Together in law and life

Rob Lloyd, L’81, and Lisa Anderson-Lloyd, L’82, have been a pair for almost all of their lives. They met when they were 16, married as undergraduates together at William and Mary, and then went to Richmond Law a year apart. By the time Lisa enrolled, the couple had a young daughter running around the law school with them.

“Her first words were ‘rule against perpetuities’ and ‘fee simple,’” Lisa said from the couple’s home in Hawaii. “We’d take her into classes. She was like the mascot for our class.”

The supportive family atmosphere was just what they wanted when they were looking at law schools, they said. That balancing act of law and family continued after graduation, as Rob went straight into active duty in the Army. Lisa followed not long after, in 1984. Both became part of the JAG Corps and together served nearly 60 years — he retired as a lieutenant colonel after 28 years, and she retired as a colonel after 30.

“The wonderful thing is that when you come in as a young attorney, they move you through the different areas of law so that you get a good overview,” Lisa said. “You get experience in criminal law, administrative law, environmental law, and contract law.” From there, they moved up in responsibility, eventually heading offices.

“You can’t get anywhere without your people — you realize this as you go up through the ranks,” Rob said. “You’re not able to finish the mission with heavy-handed ‘thou shalts.’”

For Lisa, caring for the whole person was the most satisfying part of the job. “In the JAG Corps, we’re a soldier first and lawyer always. A lot of what I enjoyed the most was working with those young attorneys and young soldiers as they came in.”

Their care for others turned pastoral after their Army retirements. Until his recent second retirement, Rob served as pastor of congregations in Kentucky, Virginia, and Hawaii after earning a divinity degree. Lisa also went to seminary, earning a master’s degree in theology and working alongside Rob in ministry.

Together, as always.