Chloe King, a law student at the University of Dayton School of Law in Ohio, is Legal Aid of WV’s second John Kennedy Bailey Keep Me Home Fellow.

In 2023, LAWV announced the first year of the fellowship, named for West Virginia native and WVU College of Law graduate John Kennedy Bailey, who loved the Mountain State and made a career of public service. The fellowship’s goal is to encourage law students to practice in West Virginia, particularly if they are going to law school out of state.

Chloe, who just completed her first year of law school, spent her summer fellowship with LAWV’s Princeton office, near her hometown of Peterstown in Monroe County, getting hands-on experience and carrying on the dedication to community in the spirit of the fellowship’s namesake.

“I know John Kennedy Bailey was an involved community member,” Chloe says. “When I started the summer, Melissa Kahle, the supervising attorney here in Princeton, set me up with City Council meetings and other local government events. I met the mayor, got to hear about different city departments, and learned how a town operates. I never realized how many people it takes working together to make things happen.”

Chloe’s work has not been solely focused on community building. She was looking for a varied and diverse legal experience—something she says has been one of her favorite parts of her fellowship.

“I wanted to get legal experience, with a focus on family law,” she explains. “I’ve gotten to go to Family Court several times, to Magistrate Court for housing cases, and I got to go to Circuit Court. I’ve also gained legal writing experience and participated in client meetings and phone calls.”

Fellows shadow LAWV attorneys and advocates in various aspects during their brief time with LAWV, and they also choose an individual project to complete over six weeks. Chloe’s project was to develop information and a form to help grandparents who are interested in visitation rights for their grandchildren.

Chloe’s passion for family law and public service are a driving factor in her career choices going forward because of her past experience.

“I was a teacher after I finished my undergrad at Concord University,” she explains. “I taught kindergarten in Summers County and then taught first grade in Giles County, Virginia, where I learned a lot about different people and family dynamics.”

“I loved teaching, but I wanted to do something else. I felt there were a lot of deficits and improvements that needed to be made in the education system, and seeing the struggles firsthand made me want to do something bigger. I’m hopeful that after I finish law school, I can use my experience to affect change.”

As a native West Virginian, Chloe has always had a passion for affecting positive change around her. Teaching, and now working in the legal field, has only enhanced that passion. She has been impressed by how LAWV attorneys can improve clients’ lives through their work.

“Legal issues are everywhere, and they’re always going to occur—there’s always going to be a need for attorneys,” she says. “Especially in West Virginia, Legal Aid providing free legal services levels the playing field. There is an attorney at the office here in Princeton that always says, ‘Everyone should have their day in court, and everyone should have a fair chance.’ I’ll remember that.”