job in West Virginia politics, where he became more familiar with the state’s government and people. His many mentors there—who were lawyers themselves—inspired him to pursue a career in law.
“They showed me that the law was an avenue to understand our state and make a difference for the better,” Spurrier says. “But I had this STEM degree behind me, and after some advice and guidance, I found a suitable union: patent law.”
Attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and living in upstate New York for four years, Spurrier wanted to further his education closer to home. He says the decision to attend the WVU College of Law was easy, not only because of his Mountain State roots but because the college was so welcoming and supportive.
Spurrier’s transition from STEM to law was initially difficult, as everything from solving problems to writing was different.
“It took a couple of months—and a lot of writing practice—to rewire my brain to better conform to the legal field,” he says. “The STEM background was not unhelpful, though, because the precise and logical methods of science made parsing the details of the law easier.”
While at WVU, Spurrier particularly enjoyed the opportunities to get on his feet, like participating in trial advocacy and practicing skills such as opening statements and closing arguments. Spurrier was also a member of the law school’s Supreme Court Clinic, where he argued in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the clinic in spring 2024.
After his extremely successful law school experience, Spurrier graduated as a member of both the Order of the Coif, students who ranked in the top 10% of their class, and the Order of the Barristers, students with advanced skills in advocacy. He was also honored with a pro bono and community service distinction as he completed 25 hours of each. In addition to his graduation honors, he has received 10 CALI awards, meaning he earned the top grade in a class.
Throughout his journey, Spurrier had two influential people in his life who motivated him to succeed. Ben Salango, Kanawha County Commissioner, who Spurrier worked for right after college, offered him guidance and encouraged him to attend law school. Amy Cyphert, WVU College of Law professor, was a great source of advice for him and encouraged him to put his all into his work.
Spurrier emphasizes the quality of the WVU College of Law, calling it an excellent place to learn.
“As anybody will tell you, the people at the College of Law are friendly, supportive and eager to see students succeed,” he says. “All of my professors were accessible, and each of them made time to advise me on substantive topics as well as professional goals.”
While in school, Spurrier spent one summer interning at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia (USDC SDWV) for Judge Joseph Goodwin and says this experience helped him learn the complexities of federal civil procedure as well as local motion practice.
“Most importantly, I learned how important it is to know your judge and argue with clarity so your advocacy is most effective,” he says.
His second summer internship was at Robins Kaplan, LLP in Minneapolis, MN. There, he gained experience researching and drafting filings for his intended field, patent litigation.
Spurrier’s next venture will be working in Charleston as a clerk for the USDC SDWV. He looks forward to starting his career, getting into the courtroom more and continuing to learn as much as he can.
