Students: News Releases and In the News
Emory Law grads compete for $1 million in startup funds
Two recent Emory Law graduates are semifinalists in an international competition where the ultimate prize is $1 million in investment funding. Bene Owanga 24L and Chinelo Adi 24L are among the 16 semifinalist teams that will travel to the United Kingdom in August to compete for the 15th Annual Hult Prize.
Emory Law students earn national public interest fellowships
Six Emory Law students will spend this summer getting hands-on experience working in public interest jobs because they received fellowships through the John Paul Stevens Foundation.
A message to students from Dean Freer
I am honored to start my service as Dean of Emory Law today.
Contentious new will leads to court battle
When Alex Subbard at last lost his fight with Parkinson’s, his two children mourned. But when a heretofore unknown handwritten will surfaced, their grief turned to rage.
Commencement 2024: 'Dream in the future, live in the moment'
On Sunday, May 12, Emory University School of Law graduated more than 300 students during ceremonies held at the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth.
Hurtado 24L balances resilience with service, sets sights on trial law career
After finishing college in three years—and with two bachelor’s degrees— Nikki Hurtado 24L applied to Emory Law as an Early Decision student. She was the consummate overachiever.
EPD head of comms earns juris master, becomes Double Eagle
Traditionally, most law school graduates go on to be lawyers. But for Morieka Johnson 94C 24L and other recipients of the juris master degree, there is the opportunity to learn from world-class legal scholars and take that knowledge into a number of careers that require one to look at situations through a legal framework.
Brazilian attorney Bispo da Silva 23L sails past language hurdle
Good lawyers have to be great storytellers—which is impossible without a command of language. So, when a lack of fluency in English was standing between Pamela Bispo da Silva 23L and her dreams, she left the small town of Rio Claro, Brazil, and accepted an au pair job in Pennsylvania.
2024 EPIC Awards go to public interest legends
This year the Emory Public Interest Committee (EPIC) honored a veteran public defender, a former investigator turned civil rights attorney, and an Am Law 100 firm partner who has logged hundreds of pro bono hours over nearly 40 years in practice.
New summer stipends to fund student pro bono experiences
This semester, Emory Law is launching a new stipend program for first- and second-year juris doctor students who accept summer volunteer jobs at legal public sector and public interest organizations.
Emory Law professor, students file brief in closely watched tax case
Assistant Professor Alex Zhang filed an amicus brief in support of the United States in collaboration with ELSSCAP, which is the only student-run Supreme Court litigation program in the United States.
Class of 2026
This fall term, 281 Juris Doctor students started their 1L year at Emory Law.
A new guide to environmental justice in Georgia
In 1983, a first-of-its-kind government study revealed race was the primary factor that determined where hazardous waste winds up in the South—which was predominantly in Black communities.
Two public interest alumni awarded Equal Justice Works fellowships
Two of Emory Law’s most recent graduates who designed projects to help citizens with little or no access to legal services have earned fellowships from Equal Justice Works.
Smith to law school grads: Remember your power
Emory University School of Law held its Degree Candidate Recognition Ceremony, celebrating students who earned doctor of juridical science, juris doctor, master of laws, master of comparative law, juris master, and dual degrees. Nearly 300 students attended in person and approximately 15 students participated virtually, viewing the event as it was live streamed through the school’s website.
Sharp 23L pursues justice, knowledge, and another degree
At 63, Robert Sharp Jr. has been an attorney for nearly 30 years. He’s licensed to practice before the US Supreme Court, as well as three federal courts of appeal.
With juris master degree, Emory MD turns mind to policy work
Olubunmi Bakare’s path to become a leading neonatologist included immigration to the United States and tenacious pursuit of both MD and master of public health degrees from elite medical schools. This spring, Bakare 23L earned a juris master at Emory Law.
Morrison 23L's research praised by US Ambassador
When Christina Morrison 23L receives her Emory Law diploma on Sunday with highest honors, Order of the Coif, one achievement will not be listed in the commencement program: a commendation letter from the US Ambassador in charge of investigating war crimes.
Iqbal 23L seeks to build community in a cold world
EBDJ—and the sense of belonging it created for Iqbal—is a throughline of his law school story. Law school has taught him how much power he has to effect change.
Law students create energy solutions to change lives in Africa
Bene Owanga 24L and his family created a climate tech company that rents portable solar-powered batteries to consumers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Chinelo Adi 24L joined as the company's business strategist. With help from The Hatchery, they secured funding from Divinc's Accelerator Program to address the energy crisis.
Admitted students gather for Emory Law Visiting Day
In late March, Emory welcomed 158 admitted students and their families for Emory Law’s annual admitted student Visiting Day.
Environmental and Natural Resources program creates scholarship and stipend
Emory Law’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law program has established a new DEI scholarship and stipend program to promote broader diversity in the practice of environmental law.
Blank Foundation gift will expand legal services for veterans
The Class of 2025: exceptional and international
This fall term, 236 new JDs started their 1L year at Emory Law, joined by 13 transfer students, 22 LLMs, 33 students pursuing a juris master degree and three SJDs. As a whole, they represent 19 countries, 33 states and the District of Columbia.
PACT Act benefits Georgia veterans exposed to burn pits, toxins
Dexter Smith to be Emory Law’s assistant dean of admission and financial aid
Dexter A. Smith will join the Emory University School of Law community this fall as assistant dean of admission and financial aid.
Barton Clinic contributes to landmark juvenile insanity defense case
Four Emory Law Juvenile Defender Clinic students worked on the amicus brief Waldman filed in November 2020 in a case that led to a June 1, 2022, Georgia Supreme Court decision that gives juveniles the right to an insanity defense.
A First Amendment class that changed everything
Marissa Cohen 22L already had a JD when she came to Emory Law. So, why invest in a master of laws at Emory? "My first reason ... was the realization that my JD wasn't enough to quench my thirst about the law," she says.
Anthony ReFour 22L: Education off the back burner
Emory police officer Anthony ReFour 22L earned a juris master degree from Emory University School of Law in May 2022.
'Natural mentor’ Tejas Dave 22L takes creativity to bank regulation
In addition to graduating with high honors and joining the Order of the Coif, Tejas Dave 22L will also receive the Keith J. Shapiro Corporate Bankruptcy Writing Award.
Trial Techniques 2022: Which will wins?
A day before his death from pancreatic cancer, a father handwrites a new will that blocks all his children from inheriting a sizable estate. The new beneficiary? Dad’s longtime caretaker. His children are outraged. Attorneys on each side arm themselves for a bruising trial. For the past week, hundreds of Emory Law students have lived this fictional controversy via the Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques (KEPTT), a required course for all 2Ls.
Students win $8k in Stange moot court competition
Emory Moot Court Society concluded its annual Stange Competition with the Stange Awards Dinner, marking the Society’s first official return to in-person events since 2019.
Emory Law announces new concentrations for juris master degree
Employment/HR and data, privacy, technology added to health care and business law offerings.
KMCL gift to Emory Law will increase diversity among environmental lawyers
KMCL-gift to Emory Law will increase diversity among environmental lawyers
Emory Law graduates succeed on Georgia July Bar Exam
90.9% of Emory Law’s first-time test takers have passed the Georgia July Bar Exam.
NNSA and Emory blaze trails with new technology transfer partnership
Emory Law students will be a critical part of commercializing NNSA lab technology
A Message from the Dean
I am writing today to provide an important update about the law school’s efforts to promote an inclusive learning environment.
Update from Dean Bobinski
Message from the Dean
Emory Law students among John Paul Stevens Fellows
Congratulations to 2021 John Paul Stevens Fellows Mary Katherine "MK" Karcher 23L, Naomi-Beth McCall 23L, Teddy Randel 22L, and Megan Toomer 23L who received grants to work at public interest organizations across the country.
Brown to graduates: Following your heart leads to joy
In a welcome return to in-person celebrations, Emory University School of Law graduates either donned masks to cross a socially distanced stage or watched the ceremony live from their devices and home computers as more than 360 students earned master of laws, juris master, doctor of juridical science, or juris doctor degrees.
Thirunavukarasu 21L, practicing law abroad, feels empowered to practice domestically
An email reply put Ricardo Horne 21L on his life’s path
A career of service, from doctor to social justice lawyer
Suman Malempati left his career as a pediatric oncologist, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics to train as a social justice lawyer because he could “no longer be an observer.”
Vanya Starr 22L credits Juris Master studies with enhancing HR career
Vanya Starr did not set out to be a human resources specialist, and quickly learned that her favorite seminars all dealt with employment law. When she started considering pursuing a degree in HR, she naturally leaned toward a degree steeped in the law and decided to attend Emory Law's JM program, where she could take classes specialized in employment law.
Dean’s message regarding recent violence
Moot Court teams make gains despite virtual contests
Congratulations to the teams competing in the Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition and The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.
Cultural connections: Social, academic support for international students
Kirsten Schaetzel is the English Language Specialist at Emory University School of Law. She helps multilingual and international students navigate American culture and the English language while they learn about US law.
SBA Letter Condemning Hate against AAPI
Daniel Zozaya Brown 22L pursues a road less traveled
As a Robert W. Woodruff fellow, Daniel is pursuing his juris doctor from Emory University School of Law at 30 years old.
Emory Law students advance in national and international competitions
BLSA alumni, students, create new first-year scholarship to increase diversity at Emory Law
In just nine months, an effort spearheaded by the Black Law Students Association Advisory Board has created an endowment that will allow more Black students to choose Emory Law.
Virtual ceremonies seek to make distanced graduation more personal
The virtual version of this year's Emory University School of Law graduation ceremonies occurred May 11, following the university's online Commencement program. The event honored the law school’s more than 360 graduates in programs including master of laws, Juris Master, and Juris Doctor.
Brittain Award recipient leaves Emory Law as a practiced advocate for vulnerable populations
Years of anti-human trafficking experience led Newsom 20L to pursue JM
Captain of his own destiny: Eric Johnson 20L
Frederick Johnson, Captain, United States Air Force—or Eric Johnson 20L, as his Emory family knows him—will walk out of Emory Law with his juris doctor with high honors and march into a unique career as a judge advocate.
So much to do—and so well done: Catherine Zhu 20L, LLM grad
2020 EPIC Award Winners
One of the law school’s signature events, the Emory Public Interest Committee’s (EPIC) Inspiration Awards,
How would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. address injustice in present America?
Dean Mary Anne Bobinski invites us to reflect on how our actions, reactions, or inaction square with MLK's ideals. How would Dr. King define justice?
Blackburn uses skills from JM degree to identify and mitigate clients' risk
Rajamannar 19L pursues JM to gain an edge in the workplace
Kumar Rajamannar, JM Class of 2019, discusses why he chose to pursue a juris master at Emory Law.
Prof. Fred Smith to graduates: Be part of seeing justice done
On Mother's Day, in a new venue and among a packed house of family and friends, 454 students crossed the stage in recognition of their graduation from Emory University School of Law.
First-generation college grad earns juris master degree
Law student parlays difficult beginnings into academic success
Earl Porter III 19L parlays difficult beginnings into a celebrated end as he prepares to graduate from Emory Law.
Yeargain 19L receives Burton Award as one of nation's 'finest law school writers'
Tyler Quinn Yeargain, a third-year student at Emory University School of Law, was among the ten winners for his piece, "Discretion Versus Supersession: Calibrating the Power Balance Between Local Prosecutors and State Officials."
MLK on love, power, justice: A message from Interim Dean Hughes
Interim Dean James B. Hughes, Jr.'s message of diversity and service at Emory University Schoo of Law on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Learning Law in the Peace Palace
Two students spend the summer studying international law in the Netherlands for their Bederman Fellowship.
Open House
The Emory Law Houses program helps advise students both on the traditional requirements for the law degree and on the skills required to finish the marathon of earning the law degree.
Fiji calls for LLM grad Seruwaia Nayacalevu-Masi 18L ... for now
It was a lonely first few days for Seruwaia Nayacalevu-Masi 18L when she started her studies at Emory University School of Law. Now, Nayacalevu-Masi can claim friends from China, South Korea, Brazil, Russia, Afghanistan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Jamaica, India, England, Vietnam, Liberia, Germany, Venezuela, and the United States of America.
Faith, child advocacy, and a little acrylic paint: That's what this JM graduate is made of
Rachel Stone 18L recently received her Juris Master degree from Emory University School of Law. In a Q & A, she shared what led her to the school, how she plans to use her degree, and how she managed the rigor of law school and a full-time career.
Nicole Schladt 18L receives graduate Brittain Award for advocacy, service, leadership
Nicole Schladt 18L has been awarded the Brittain Award, Emory's highest student honor for her leadership and commitment to community service, including co-founding Emory LGBTQ Legal Services
At Emory, juris doctor student finds confidence to embrace excellence
Victoria Sparks, president of the Emory Black Law Students Association, says the most important lesson she learned at Emory is "don't run from the excellence others see in you."
Sydney Kaplan 19L named president of University-wide grad student government
Sydney Kaplan 19L has been elected president of the university-wide Graduate Student Government Association.
Beyond rank and file: New journal editor-in-chief Song 19L finds familiar camaraderie at Emory Law
Kiyong Song 19L talks about joining the Emory Law community and his military background as he prepares for his role as EILR's editor-in-chief for the 2018-2019 school year.
Emory Law third-year student O'Carroll wins national writing award
Fiona O'Carroll 18L has been named a 2018 Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Burton Award winner, an honor given to only 15 people for articles submitted by the nation's top law schools.
Wellness Week addresses student wellbeing and resiliency
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor visits Emory Law
In a conversation with Emory constitutional law scholar Fred Smith Jr., Sonia Sotomayor, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, reflected on her personal experiences and how the crux of law is "about helping people."
EPIC announces Inspiration Award winners
The Emory Public Interest Committee has announced the recipients of the 22nd EPIC Inspiration Awards. EPIC annually honors a student and three community members for their outstanding contributions to public service.
Message from Dean Hughes on Dr. King's Legacy
Interim Dean James B. Hughes, Jr.'s message of diversity and service at Emory University Schoo of Law on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Volunteer Clinic for Veterans featured on WABE
WABE kicked off a series of conversations on veterans with a feature on Emory Law's Volunteer Clinic for Veterans, which provides pro bono services to veterans and their families to obtain disability benefits. Drew Early, the clinic's co-director and Keely Youngblood, an attorney at the clinic and an Americorps Legal Fellow, were interviewed, along with Russell Hyatt, whose father, a Korean War vet, is a client of the clinic.
Bass Career Summit to Launch New 1L Curriculum
Each year, Emory Law's Center for Professional Development and Career Strategy hosts a professional development program, the Bass Career Summit, for all new students.
Welcome to Emory Law
A message to the students of Emory Law from Interim Dean Judson Graves.
Emory Law hosts visitors from Hong Kong for month-long program
This month, Emory Law welcomes to Atlanta students from the City University of Hong Kong and members of the Chinese Judiciary as part of a partnership with the Supreme People's Court.
Turner Clinic continues fight in long-running opposition to Florida nuclear reactors
Turner Environmental Law Clinic students traveled to Florida this month for a hearing on Florida Power & Light's plans to build two more nuclear reactors at its Turkey Point site. The controversy has been running for seven years, but could be decided by year's end, said Clinic Director Mindy Goldstein.
Freer to Emory Law Grads: 'Don't set your priorities by default'
426 Emory Law graduates received their diplomas during ceremonies held today on the lawn of Gambrell Hall.
Emory's Black Law Students Association wins National Chapter of the Year
Emory's Black Law Students Association (BLSA) has, for the second consecutive year, won National Large Chapter of the Year at the 49th Annual Convention in Houston Texas.
Emory Law study finds judicial prejudice in immigration hearings
Immigration Court judges in Atlanta are failing to uphold ethical standards that ensure immigrants receive fair and impartial treatment, according to a seven-week study by Emory Law students and the Southern Poverty Law Center, which was recently featured on the Immigration Prof Blog. "These observations confirm the Atlanta Immigration Court's reputation as a system where judges fail to respect the rule of law," said Adjunct Professor Hallie Ludsin of Emory Law School, who led the law students in their court monitoring.
Emory Law advances to National Moot Court Competition
Emory Law advances to National Moot Court Competition
Bartlett 18L wins disability law writing competition
Victoria "Lavender" Veran Bartlett, a second-year Emory Law student, won first prize in the Adam A. Milani Disability Law Writing Competition.
How internships help your law school application
Describing meaningful internships is key when applying to law school, says Emory Law Senior Assistant Dean for Admission Ethan Rosenzweig. But the experience should determine placement. "If the internship is a central focus of student's application or reasons to pursue a career in law, then I'd recommend that the experience should be woven into the personal statement," he tells U.S. News and World Report. Also, don't be afraid to include ones that weren't great, he adds. Sometimes the strongest applications describe what the applicant didn't enjoy and how that helped refocus their goals.
Student groups seek solutions for institutionalized LGBTI immigration discrimination
Emory International Law Review, the Immigration Law Practice Society, and Emory OUTLaw hosted a conference to address the persecution and protection of LGBTI immigrants.
Mock trial team places in national competition
Emory's mock trial team placed third in the National Ethics Trial Competition (NETC) in Sacramento, CA, March 16-20. The competition featured a case involving charges of legal malpractice.
Emory teams take home first-, second-place prizes at transactional law competitions
Emory was awarded the top title of regional finalist in the New England regional competition and the second-place title of regional semi-finalist in the Southwestern regional competition.
Nicole Schladt: Dedicated to advocacy
"One of the most effective ways to advocate for people is through the law," explains Nicole Schladt, who researched United Nations policies on sexual orientation and gender identity for her master's degree before coming to Emory Law. She now serves as the graduate assistant for Emory's Office of LGBT Life.
Emory's BLSA chapter wins national honor
Emory Law's Black Law Students Association (BLSA) chapter received highest honors this past weekend when they were named National BLSA Large Chapter of the Year at the NBLSA 48th Annual National Convention.
Emory team wins top prize at NYU Moot Court Competition
The Emory Law team bested University of Virginia in the final round to win the 11th annual National NYU Immigration Law Competition.
Stange scholarship will reward excellence in moot court
Paola Arzu Stange 01C 05L and her husband, Kirk C. Stange, have established the Stange Law Firm Scholarship to honor top competitors in Emory Law's moot court program.
Emory Moot Court team competes in national competition
One of Emory Moot Court Society's nationals teams competed in the prestigious New York City Bar Association's National Moot Court Competition
Emory Moot Court team competes in national competition
One of Emory Moot Court Society's nationals teams competed in the prestigious New York City Bar Association's National Moot Court Competition
Emory Law hosts law and development certificate program
In May 2016, the Law and Development Institute will offer a weeklong certificate program that outlines the role of law, legal frameworks and institutions for economic development. The institute is affiliated with Emory Law, where the program lectures will be held, delivered by Distinguished Scholar in Residence, Professor Y. S. Lee.