Before the fall semester began, incoming J.D. and LL.M. students had the opportunity to get a taste of what law school is like and to start exploring the nation's capital.
Growing up in Atlanta, Sophia Ceniza, L’25, was fascinated by the city’s pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement and its artistic and cultural heritage — an interest she carried with her as a law student hoping to explore the intersection of legal advocacy and artistic expression.
In 1960, Georgetown Law founded the E. Barrett Prettyman Program, which was – and still is – an innovative fellowship that trains recent law school graduates to represent indigent clients. On May 31, dozens of Prettyman alumni, along with other friends and supporters, gathered on campus to celebrate the program’s 65th anniversary and to congratulate one of its longtime leaders, Professor John Copacino, L’83, on his retirement.
Having immigrated to the United States from Colombia, where his family fled political persecution, Rodrigo Bermudez, L’24, came to Georgetown Law knowing the stakes of immigration law and the asylum process firsthand.
As 2024 draws to a close, we’re looking back at the past year at Georgetown Law, from student and faculty achievements to the work of clinics and institutes advocating on a range of legal issues in Washington, D.C. and beyond. Join us in reflecting on this year’s milestones and memorable moments below.
Kayla Weston, L’25, originally considered a career in medicine. Now a third year Georgetown Law student, the overlap between health equity and legal advocacy remains top of mind. “There are so many legal issues that can impact someone’s health,” she says. “They may not even realize it.”
Some 300 students participating this year in Georgetown Law’s 17 legal clinics pledged to uphold the highest levels of honesty, integrity and professional conduct — and to advocate “competently, zealously and diligently” on behalf of their clients at Georgetown Law’s first-ever student attorney oath ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
“The idea was not to just take a case, but change the law.” - Professor Brian Wolfman, Appellate Immersion Clinic
Before coming to Georgetown Law, Zach Rosenfeld, L'25, interned for a U.S. Senator and got a peek at how lawmaking and legal practice overlap on Capitol Hill.
On June 1, Georgetown Law hosted a festive celebration honoring the 50th anniversary of its Juvenile Justice Clinic. The Clinic was not only one of the first at the Law Center, but has also been a pioneer in clinical legal education in the United States…
It started with an unusual idea from a few Georgetown Law students and professors in the early 1970s, and today has connected young people with law students around the world, introducing them to how legal systems work and opening new career paths. Street Law has come a long way in five decades.