Alumni

It is clear that the last 15 years have been a time of unprecedented growth and progress. And it is just as apparent that none of these incredible strides would have been possible without the alumni who answered the call to become an active part of the Georgetown Law Center community, giving astute recommendations, the gift of time and generous financial contributions.

     As alumni have reached out to support the Law Center, the Law Center has reached out to the alumni, substantially increasing the number of ways in which graduates can become involved. The school’s proactive approach involved creating strong alumni associations throughout the country and sending administrators and faculty to meet with alumni, seeking their input and perspective while making it clear that the school is also striving to be relevant to their professional lives. Face-to-face meetings helped fold the alumni back into the community. “To have the opportunity to meet the dean and talk to current faculty members is a way to bridge that disconnection,” says Ed Ricci (L’73) of the Florida alumni chapter. Regional Alumni Clubs bring together alumni, parents, and friends of Georgetown.
     In 1992, the Law Center put alumni in leadership roles when they established a Board of Visitors. Realizing that the best solutions often come from a variety of sources, the board, led by founding chair Thomas Reynolds (C’48, H’91) and the Honorable Mary Lupo (L’74) as first vice-chair, called on alumni from coast to coast, asking them for advice and counsel. Their answers were the genesis for many new programs.      The Women’s Law Forum came about as the result of discussions with alumnae about the issues, opportunities and constraints facing female lawyers. The Forum’s mission is to develop networks of Law Center alumnae and to encourage mentoring relationships between alumnae and students.

IN 1992, THE LAW CENTER PUT ALUMNI IN LEADERSHIP ROLES WHEN THEY ESTABLISHED A BOARD OF VISITORS. THE BOARD, LED BY FOUNDING CHAIR THOMAS REYNOLDS (C’48, H’91) AND THE HONORABLE MARY LUPO (L’74 ) AS FIRST
VICE-CHAIR, CALLED ON ALUMNI FROM COAST TO COAST, ASKING THEM FOR ADVICE AND COUNSEL. THEIR ANSWERS WERE THE GENESIS FOR
MANY NEW PROGRAMS.

 Georgetown’s Continuing Legal Education Corporate Counsel Institute, led by Larry Center (L’74), is considered the best program of its kind in the country. Founded in 1997, the Institute draws hundreds of corporate lawyers. Distinguished speakers in the past have included Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, CEOs including R.L. Crandall, formerly of American Airlines, General Counsels including Janet Kelly of Kellogg’s and Paul Cappuccino of AOL-Time Warner and numerous government officials including Federal Communications Commission Chairman, Michael Powell (L’93).
     The Recent Alumni Advisory Council is dedicated to establishing a strong, mutually beneficial relationship between the Law Center and alumni who have graduated during the last ten years.
      Members of the National Law Alumni Board (NLAB) continue to develop programs that bring alumni and students together on and off campus. The first annual student alumni golf tournament held in October is but one example of the board's new initiatives.      World of Choices arranges for alumni to come back to the Law Center to speak to current students at the annual career forum.
     The Alumni Admissions Program steps in when an applicant has had the good fortune to be accepted at Georgetown University Law Center and other schools. Alumni meet with prospective students to tell them about their own experience and answer questions about life on campus and in Washington.
     The Public Interest Mentoring Program matches alumni and first year students interested in public interest law.
     The school also worked to keep in touch with the more than 1,000 alumni who are living and working abroad. “We said, ‘We need to go where they are,’” says Kevin Conry, associate vice president of development and external affairs. “Two years ago we gathered alumni who are living in Europe and we created the first international law alumni reunion.” The Law Reunion is held every year in October, bringing together old friends and classmates.

THE LAW CAMPAIGN WAS LAUNCHED IN 1990 WITH THE GOAL OF RAISING $20 MILLION. BUT THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF LAW ALUMNI, THE CAMPIGN ENDED IN 1995 HAVING RAISED $31.5 MILLION. THE EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL LAW PORTION OF THE THIRD CENTURY CAMPAIGN RAISED AN UNPRECEDENTED $102 MILLION FROM 1996 TO 2003.

       The result here and abroad is that, “the alumni feel like they are part of the family,” says Agnes Williams (L’54).
     Paul Saunders became involved in 1989 when Judy Areen helped organize the 25th reunion for his class. “She has never let go of me since,” he laughs.
     Saunders, who has since served as vice-chairman of the first Law Campaign and then as chairman of the Law Center’s portion of the University’s Third Century Campaign. The Law Campaign was launched in 1990 with the goal of raising $20 million. But thanks to the generosity of law alumni, the Campaign ended in 1995 having raised $31.5 million. This money not only helped to fund the Gewirz Student Center but also endowed two chairs and five professorships, added scholarships for students and contributed to academic programs.
     The extraordinarily successful Law Center portion of the Third Century Campaign raised an unprecedented $102 million from 1996 to 2003. “People like to contribute to successful enterprises,” Saunders observed. “It feeds on itself.” The alumni presence is felt in every aspect of the school and there is, says Lupo, “a sense of welcome home.” “Welcome home” now means alumni have their own place on campus. With the opening of the Alumni Welcoming Center in the Hotung Building, visiting alumni will be able to work, relax, visit old friends or make new ones. Understanding that it is beneficial to both alumni and students to get to know each other, the school has come up with inventive ways to connect the two groups: panels and brown-bag lunches abound. The alumni/faculty connection is equally important, a matter, sometimes, of carefully arranged proximity. “It’s very gratifying to the alumni to attend receptions and luncheons where they get to sit with current faculty members,” says Ricci. “We have an opportunity to engage in more than just social chit-chat.”

Law Journals  

Of the ten law journals open to rembership by Georgetown  students, four were either established or revamped to reflect a new focus since 1993.

GEORGETOWN JOURNAL ON POVERTY LAW & POLICY: 1993

The nation’s premier law journal on poverty issues, which takes a multidisciplinary approach to poverty issues and law, represents a groundbreaking approach to scholarly publication. Part of the journal’s mission is to put an end to the impoverishment that affects so many in a nation of great wealth.

GEORGETOWN JOURNAL OF GENDER AND THE LAW: 1999

The Journal explores the impact of gender, sexuality, and race on both the theory and practice of law, adding to a long tradition of feminist scholarship and advocacy at the Law Center. (Georgetown established the first clinic on sex discrimination in the country.)

GEORGETOWN JOURNAL OF LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY: 2002

Published biannually by Law Center students, the scholarly legal journal advocates for or critiques conservative, libertarian, and natural law positions.

GEORGETOWN JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW: 2004

Formerly the Journal of Law & Policy in International Business, the journal is a broad-gauged international law journal that allows students to write on a wide range of topics in the field. Its four issues each year will focus on general international law, including law and policy in international business.