05.16.2025
Student Experience nlawproud Students
On Friday, May 16, 608 graduates from 36 places around the world joined faculty, family, and friends for the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law’s 2025 convocation ceremony at the Chicago Theatre.
Presiding over the ceremony, Dean Hari Osofsky welcomed the graduates to the Northwestern Pritzker Law alumni community. “We have a responsibility as a Law School and lawyers to support the rule of law, our legal system, and legal education,” she said. “We take that responsibility seriously at Northwestern Pritzker Law.”
Judge Michael Scudder (JD ’98), Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, delivered the keynote address. He joined the court in May 2018, following a confirmation vote of 90-0 in the Senate. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, counselor to the Deputy Attorney General on a national security team at the Department of Justice, and in the White House as counsel to President George W. Bush and General Counsel of the National Security Council. From 2009 until his confirmation to the court of appeals in 2018, Judge Scudder was a partner in the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where he practiced complex civil litigation and white-collar defense. While at the firm, Judge Scudder had an extensive pro bono caseload and was recognized for his pro bono work by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Since 2009, Judge Scudder has served as an adjunct professor at the Law School, where he teaches a course on Advanced Federal Jurisdiction.
“The biggest mistake you could make today is to celebrate your graduation as though it marks the end of your legal education,” said Scudder. “Celebrate, yes, but think of today as marking not only accomplishment, but also the beginning of a new commitment to lifelong learning. Hold on to [your] passion, curiosity, and engagement. Just as I hope you all remain life-long students of law, I hope just as dearly that you all remain committed to achieving a more perfect vision of what that law can become.”
In addition to Scudder, student speakers Moon Hwan Lee (LLM ‘25), Kana Turley (JD ’25), and Diane Ngyen (MSL ’25) addressed their fellow graduates. Dean Osofsky concluded the ceremony with the presentation of the Class of 2025. “As you take your next steps forward, we are all so proud of you and excited for you,” she said. “Congratulations again to our Class of 2025 and our loved ones.”
On Wednesday, May 14, the Law School hosted the Class of 2025 Awards Ceremony and Last Lecture. During the ceremony, faculty and student awards were presented. Wendy Muchman, Professor of Practice, delivered the last lecture of the school year. Members of the Graduation Committee presented the following teaching awards to:
Outstanding Adjunct Professor
Michael Y. Scudder, Adjunct Professor of Law
Outstanding First-Year Course Professor
Michael Barsa, Professor of Practice, Co-Director, Environmental Law Concentration
Outstanding Professor of a Small Class
Jason DeSanto, Senior Lecturer
Robert R. Wootton award for teaching Excellence in the LLM Tax Program
Genevieve Tokic, Senior Lecturer, Associate Director, Tax Program
MSL Outstanding Residential Professor
J. Scott McBride, Adjunct Professor
MSL Outstanding Online Professor
Sarah Lawsky, Professor of Law
Robert Childres Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence
Cliff Zimmerman, Professor of Practice
The student awards were presented to:
Courage Award
Asiyah Wasif
Global Legal Profession Award
Jingyi Lei
Leadership Award
Gunhee Park
Legal Profession Award
Taylor Semakula
Leigh B. Bienen Prize
Nicholas Elliot-Smith
Lowden-Wigmore Prizes
MSL Residential Student Award
Chinmeri S. Nwuba
MSL Online Student Award
Kristen A. Weivoda
Service Award
Moon Hwan Lee
Victor Rosenblum Award
Kaori Kawaguchi
Wigmore Key
Adrienne Margaret Redman
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