2021 Commencement Magazine

THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL MAGAZINE SPECIAL GRADUATION EDITION 2021

Congratulations,

CLASS OF 2021!

More than 600 new graduates joined the worldwide community of GW Law alumni on May 16 at the 154th Commencement of the George Washington University Law School. Celebratory virtual events took place throughout the weekend, including a Comedy Night, Pro Bono Recognition Celebration, Academic Awards Ceremony, and Diploma Ceremony featuring groundbreaking human rights lawyer Michael Hausfeld, JD ’69, as keynote speaker.

In her first Commencement as Dean of GW Law, Dr. Dayna Bowen Matthew delivered a passionate charge to the graduates, and Jacqueline Fisher, the president of the GW Law Student Bar Association, poignantly addressed her fellow graduates.

On the pages that follow, we proudly present excerpts of this year’s powerful Commencement speeches, spotlight the Class of 2021 award winners, and share some pictorial highlights of our amazing graduates as they go forth to change the world.

Keynote Address by Michael Hausfeld, JD ’69 Chairman and Founder of Hausfeld LLP

Dean Matthew, Distinguished Faculty, Honored Graduates, Proud Parents and Guests: Good afternoon and congratulations! You now belong to a profession whose members have been the object of much comment, not always flattering. So, I would like to take this time to emphasize a core principle of the law and—to those who practice it—the role of the law as guardian of human dignity and equality.

This nation’s independence was built on the self-evident truth that all men—or more appropriately, people—are endowed with certain inalienable rights. Rights which can never be abrogated by any individual, government or sovereignty in any form, under any circumstance.

In his Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln reaffirmed the new nation’s dedication to this proposition. One hundred years later, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his “dream” of this pledge “that one day this nation would finally rise up and live out” its true meaning. The need to fulfill this trust has always resided within the province of the law. It is as real today as it has been since the command in Deuteronomy, “Justice, Justice shalt thou pursue.”

These are changing times, underscored by challenges in critical areas of justice. They are complicated by problems in the absence of written law, the interpretations and misinterpretations of law, and gaps in the law. They produce a mix of results, some just, some unjust, but all of which govern our behavior and relationships.

I’d like to share some snapshots of my experiences.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE In 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound off the coast of Alaska. Ten million gallons of oil spilled out of its hull poisoning the surrounding waters, the fish, the animals and the people. Commercial fishermen lost their livelihood. Native Alaskans lost their way of life. Almost all lawyers rushed to represent the fishermen. I chose to represent the Native Alaskans.

The law had a template to calculate commercial economic loss. There was no such tool, however, to measure the loss to indigenous people whose lives depended on renewable, uncontaminated natural resources. They lived in isolated coastal communities, accessible only by boat or small plane. They were unconnected by roads to any other communities anywhere in the state.

Exxon said that these communities were better off after the spill than they were before.

Before the spill, company executives explained, villagers hunted, fished, gathered and shared in order to feed themselves and their community. After the spill, they argued, the villagers were gainfully employed and paid by Exxon to clean up the oil-soaked land and pick up the remains of the dead fish, birds, bears and deer. They, therefore, reasoned Exxon owed them nothing more.

The court disagreed. Favorable rulings for the villagers resulted in a settlement agreement, which committed Exxon to a continuing obligation to restore and enhance their environment.

It also provided millions of dollars in compensation for the loss of their way of life.

GENDER JUSTICE When I first met Diane Williams in the mid-1970s, she was a young woman who was fired from her position as a journalist at the Department of Justice. Prior to that event, she constantly received superior performance ratings. She believed the real cause for her termination was a pretext to camouflage her refusal to agree to have sex with her supervisor.

She brought a claim for discrimination in violation of untested provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Establishing new law, the district court held that sexual harassment was a form of unlawful discrimination. At trial, Diane was the first woman who prevailed in establishing both the claim and that it can be proven. The judgment became the object of ridicule. Editorials and commentaries were published mocking the notion that women had a protected right not to be sexually harassed. Decades later, the laughter had stopped. Women’s rights were the law, not the joke. Diane was proud to have pioneered the change.

RACIAL JUSTICE In the early 20th century, African Americans created a self-sufficient, prosperous business district, Greenwood, in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. There were landowners, store owners, professionals, a newspaper and schools. It was the Black Wall Street of America. That is, until May 31, 1921. On that day, according to an indictment handed down by a white Tulsa grand jury, the African American community rose up in riot, necessitating the white community to defend itself. In the aftermath, the Greenwood district had been burned down, and an estimated 300 African Americans lost their lives.

For almost three quarters of a century, that’s the way history recorded the destruction of Greenwood. The truth was the opposite. A claim for damages was filed by octogenarians and centenarians who were children at the time of the carnage. Experts testifying on their behalf demonstrated that history had the blame backwards. There was no riot by the African American community, but rather a brutal act of vigilantism by the white community. We lost the case.

The court ruled, in its opinion, the claim was brought too long after the fatal days in Tulsa. But the legal challenge enabled us to correct history. What was once unjustly branded as the Tulsa Race Riot will now forever be known as the Tulsa Massacre—the single worst episode of racially motivated mass murder in the nation’s history.

This false notion of superiority is not bound by geography. The Third Reich forced Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, Catholics, homosexuals, transsexuals and disabled or mentally challenged persons into forced labor and concentration camps. They were considered by the Reich to be less than humans, unworthy to co-exist with a master race. Millions were exterminated. Millions more were enslaved. A half century after the end of the war, a remnant of survivors sought legal accountability for the atrocities they endured. At a conference of hundreds, representing citizens of a half a dozen nations, scores of survivor organizations and representatives of the offending German industries, a member of the German delegation stood up and asked the petitioning survivors, “What do you people want from us? We fed you, we clothed you, we housed you and we kept you alive.” At dinner that night, two of the survivors were laughing with each other. I asked why? They replied, “the food at Auschwitz was OK, but not that good.”

The Germans had delivered the wrong message to the wrong crowd. Rather than deter them, it made them more determined. A year later, at the turn of the century, in a formal ceremony in the great hall of the Reichstag in Berlin, before thousands of gathered survivors, the German government and industry signed a declaration publicly apologizing for and acknowledging their inhumanity. They also established the first-ever multibillion-dollar compensation fund for victims of forced labor.

GW Law faculty, staff, and graduates celebrate together on the steps of Lerner Hall.

Hausfeld Keynote Address continued from previous page

CLIMATE JUSTICE Today, the world is faced with its greatest challenge. It is on fire. We lit the blaze and are stoking its flames. Whether we call it climate change or global warming, the consequences are the same: destructive heat waves, hurricanes, typhoons, monsoons, wildfires, floods, rising sea levels and warming oceans, all of which threaten life on the planet. Science warns that an aggressive response is imperative in order to avoid tipping points of no return—points which once crossed will bring about irreversible and catastrophic devastation.

There is no singular population more vulnerable to this apocalypse than the youth of the world.

Current science projects that every child living and born today will face a fundamentally altered world of increased disease and death. Yet as the world burns, its nations delay, unable to agree on a binding set of urgently enforceable laws. Two years ago, a group of 12 young climate activists from around the world, including Greta Thunberg, filed a petition with a committee of the United Nations. The claim was that the climate crisis is a human rights crisis and children are in the forefront. It has been my honor to represent these young people in their effort to secure a livable planet. The petition is still under consideration. The outcome remains undecided.

Their future, and yours, is in the balance.

Do the Earth’s young have a right to a life-sustaining environment? If so, are the world’s nations obligated to respect and protect that right? Do nations have a responsibility to act together to assure that future generations inherit more than the wind on a dust bowl?

Protecting and respecting human rights is not the product of chance. It must be vigilantly pursued. You will win some, and likely lose more. But you should never stop. The law may be slow to bring about change, but you must challenge it when there is a need to do so. As you begin your careers, you will find that you not only will be practicing law, but you may also have the opportunity to write it, enforce it or interpret it. Regardless of which you may do, please remember you have the skill, knowledge and power to shape it for the better.

So, let your heart be your conscience in guiding your power. Let your mind be your caution in exercising that power. Do not accept what is without exploring what you believe should or could be. Speak for those whose voices are not heard. Show the faces of those who are not seen.

Pursue through the law those self-evident inalienable rights of all people, in all places, at all times, to reach that “dream” of a more just world.

Thank you. Congratulations. Best wishes for successful careers.

Excerpts from the Commencement Address

by Jacqueline Fisher, JD ’21 2020–21 Student Bar Association President

How do I mark the joy and accomplishment of our Commencement, while still acknowledging and mourning the difficulty and loss of the past year? We spent half of our legal education online in a deadly pandemic. I stand here knowing that many of you are not feeling celebratory, that the loneliness and burnout from this year has taken a toll on your mental health.

That we miss our friends, our families, and the life events that fulfill us. That many of you are sitting in rooms where a loved one is missing.

As a community grappling with these losses, we must acknowledge the hardship of this year, and what I’ve come to realize is that the weight of our accomplishment is inseparable from what we have achieved. Graduating law school is an accomplishment that is the culmination of years of academic achievement, professional accolades and a tireless commitment to leadership.

In a normal year, what we’ve done is remarkable.

In a year like this, it’s extraordinary. We summited a mountain in an avalanche with a 100-pound weight on our shoulders. We did it.

We have heard for a year how resilient we are, but to me that resilience is not a demonstration of individual fortitude, it was a reflection of a community that shared the burden. I can’t tell you how many times I heard someone say, or more accurately, read that someone typed, “Is there anything I can do to help you?” The simple question that told me I wasn’t alone would be enough, but the follow-through I witnessed this year—peers helping peers on everything from job connections to finding housing in the pandemic—should forever shatter any stereotype that lawyers are heartless.

I do not think that this is a circumstance that was inevitable, that we would uplift and support instead of tearing each other apart. You all have someone in mind right now—to me, it’s my dad—who supported every last dream of mine and told me to chase it with drive but taught me that my most important measure would be how I treat others. Thank you. To my brothers, my family, and mentors and friends, thank you.

I can say without doubt that this fine moment has come to be because our own needs have been met through our love for one another.

Three jubilant grads proudly display their GW Law diplomas—a crowning achievement after a very difficult year. In the words of SBA President Jacqueline Fisher: “We summited a mountain in an avalanche with a 100-pound weight on our shoulders.”

Excerpts from Dean Matthew’s Commencement Charge to the Graduates

“The measure of a country’s greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis.” These are the powerful words of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, who inspired our nation and arguably the world to protect the human rights of all that Michael Hausfield spoke of so eloquently.

Without question, our world is facing numerous crises that will test our ability to retain compassion for others unlike ourselves. You are the class that saw democracy in action, witnessing the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, the nationwide protests sparked by the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and, just last month, the conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin. The nation of India is experiencing a deadly surge in the global pandemic, and the world must respond.

I am confident that this is the class that will act out of deep and authentic compassion to solve these crises. How do I know this? You have already done so. Class of 2021, you are a class that has already stepped up to the challenge of fighting for change—one step at a time.

You are the class that clocked 85,550 pro bono hours—the third highest total in GW Law history and double the number of hours of last year—an incredible feat any year but particularly during these unprecedented times.

You are the class that received the ABA’s 2020 Dean Henry J. Ramsey, Jr. Diversity Award for the Student Bar Association’s stellar work on behalf of the advancement of women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and persons of differing sexual orientation and gender identities.

Despite the many limitations imposed by the pandemic, you became a close-knit online community. You checked in with each other and made sure no one was alone. You persevered and maintained a positive attitude, overcoming countless challenges to reach this day.

Today, as you become lawyers, I charge you to take the experiences of the past year and translate them into action to work for the greater good. Together, you heard the voices of those suffering deep social and economic injustices—issues that have existed in our society for far too long— and together you acquired the tools to help those who are struggling across our nation and around the globe.

Now, more than ever, the world needs lawyers who are dedicated to bringing about change and justice. Today, as you become the newest members of the legal profession and… prepare to write the next chapter in our law school’s rich and enduring history…in doing so, you will write the next chapter in a world made better because you have played your part in working for change.

Two newly-minted GW Law graduates enjoy a celebratory moment as they go forth to change the world.

Class of 2021 Honors Recipients JURIS DOCTOR

Zachary A. Kramer*

James A. Defillippo

Joseph K. Kunnirickal

Sydney Snower

WITH HIGHEST HONORS

Peter J. Lattanzio*

David C. Dietz

Christian D. Kuzdak

Markus G. Speidel

David R. Levintow

Erin Y. Drolet

Youjin Kwon

Christopher A. Stevens

Alexis B. Mayer*

Benjamin A. Dubois

Jalen A. LaRubbio

Destiny T. Stokes

Jessica G. Mugler*

Violet N. Edelman

Heewon Lee

Alex J. Storozum

Sterling T. Perry*

Sarah C. Epperson

Alta Y. Li

Lena G. Streisand

Michael A. Pronin*

Lauren E. Estell

Emma L. Liggett

Austin R. Szabo

Nicole A. Salisbury

Rebecca S. Fallk

Spencer W. Lindsay

David E. Templeton

Stephen A. Schiermeyer*

Connor Farrell

Sean A. Lowry

Linlin Teng

Samuel A. Maier

Andrew S. Thompson

Jessica T. Sullivan*

Jennifer M. Fasulo Henry S. Finkelstein

Helen M. Marsh

Peter Tkach

Rachel S. Fleischer

Adison B. Marshall

Charles W. Tracy

Christopher J. Frascella

Laura M. Martin

Christin M. Vivona

Sean M. Frazier

John T. McBride

Marie E. Vogel

Mareena M. George

Kelsey L. McCutcheon

Megan K. Walden

Matthew R. Goldberg

Amanda H. McDowell

Brennan M. Weiss

Alexandra M. Gonsman

Bryn A. McWhorter

Michael B. Williams

WITH HONORS

Joseph A. Grossman

Rachael A. Mendez

Charles M. Wilson

Anna M. Abrams

Keziah D. Groth-Tuft

Madison D. Meyer

Sarah E. Wohlsdorf

Abdulrahman Nasser Alhizami

Mary C. Grupp

James Midkiff

Tracy E. Wolf

Samrin A. Ali

David J. Guild

Robert B. Miley

Chih Wei Wu

Nicole M. Haddad

Evan K. Monod

Youlan Xiu

Nicole C. Hager

Aishik Mukherjee

Jennifer B. Yadoo

Victoria L. Hanafin

Jacob N. Nagy

Bo Yang

Nehama L. Hanoch

Aleena Nasir

Ya You

Jestelle M. Hanrahan

Rosie Norwood-Kelly

Andrew K. Young

Eric T. Harmon

Margaret A. O’Brien

Syed Haider Ali Zafar

Andrew B. Haynes

Stefan O. Ochiana

Ziqing Zhou

Daniel G. Helinek

Jacob Benjamin Olliffe

Brandon Hemans

Samantha G. Onofry

Brittany M. Henderson

Griffin C. Pace

Andrew T. Hile

Kevin M. Parker

Madyson R. Hopkins

Tannyr M. Pasvantis

Matthew D. Howell

Justin M. Perkins

Ryan Hudash

Samuel T. Phipps

Emily H. Iannucci

Teresa C. Pulaski

Susanna Israelsson

Matthew J. Quandt

Elissa C. Jeffers

Suresh S. Rav

Lauren Johnstone

Jacob M. Reiskin

Andrew R. Jones

Kaitlin E. Rittgers

Xi Kang

Ashlyn K. Roberts

Zachary J. Keegan

Wilma P. Rodriguez

Ryan T. Kelley

Andrew Ruskin

Benjamin J. Kerr

Laura Saini

Madison B. Kewin

Barbara B. Samaniego

Farah Khan

Andrei A. Satchlian

Yaqoub Hamed I. Khouja

Timothy P. Scanlan

Edmond Kim

Alex L. Sheppard

Nickolas Kinslow

Mary E. Shults

Kyrylo Kovalenko

Tanner N. Slaughter

Jeremy J. Kramer

Wilson S. Smith

Ellen M. Albritton* Kelsey H. Barthold* Patrick R. Burnett* Julia E. Caffery* Colton M. Canton* Erin M. Clancy* Kevin Y. Coleman* Geoffrey A. Comber* Ashley L. Connelly* Muamera Hadzic* Travis A. Hahn* Elizabeth Hummel* Jean Y. Hyun* Taylor J. Kilpatrick* Rachel B. Lerner* Jassen Y. Lu* Austin S. Martin* Rachel L. Movius* Amy R. Orlov* Rodney S. Roberts* Andrew J. Topal* Joseph M. Toth* Joshua J. Warner*

Annemarie E. Wamsted* Colleen C. Ward* Jennifer L. Weinberg* Sean M. Wesp* Benjamin R. Whitlow*

Leif I. Anderson Tessa M. Andrew Morgan Baker Sarah E. Barney Elizabeth W. Bartlett

WITH HIGH HONORS

Molly E. Behan

Panya Baldia*

Matthew L. Bolinsky

Peter C. Belford*

Robert L. Bollier

Elizabeth Brim*

Joseph E. Bower

Joshua P. Carrigan

Christie D. Boyden

Audrey N. Carroll*

Scott D. Boyle

Claire E. Connor

Makenzie D. Briglia

Haley Connor*

James T. Buchsbaum

Lindsey H. Cope*

Emily K. Burge

Andrew F. Costello*

Emma L. Byrd

Mary K. Crowell*

Leah M. Calabro

Stephen D. De Simone II*

Alexandra J. Carlton

Katherine L. DePaolis*

Charles F. Blanchard

Roxanne N. Cassidy

John Diamandis

Wilderness M. Castillo Dobson

Nicholas Drews

Tiange Chen

Summer L. Flowers*

Eugene Chung

Ashley M. Graham*

Talia H. Citron

Nathan C. Hamill*

Caroline E. Cole

Lindsay P. Hannibal*

Meredith Condren

Alexis B. Hill*

Nicholas J. Contarino

Abigail M. Hollinger*

Olivia T. Creser

Lily T. Hsu*

Natalie P. Cristo

Emily B. Jenkins*

Alice N. Danelia

Andrew C. Khouri*

John S. Deberardinis

* indicates Order of the Coif

Sarah H. Krasner

Amanda H. Schwartz

MASTER OF LAWS WITH HIGHEST HONORS Gabriel W. Bush Christopher D. Carrier Georgia E. Exarchou Matthew L. Forst Erik T. Fuqua Eric D. Gray Robert T. Green Caroline H. Greenfield Melissa L. Ken Bruce L. Mayeaux Lindsay I. McCarl Michael B. Merrell Jennie C. Patschull Matthew A. Pellegrine Corey L. Rotschafer Jayme C. Selinger Steven L. Spencer II Richard Thomas Michael R. Tregle Nicole A. Vele

Law School 2000 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20052