Lane Hammond, 2026 Recipient of the George Waldo Woodruff Award of Excellence

Ashley Lane Hammond is the 2026 recipient of the George Waldo Woodruff Award of Excellence and is graduating first in her class from Mercer University School of Law. Lane is a Kennesaw State University graduate from Barnesville, Georgia. During law school, she served on the Mercer Law Review, where both her Casenote and Comment were selected for publication under the guidance of her faculty advisor, Professor Patrick Longan. She also competed on Mercer Advocacy Council’s Moot Court team and served as a group mentor for Evidence and Civil Lawsuits.

Lane gained judicial experience through internships with Judge Pandora Palmer of the Henry County Superior Court and Chief Judge Austin Carter of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Georgia. She is a member of the honor society Phi Delta Phi and a student member of the William A. Bootle American Inn of Court. Following graduation, Lane will clerk for Judge Marc T. Treadwell of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.

Hammond shares the following sentiment:

To my mom, for showing me what hard work looks like.

To my dad, for being my biggest supporter and always being willing to moot an argument with me.

To my grandparents, for their unwavering support and for instilling in me the belief that I can have whatever I want if I am willing to work for it.

To Haley, Mark, and Garnet—your names should be on this degree, too.

To the professors who were so patient as I sat in their offices, asking them to explain things in different ways until they finally clicked.

And to the many people—mentors, coaches, colleagues, teammates, and friends—who put up with me throughout this journey.

It takes a village to raise a child, or so I have been told—but it also takes a village to earn a law degree. Thank you for being mine.