John White Brockenbrough

John White Brockenbrough (December 23, 1806 – February 20, 1877) was a Virginia lawyer, federal judge, educator, and the founder of the Lexington Law School, now known as Washington and Lee University School of Law.

Brockenbrough was born in Hanover County, Virginia. His parents were William Brockenbrough and Judith Robinson White Brockenbrough. His sister was Judith White Brockenbrough McGuire, who wrote Diary of a Southern Refugee, During the War, By a Lady of Virginia. He was a first cousin of William Henry Brockenbrough.

He attended the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia before he studied at the Winchester Law School under Henry St. George Tucker. Others studying with Tucker at that time included William L. Goggin and Henry A. Wise. Brockenbrough was born in Hanover County, Virginia and served briefly as Commonwealth's Attorney for Hanover County.

In 1837, he published two volumes of reports, containing the decisions of John Marshall's federal circuit court opinions. He was also the editor of the Lexington Valley Star in Rockbridge County, Virginia.

Brockenbrough established the Lexington Law School in 1849. His law students included John J. Davis, John Goode and Robert Murphy Mayo. In his introductory address to the first class of incoming students, Brockenbrough offered this advice:

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