We are thrilled to share the wonderful news that Jennifer Schooley has been chosen to be featured in the ACTEC Fellow Spotlight! It's such a well-deserved honor, and we couldn't be happier for her. Congratulations, Jennifer! The below spotlight is a testament to Jennifer's outstanding expertise and contributions to the field.
“Virginia Fellow Jennifer Lee Schooley is in the Spotlight! Jennifer was elected to the College in 2020, and serves on the Family Law Task Force, Practice Committee, and State Laws Committee.
How did you first learn about ACTEC and decide you wanted to seek election to the College?
My first (and only) supervising attorney and mentor, Birch Douglass, was an active ACTEC Fellow and regularly attended ACTEC's National Meetings. It was he who relayed to me the value of the relationships and friendships made through attending meetings and piqued my interest in joining. Before becoming a Fellow myself, I met many Fellows through the American Bar Association’s Tax Section and local bar activities, and I appreciated their support and advocacy of my career along the way.
What do you value the most about being an ACTEC Fellow?
I, too, appreciate the comradery of ACTEC’s National and Regional Meetings, but I have also benefited from an expanded network of legal thought leaders and persons in related industries who are ACTEC sponsors. Part of my morning reading is the email coming through on the ACTEC-PRAC Listserv. I am both impressed by the intellect of other Fellows and comforted that many struggle with similar issues in their offices.
What do you want Fellows to know about you that they might not know?
While I love sports and activities related to water (scuba diving, skiing) and frozen water (snow skiing), as an adult I learned to sail. I am now part of a racing team on the sailing vessel Nanuq, which participates in regattas on the Chesapeake Bay as well as ocean races on the Atlantic to destinations such as Newport, Bermuda, Block Island, and Halifax. Our Fall racing series starts Labor Day weekend, but what the crew is really lobbying the captain to do is register for the Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race in January to get a winter tan. If you ever get a response email from me that says I have “limited access to email,” it is real and I’m probably out to sea.”
Jennifer continues to enjoy her time as a Member of ACTEC and is looking forward to the 2024 Fall National Meeting this September in Chicago, IL. If you will be attending in September, contact Jennifer to connect.