2025 Commencement at UVA Law

2025 Commencement at UVA Law

GRACE CLEVELAND: Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the faculty of the University of Virginia School of Law.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

LESLIE KENDRICK: Good afternoon!

AUDIENCE: Good afternoon.

LESLIE KENDRICK: My warmest greetings to our honored guests, colleagues, family and friends, and most of all, our graduates of the Class of 2025.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

It is thrilling to see all of you here for this day of celebration. Let's please take a moment to thank the many, many people at the law school who have worked for weeks and months to make this day so special. Many of them are out here working today. The law school is full of wonderful people who support our students, from before orientation all the way through to this day. So thank you to all of you.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

And hello to you, Class of 2025. It's wonderful to see you here today, sitting in your caps and gowns. You are at the end of a long journey. You made it. But at the same time that this day is a milestone, it is also a gateway into a new phase in your life. Your degree is not only a qualification. It gives you a new role in our society. You are joining a noble and learned profession, one that will open many doors but also confers many obligations.

Henceforth, you will be counted on by your clients, the bench and bar, and the public to practice your craft with expert skill and utmost integrity. So we look both backward and forward today with a certain degree of solemnity, remembering all the work you have done and contemplating the weighty duties ahead. But let's not lose sight of the fact that most of all, this is a day to celebrate. And here's some of what we're celebrating.

We have 307 graduates receiving JD degrees today. We have 56 students receiving LLM degrees and two receiving SJD degrees today. We have a number of students receiving graduation awards later in the program. And we have 91 students being honored today for meeting our pro bono challenge, which means they logged at least 75 hours of pro bono work over three years for JD students or at least 25 hours of pro bono work for LLM students who are here for one year. We have 83 JDs and 8 LLMs who fulfilled this challenge. Congratulations to you!

[APPLAUSE]

Moreover, 251 of you participated in the pro bono program during your time at the law school. For a Class of 2025 total of 15,220 pro bono hours. That is incredible and something for all of us to celebrate.

[APPLAUSE]

Now, we're going to keep celebrating in just a few minutes, with a program that honors and focuses on you, the Class of 2025. We will hear words from your SBA president and your chosen guest speaker. We will recognize graduation award winners, and then we will applaud each and every one of you as you cross this stage.

But before all that, I'm going to ask you to do a couple of things. And they have to do with gratitude. I would argue that pretty much any time in this life that we're saying, hooray, hooray, hooray, we should also be saying, thank you, thank you, thank you. Because nothing truly important is achieved alone.

I don't how many of you graduates have read Law Review articles during your time here, but if you have, you'll be familiar with the convention known as the star footnote. For those of you who do not spend your time perusing back issues of the Virginia Law Review or the Yale Law Journal, the star footnote is an asterisk beside the author's name on the title page of an article. And it corresponds with an asterisk footnote at the bottom of the page.

I promise I'm going somewhere with this. Promise. The star footnote contains the author's acknowledgments. It's where the author thanks everyone who read rough drafts and gave feedback while the article was in process. It is where the author says, a lot of people helped me with this project. Thank you to all of you.

19 years ago, as I was getting ready to graduate from this law school, a three-year-old friend of mine and I had a thought. And that thought was that diplomas should really come with star footnotes. There should be an asterisk by our name on the diploma. And at the bottom, in tiny print, there should be a list of all the people who helped us get here.

Now, don't worry. I have not instituted star footnotes on diplomas, and I don't plan to. You would get a lot of questions when you hung those up on your wall at work. But we all know the degrees we receive are ours, but so many people helped us earn them.

So I have two requests. First, please take a moment to think of all the people who helped get you to this day who are not here with you today, whether because they could not make the trip or because they are no longer with us, family, mentors, teachers, friends. Let's take a moment of silence to give them thanks.

And here's my second request. Some of the people who belong in your star footnote are here today. Parents, grandparents, siblings, all family members, all friends, all loved ones, here you are. And we're going to take a moment to give you the applause you deserve. Thank you.

[APPLAUSE]

And now on with the celebration. It's now my pleasure to introduce the 2024/'25 president of our Student Bar Association, Laura-Louise Rice, who will introduce today's speaker. A native of Lexington, South Carolina, Laura-Louise attended the University of South Carolina Honors College and graduated with a degree in Medical Humanities and Public Policy.

As an undergraduate, she was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and won the Steven N. Swanger Undergraduate Leadership Award. Over the past three years, Laura-Louise has contributed to the life of the law school in countless ways. As SBA president, she represented the entire student body and worked tirelessly to make the law school the best possible experience for every student.

In addition to that huge responsibility, Laura-Louise was engaged in an astounding number of other activities. She was president of the first year council, president and historian of the Black Law Students Association, digital editor of the Virginia Journal of Law and Technology, a law school community fellow, a peer advisor, and a student worker in the law school's admissions office.

For her many contributions, Laura-Louise has been recognized as a Karsh-Dillard scholar, a Ritter scholar, a member of the Raven Society, and a recipient of the Gregory H. Swanson Award.

Her peers, who nominated Laura-Louise for these honors, captured her talents and character. One said, "Laura-Louise's leadership demonstrates her commitment to her classmates and communities. She spends countless hours behind the scenes advocating for and caring for her classmates, making sure they are aware of the opportunities available to them and helping them achieve their goals."

Another classmate said, "Laura-Louise is defined by her zest for justice, care for others, ethic of servant leadership, and abiding love for this school."

After graduation, Laura-Louise will clerk for the Honorable Judge DeAndrea Benjamin on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Laura-Louise, we've been enormously lucky to have you as SBA president this year, and I'm delighted to welcome you to the lectern.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

LAURA-LOUISE RICE: Thank you, Dean Kendrick, for such a kind introduction. Your leadership has been so impactful in just your first year, and it has been such a pleasure to work alongside you.

Good afternoon, esteemed faculty, family, friends, and to my classmates the indescribable, unforgettable Class of 2025. It is a deep privilege to stand here today as your Student Bar Association president and more importantly, as someone who knows firsthand just how much heart, hustle, and humanity lives in this class.

I want to start by saying something simple but true. I am proud of us. We did it. We made it. We made it through case briefs, outlines, cold calls, and the not-so-gentle awakening that the rule against perpetuities is, in fact, as confusing as everyone says it is.

We made it through clinics, journals, and late night study sessions. We lost sleep, gained perspective, and somewhere along the way, we ended up here today. But what I'll remember most about this journey is each other. Because in a profession often caricatured as cutthroat and competitive, we stand for something different. We've built a community, a community made up of individuals from diverse backgrounds and broader communities who have made us who we are.

I'm a proud public school graduate hailing from Lexington, South Carolina, standing on the shoulders of the grace and mercy of my Lord and Savior, the many who walked before me, and two extremely dedicated parents who have done absolutely everything in their power to be able to say, my daughter is a lawyer. Love you, mom and dad. Similar to me--

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Similar to me, each of you has an individual story and background where you've stood on the shoulders of people who came before you in your personal lives and your time here at UVA. We all stand on the shoulders of our professors who taught us to think critically about the law, on the shoulders of Mandy, Earl, Joann, and Victoria, who fed and caffeinated us for three years--

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

--and on the shoulders of our dear friends and family that supported us through the excitement of starting law school and to standing here now. Now, being a graduate of the number four law school in the country is no simple feat. Thank you. Applause, applause.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

We had to withstand a lot to get here. And our reward is seemingly big offices, big salaries, big names. And let's be honest, there's a lot of comfort in that. After everything we've put into this, we deserve security. We deserve pride. And if you're headed to one of those big offices, I celebrate you. You've put in the work, and you've earned it. But I want to offer a couple of questions. What happens if we chase prestige and forget our purpose? What happens if we climb but we lose sight of who we came here to fight for?

Because for many of us, coming to law school wasn't about becoming powerful. It was about becoming useful. We came to law school not just for the fancy titles but because we believed, naively, stubbornly, beautifully, that the law could be a tool to repair what's broken. That justice should not be a privilege for the wealthy but a right for all. That our voices might one day help someone else keep theirs.

And we all came here with different fights in mind. Some came here to fight for tenants facing eviction, for immigrants fighting to stay in this country, for people criminalized because of their poverty or the color of their skin, for survivors who still aren't believed, for families whose grief has no courtroom, for those who never had the luxury of seeing a lawyer who looked like them, believed in them, or fought for them, for communities that don't get to be in the room, unless someone brings them in.

And here's the truth. Those are the fights that don't come with fancy job titles. They won't always come with thanks. They won't always come with applause, but they come with purpose. The law, at its best, can be a bridge and at its worst, a barrier. And we didn't come to law school to just learn the law. We wanted to change it. Because every time you or I stand in between a person and injustice, we're doing more than just practicing law. We're doing the work.

So today, I want to name the work I've seen in the Class of 2025. I've seen brilliance that doesn't show up on a transcript. I've seen advocacy happen outside of the classroom. In clinics, in protest, in hallway pep talks, I've seen students push this institution to be better, more honest, more equitable. That's not prestige. That's purpose. And it matters.

We're graduating into a world where the law is not neutral and justice is not inevitable. And the truth is, there are people depending on what we choose to do next. So whether you're headed into big law, public service, a clerkship, or anything in between, ask yourself, will I remember why I started?

72% of you pledged to give back to the law school in years to come. And remember that community I mentioned we've built? I hope 100% of you continue to hold that community, your colleagues, and this institution accountable, alongside your giving.

Hold each other to the highest standard. Don't allow for your JD to just be a degree. Encourage one another to do more and to correct injustice in the world when you see it, not stand idly by and contribute to it.

And finally, I want to leave you with this. Now, in law school, we're constantly argued to-- or constantly asked to argue both sides. That's like exam 101. To pick apart logic, test assumptions, challenge precedent. You guys know where I'm going. But what I hope we never unlearn is our ability to lead with conviction, to the difference between what's legal and what's just, and to choose justice anyway.

We're not just graduates. We're advocates, architects of change, stewards of a system that desperately needs us. The world is watching, but more importantly, people are waiting, waiting for someone who will listen, someone who will care, someone who will fight. Someone who will use their power not just for themselves but in service of something greater.

So my wish for us is that we never lose the best parts of what we built here, our generosity, our camaraderie, our courage. Let us not just be good lawyers. Let us be good to each other. Let our legacy not be the titles we collect but the justice we create. Let us measure our success not by who we impress but by who we uplift.

Today, we celebrate, but tomorrow, we begin the work. We begin the work not to be remembered but to make justice undeniable. Y'all, I believe in us. I believe we are the generation that will not just practice the law but will transform it. Let's be the ones who show that our power was never about prestige. It was always about purpose. Congratulations, my friends. Let's go do the work.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

And now I have the distinct honor to introduce our commencement speaker today, Governor Andy Beshear, a distinguished member of UVA law's Class of 2003. Governor Beshear is a walking example of purpose and the values we hold dear at this institution, integrity, service, and a steadfast commitment to justice.

He currently serves as the 63rd governor of Kentucky and has led his state through significant challenges, including natural disasters and a global pandemic. His leadership has been marked by empathy, resilience, and a dedication to bipartisan cooperation.

In his own words, he emphasizes the importance of treating each other with respect and acting like adults, even amid disagreements. His commitment to public service and justice reflects the very principles that UVA Law strives to instill in its graduates. And as we celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2025, it's fitting to hear from an alumnus who has dedicated his career to making a positive impact on society. Please join me in welcoming Governor Andy Beshear.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

ANDY BESHEAR: Thank you.

[APPLAUSE]

ANDY BESHEAR: Well, good morning, and hello, UVA Law School.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

I want to thank Laura-Louise Rice for that amazing message and humbling introduction. I think about that message. And I was sitting there thinking, if you ever want to join an administration focused on doing justice, we can relocate you to the other Lexington, and I promise to pay you half what everyone else is making that's graduating today.

And then to Dean Leslie Kendrick, my fellow Kentuckian, and we share a lot in common. We're both from Kentucky. Our parents both met at the University of Kentucky. We both went here and are proud graduates of UVA Law School. She was the editor in chief of the UVA Law review, the same group that told me my services were not needed as a law student.

[LAUGHTER]

It's going to be OK. And you will never find me on one of those star footnotes. But to Dean Kendrick, the faculty, and the staff and oh my goodness, to the students because you all picked, thank you for the honor of inviting me here today. I think so much of this. I admit, I was a little intimidated.

I mean, you all are so talented, each of you. Brilliant just to get here and more brilliant leaving. Each of you are going to have these amazing careers. And I thought, what can I say to such an incredible group? And then I realized, I don't remember who spoke at my graduation, and I don't remember what they said. So the most important message that I can say is congratulations. Congratulations to the 2025 class of the University of Virginia School of Law.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Looking out today at this group of graduates, knowing how hard you've worked to make your dreams come true, it brings me joy and hope for the future, a future that you will help shape and guide. Take some time to cherish this moment. I think I was too quick on my graduation. I wanted to get that diploma, get out of town, and get out of debt. But just soak it in. Try to take one thing that you want to remember about this day, and you can carry it throughout your life.

Think about the times in relationships that you have made and deepened over the years, the classmates, the friends, maybe a frenemy or two, the professors, counselors, and administrators. You're going to carry these people from your time at UVA Law with you wherever you go.

One lesson that I hope everyone has learned and the dean already said it, is no one gets here on their own. That idea of being self-made is often descriptive of having a tougher road, but there is always someone that has put their hand out to help us along the way, to instill confidence in us, sometimes to provide the resources that get us here today.

So to all the parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, all the family and friends who have supported and stood by today's graduates, thank you. And let's give them another big round of applause thanking them.

[APPLAUSE]

Today is for celebrating not only the achievement of attaining this advanced degree but also the hard work that went into getting here, the sacrifice it takes to hit the books late at night your first year.

Today you, the UVA Law School graduates, you're not the leaders of tomorrow. You're now the leaders of right now. Look around you. You have accomplished so much. I've read about several of your accomplishments. We've got Kylie Mignat, a youth advocate who dedicated more than 700 hours of pro bono work on immigration and child advocacy. As UVA Law--

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

As UVA law's newest Equal Justice Works Fellow, she'll continue this work at the Amicus Center for Immigrant Rights. We've got Ashley Anumba.

AUDIENCE: Oh, yeah. He's got it right.

ANDY BESHEAR: There you go. I did? An Olympian.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

I'll admit, there were times on that softball field where I pretended, but congratulations, not just on that, but on this right here. We've got Anne Crumbley, Laura-Louise Rice, Jeff Stautberg, and Andrew White, this year's four Ritter scholars, who are nominated by you, along with the faculty, staff, and alumni.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

And to everybody else, I was not named in the graduation speech, what you've done is incredible. And I can't wait to see what you're going to do. I know that each of you here has special gifts. And as you set out on the next major chapter of your lives, I want to offer encouragement in these uncertain times.

Graduates, you're entering a field that has been roiled by current political and media, a climate to the point that institutions that were built up over decades and sometimes centuries are bending under the stress.

America needs you now more than ever. The nation needs not only your skills and your knowledge, but America needs you to marry your ambitions for a better life, with a sense of purpose, for building a better world. I believe the rule of law is the foundation of our nation's good fortunes. The promise of fair play, due process, equal protection, the promise and notion that no one, no one is above the law. These are the guarantees that--

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

These are the guarantees that bring not just freedom but also stability and prosperity. Like many of you, my desire to study the law was a reflection of my love for this country that has given me so much.

I wanted to study the law because the US Constitution in our system of jurisprudence have helped create not only the most powerful nation in the history of planet Earth but have also helped preserve the American dream. That each of us could build a better life. And as imperfect at times our course may seem, the rule of law and the protections it enshrines remains both a ballast and a North Star.

The rule of law and our nation as a whole, they aren't abstract concepts, and they're not guaranteed. Instead, they're a calling. America and the rule of law are alive with each generation. And each generation has a duty to answer that call and preserve them.

So what role will you play in these difficult times for the law profession and for the nation as a whole? That's a question that only you can answer. But what I want to suggest today is, however you pursue your life's work, regardless of the specific field that you find yourself in, your ability to succeed and have an impact on the world is directly related not to what but in finding your why. Finding your why is about moving beyond just what you think and getting to why you think it.

For me, my why starts with my faith. I believe in the golden rule that says we're supposed to love our neighbor as ourselves. And the parable of the Good Samaritan teaches that everyone is our neighbors, with no exceptions, not for political party, not for background, not for orientation. No asterisks whatsoever.

The other main part of my why is my family. I have two teenagers at home, so pray for me. Our oldest, Will, is somehow just a couple years away from college, but I can remember the day he was born like it was this morning.

Literally, everything about my life changed in the first moments of his life, with a rare kind of certainty. I knew I needed to change what I was doing. I looked at that child that I was going to be responsible for, and my question was, am I doing everything in my power to create a better world for him? That's where I help find that why. And then a year and three days later-- y'all don't do this-- my daughter, Lila, came into the world, and my why only intensified.

Faith and family are why I get up every day to face even the most difficult of odds. It's your why that gives you the purpose to run through a brick wall day after day after day, because you believe in what you're doing. And people can find it in so many different ways, from government to charitable work to the field that you're in. And you're going to have an opportunity over time to find your why.

For me, it's now about making Kentucky the best and strongest state it can be. It's why I'm working to build a new Kentucky home, where every Kentucky child can chase any dream that they have, and they can chase it right at home if they choose. And it's why I'm speaking out nationally, because I refuse to leave a broken country to my kids. They and you deserve better.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Now, some of y'all already know your why. I admit I didn't on this day. And others are still searching for it. Or maybe your why is evolving. Throughout your career, know that your intelligence and expertise, all of that in the world, won't bring a sense of purpose that inspires others and supercharges your endeavors if you don't know your why.

And when you find your why, share it. Share it with as many people as you can. Because talking about what motivates you gives the grace and the space for somebody to think a little different, to maybe even disagree with you on the most political of topics but still support you in what you're doing.

And when someone tells you about their why, you have to listen and not judge and try to understand. Because it makes a world of difference when you show people that you genuinely care about them, when you talk to them and not at them, if you show up over and over and show that you're focused on people's everyday lives and needs.

Understanding your why is about understanding yourself better. And it'll make you stronger. Because when you've taken the time to know what your convictions truly are, you can respect other people's that much more.

As governor, my why has guided me every day. It guided me in my re-election year in 2023, to veto the nastiest piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation that my state had ever seen.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

And when I did it, I talked about my why. My faith teaches me that all children are children of God. And I didn't want anybody picking on a vulnerable group of kids. If our General Assembly was going to show Kentucky kids hate, I wanted to show them love. And folks, there are some things worth losing over. Thank you.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

But sharing that authentic why, I also saw a difference. The next day in how people think about things. So the next day, I'm out opening a new factory, and a guy walking up in a baseball cap towards me and I thought, oh no, I know what's coming. And he put out his hand, and that was a good sign. And I shook it, and he said, Governor, I'm not sure I agree with what you did yesterday, but I know you did what you think is right. He patted me on the back, and he said, I still support you, and walked away.

That moment has convinced me more than ever. If we can get beyond just disagreeing on what and talk about our why, there is Grace. And there is space to heal a divided nation and to try to move forward together.

So as you enter this next chapter, I hope you take a moment to consider what might be your why. And I hope you look back on your time here with tremendous pride. You all are graduating an amazing law school. And thank you for making it even higher rated since I left.

It's a huge deal. Everybody else is going to say it a little better than this, but it's a huge deal. That diploma on the wall means a lot, but what you learned here and what you do with it will mean even more. We are all proud of you. And I know you got a lot of folks behind that you want to see and hug, and mainly you want to get that diploma today. So I hope you take the knowledge that you've gained here and you go forward in confidence in yourself.

So in closing, I want to encourage you to not just be brilliant in your reasoning but thoughtful in its application, to be not just bold in your arguments but compassionate in your actions. So find what guides you and follow that passion.

Every time I've taken a new job, I've cut my salary by 50% each and every time. And it's been worth it. It's been worth it every moment, to be able to try to get up every day and better the lives of the people around me. I find so much purpose in it. That even in this crazy world right now, I feel blessed to be in this job and to be here trying to do my best, not just for my state but for the nation that I love.

So remember, especially after yesterday morning, when a tornado came through Kentucky and has taken 18 lives, 18 children of God that are missed by their families, life is short. Our job is to do good things and to be kind to each other. If we can show each other compassion, love, generosity, and maybe even a little patience, we can make a better nation and a better world. Congratulations, and thanks for having me.

[APPLAUSE]

LESLIE KENDRICK: Thank you so much for those insightful words, Governor Beshear. And Laura-Louise, thank you for yours as well. Governor, you mentioned my parents, and they are absolutely freaking out that I am on a stage with the governor of Kentucky. So thank you for that.

But on a more serious note, we've been following the news from Kentucky, and we're very grateful to you for taking a few hours to come and speak with us in the midst of this disaster. I know you're going right back to keep working on recovery. And our thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected and the people of Kentucky. So thank you.

[APPLAUSE]

Now, one of the best parts of this ceremony is the opportunity to recognize some of you who have contributed so much to the law school and the community over the past three years. You will see on the back of your program the awards that have previously been conferred on the members of the Class of 2025. These graduates should be very proud of these accomplishments. And we're grateful for the many ways in which they enhanced our community. Let's give them around of applause.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

You will also see in your program a description of the awards that I will announce today. The recipients of these awards do not know in advance that they have received them. These awards are given based upon the recommendation of the faculty, and we are truly honored to have had these graduates as members of our community over the last three years.

If you're a recipient of an award that I announce, please stand to be recognized when I say your name. And afterward, Award Recipients, please pick up your awards at the Student Affairs Office after the ceremony.

The Virginia State Bar Family Book Award-- the Virginia State Bar Family Law Book Award was established by the family law-- whoo-- established by the family law section of the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. It is presented to the graduating student who has demonstrated the most promise and potential for the practice of family law. The 2025 recipient of the Family Law Award is Kylie Frances Mignat.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Stay standing, Kylie. Ms. Mignat is also the recipient of the Pro Bono Award, which is presented to the graduate who contributed the most to the law school's pro bono program. Congratulations!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Trial Advocacy Award is presented to a graduate who shows particular promise in the field of trial advocacy and intends to take the Virginia Bar. The 2025 recipient of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Trial Advocacy Award is Brianna Weinczak.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The Eppa Hunton IV Memorial Book Award was given by the associates of the law firm now known as Hunton Andrews Kurth in honor of the late Mr. Hunton, Class of 1927. The Eppa Hunton award is presented to a graduate who demonstrates unusual aptitude in litigation courses, and who shows a keen awareness and understanding of the lawyer's ethical and professional responsibility. The 2025 recipient of the Eppa Hunton Award is Jared Zurong Tay.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The John M. Olin Prize in Law and Economics is presented to a student who has produced outstanding written work in the field of law and economics. The 2025 recipient of the Olin Prize is Jacob Walter Cohen.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Mr. Cohen, I'm going to ask you to stay standing for a moment. Mr. Cohen receives the Olin Prize for his paper, Crystals and Mud in International Taxation: Why the Principal Purpose Tests Impact Will not Meet Expectations. But you met expectations so that-- Mr. Cohen also receives the Edwin S. Cohen Tax Prize, which was established by the late Professor Cohen and is presented to the graduate who has demonstrated superior scholarship in the tax field. Congratulations!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The Earl K. Showe Labor Relations Award was established by Mr. Showe, Class of 1934, and is presented to the graduate who shows the greatest promise in the field of Labor Relations. The 2025 recipient of the Showe Labor Relations Award is John Henry Vansant.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The Mortimer Caplin Public Service Award was established by Mr. Caplin, Class of 1940, who throughout his lifetime was associated with the law faculty and the law school. The Caplin award is presented to a graduate entering a career in the public service sector who demonstrates the qualities of leadership, integrity, and service to others. The 2025 recipient of the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Award is Matthew Burch Steelberg.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The Herbert Kramer/Herbert Bengal Community Service Award was established by the late Mr. Kramer, Class of 1952, and is presented to the graduate who has contributed the most to the community during his or her time in law school. The 2025 recipient of the community Service Award is Delaney E. Tubbs.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The Roger and Madeleine Traynor Prize was established by the late Chief Justice Traynor and his wife, and is presented to two graduates who have produced outstanding written work. The first winner of the 2025 Traynor Prize is Cameron Beach.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Ms. Beach receives this award for her paper, The Case for City Reparations. Congratulations!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Our second Traynor Prize winner is Mitchell Anthony Del Bianco.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Mr. Del Bianco receives this award for his paper, How Prohibition Rewrote the Fourth Amendment. Congratulations!

[APPLAUSE]

The LLM Graduation Award is presented by vote of the faculty to an outstanding member or members of the graduating LLM class. The 2025 recipient of the LLM Graduation Award is Vitor Guilherme da Silva Barbosa.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The Robert E. Goldstein Award for Distinction in the Classroom was established by Mr. Goldstein, Class of 1940, and is presented by vote of the faculty to the graduate who has contributed the most to classroom education by his or her outstanding recitation and discussion. The 2025 recipient of the Goldstein Award is Maya E. McCallum.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The Traci Grieshaber Zeller, Class of 1999, Memorial Award is presented to the students who finished with the highest academic record after the fifth and sixth semesters. This is a new award being given for the first time today.

Traci Zeller was a proud alumna of the law school and an enormously accomplished person whose career included federal clerkships, management consulting, a highly successful legal practice, and her own interior design company. She did all this and more while raising twin boys, Henry and Charlie, with her husband Michael.

Her untimely passing last year at age 50 led to the establishment of this award, which was spearheaded by Paul Hastings colleague, Brad Bondi, and received an outpouring of support from Paul Hastings colleagues, including Traci's classmate Jay Darden, as well as her clients friends, many members of the UVA Class of 1999, and of course, her husband Michael.

Michael and some of Traci's Paul Hastings colleagues are here with us today. I speak for all of us in extending our heartfelt condolences to Michael, Henry, and Charlie Zeller, and all of Traci's friends and family. It is our privilege to present this award in her honor. The 2025 recipient of the Traci Grieshaber Zeller '99 Memorial Award for five semesters is Kevin Hoang.

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Mr. Huang also receives the Z Society Edgar F. Shannon award, which was established by the Z Society to promote outstanding scholarship at the university. Congratulations, Kevin.

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The sixth semester Zeller Award will be announced over the summer after all the final grade calculations have been made.

The Thomas Marshall Miller Prize was established by Emily Miller Danton in honor of her father, and is presented by vote of the faculty to an outstanding and deserving member of the graduating class. The 2025 recipient of the Miller Prize is Bryce Maguire Campanelli.

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The James C. Slaughter Honor Award was established in honor of the late Mr. Slaughter, Class of 1951, and is presented by vote of the faculty to an outstanding member of the graduating class. The 2025 recipient of the slaughter award is Nathaniel J. Glass

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Finally, the Margaret G. Hyde Award was established by the late Forrest J. Hyde JR., Class of 1915, and is presented by a vote of the faculty to the graduate whose scholarship, character, personality, and activities in the affairs of the school and promise of achievement have entitled him or her to special recognition. The 2025 recipient of the Hyde Award is Courtney C. Douglas.

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And many congratulations. And another round of applause for all of our winners. Congratulations!

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And we will now prepare the stage for the presentation of our graduates.

GRACE CLEVELAND: As we prepare the stage, please note that there are professional photographers taking pictures of each graduate as they cross the stage. For everyone's safety, we ask audience members to please remain in your seats during this portion of our program. Thank you.

I will now call the roll of the graduates. The candidates for the degree of Juris Doctor. Aamer Aamer, Andrew W. Allard, Jordan S. Allen, Dana N. Almberg, Sarah Ann Lee Anderson, Chathurya Anuga, Ashley Ifeoma-Onyinye Anumba, Ryeen Arzani, Vincent Bai, Benjamin David Baldwin, Anna Ruth Baranco, Kathryn Danielle Barbella.

Caylea Rose Barone, Cameron Beach, Bradley Allen Bennett, Sean Blank, Mary Elizabeth Bloomer, Cheryl Marie Bond, Christian Taylor Borders, Ethan Wesley Brown, Jared Andrew Bucholtz, Matthew J. Bundschuh, Emma C. Callaghan, Brian Patrick Cameron, Bryce Maguire Campanelli, Philip A. Capers, Martina Cardova, Ryan Christopher Carp,

Kristen Anne Carpenter, John Sarkis Cary, Marie Kathleen Ceske, Asha Talia Chadha, Megan Chapelle, Gabriella Chellis, Zizhu Jasmine Chen, Chloe Holt Chiles, Stephen Cho, Eric J. Choi, Tara S. Chowdhury, Faith Angelina Chudkowski, Dallas R. Cire, Jacob Walter Cohen.

Garrett Joseph Coleman, Catherine Emma Colson, Sarah Elizabeth Combs, Rachel Christine Connelly, Isabel Grace Cook, Mary Bowman Cooper, Katherine Sabina Correia, Seth G. Coven, Chloe M. Creed, Anne Crumbley, Simeon Daferede, Mason Alexander Davenport, Mitchell Anthony Del Bianco, Nisha C. Desai, Cameron Christopher DiGiovanni.

Emily Rachel Dioguardo, Allison Areti Dodd, Courtney C. Douglas, Timothy J. Dragonette, Daniel Xavier Dunn, Cynthia Elizabeth Eapen, Yasmin N Ebrat, Nolan Edmondson, John S. Elias, Samuel Brodie Ellis, Lauren Emmerich, Ella Rose Endorf, Megan Elizabeth Fan.

Abigail Marin Farho, Abigail Rose Ferrell, Madeline Day Finn, Ryan Fisher, Rachel Anne Fitzgerald, Connor Fitzpatrick, Jake S. Flansburg, Megan Flatley, Matan Dovid Flax Siskind, Stephen T. Foss, Anthony Miqueas Freyre, Claudia Scott Frykberg, Austin David Fuller, Jacob Andrew Fulton, Austin Riley Gaines, Alejandra Ganoza Muniz, Alyssa Gao.

Kimberly Ismary Garcia, Avery N. Garrity, Sarah G. Gebrengus, Aviae Gibson, Molly Rose Gibson, Nathaniel J. Glass, McChesney Goodall IV, Allyson R. Grant, Jessica Ariele Gray, Marion Hall Gray III, Peter Grema, Jon Griffith, Laura Hinson Habib, Catherine Haddad.

Grace Amanda Hall, Madeline D. Hall. Amin Hamza, Duncan James Hardiman, Lucia Claire Lindenauer Harris, Julie Rebecca Harrison, Anna Eve Harvey, David R. Hatten, Catherine Grace Hauck, Kelvin C. Hawkins, Zachary Stephen Hayburn, Gamliel Hayerushalmi, Steven Matthew Hayes, Jampa Lhasawa, Fabrizio Herrera Alfaro.

Robert David Hicks, Kevin Hoang, Nicholas A. Hoffman, Shamus John Hogan, Trevor Allen Hoogendoorn, Jacint Horvath, Alana R. Horwitz, Alexandra Crispin Hough, Emma Grace Howard, An Huang, Christopher Jae Huh, Mary C. Iannarone, Sareen Ishanyan, David Kellyey Ivancovich, Noa Katherine Jett, Abigail L. Jones, Wesley Yewfong Jung, Nadeen Shukri Kattan, James Connor Katz.

Benjamin L. Keller, Julia Kelly, Junie Khang, Zoe M. Kiely, Frederick Charles Kieser III, Brandon Kim, Christina Kim, Caroline A. Kincaid, Olivia A. King, Jason Kraynak, Ann Patricia Kreuscher, Viviane Siqueira Krug, Mackenzie Kubik, Rohini Kurup, Akash Kurupassery, Stephen A. Kusick, Kristine Kwon.

Jackson grant. Breckenridge Lanning, Jake E. Lauback, Alyssa Lawrence, Griffin M. Leckie, James Hyunbok Lee, Jocelyn Lee, Benjamin Thomas Leonard, Sawyer Grant Linde, Jennifer L. Litchfield, Ashley Lo, Azalea Lopez, Kristina Danielle Lorch, Sophia Lorusso, Eric R. Ma, Henry Pryce Maguire, Gabriel R. Mahoney.

Shayon Malek, Aamina Mariam, Alyssa Mackenzie Marshall, Maximo Martinez, Maya E. McCollum, Shevani Mehta, Gregory Armen Mekenian, Samuel Christian Meyer, Kylie Frances Mignat, Rachel 'Atelaite Miller, George Matthew Molinsky, Cameron Lee Moody, Christina Marie Ndidi Onianwa Moore, Ryan Kuhn Moore.

Maxine Morgan, Caroline Anne Morris, AnnBurns Stokes Morrison, Tessa Anne Morrison, Luke J. Mottola, Elena Murray, Hannah Eliza Navon, Amelia F. Nell, Grace Catherine Nichols, Henry Jennings Nowland, Mary Katherine O'Boyle, Robert Ames O'Boyle, John Oliva, Eleanor Claire Ondeck, Reagan Nicole Osborn, Moksha S. Padmaraju.

Anthony John Palazzolo, Ishani Mihir Pandya, Julie Sohyun Park, Jack R. Parker, Nicholas A. Paruta, Elizabeth Patten, Tyler D. Pearce. Hannah Rose Perkins, Abigail Lane Pinkerton, Robert C. Podmore, Luke Walter Polson, Katherine Grace Poore, Jonathan Price, Kawit Promrat, Asher Quesenbery, Samuel Quinan.

Rohit Raguram, Rahul Ramesh, Danielle Marie Lee Ramsay, Irene Rauch, Virginia Anne Reames, David Scott Reed, Brent Alexander Rice, Laura-Louise Rice, Justin Donald Roberts, Frederick Danielle Robinson, Jarrett T. Rose, Jeremy Christopher Ross.

Mallorie Perry Ross, Alexa Rothborth, Nia Gisele Saunders, Leah Frances Schwartz, William Edward Schweller, David Andrew Searles, Madeleine Clare Sebastian, Milan M. Shah. Divya Sharma, Nicholas C. Sheets, Samuel R. Shelton, Min Ju Shin, Michael D. Shreiner, Luis A. Sierra-Garriga.

Charlotte E. Simon, Nimrita Kaur Singh, Shelby Singleton, Matthew L. Sistrunk, Rafael P. Skokanie, Jeffrey Q. Stautberg, Matthew Burch Steelberg, Lillie Jo Stephens, Micah Stewart, Tanner Reese Stewart, Mary Kathryn Strickland, Brad Subramaniam, Max Jichen Sun, Riddhi Suva.

Riley M. Swennes, Raquel Brigitte-Isabella Szomstein, Mahi Taban, Cyrus D. Tafti. Malia J. Takei, Abhaya Tatavarti, Jared Zurong Tay, Mary Grace Teske. Sorry, Barrett. Barrett R. Teague, Randy K. Thomas, Amita Milind Tilak, Benjamin David Togni, Elizabeth Reese Torstrick, Anthony V. Truisi, Delaney E. Tubbs. Matthew Turk.

Ugpmma Ugwu-Uche, Anthony L. Valdez, Amy B. Vanderveer, John Henry Vansant, Miles Daniel Varn, Cosette Cheyenne McGuire Vincent, Simeon Volkov. Brianna Weinczak, Quiyang Wang, Ziyuan Wang, Brett Clement Wells, Grace Caroline Wenstrom, Andrew Steven White. Carolyn Carson White. Lauren Lucia White, Victoria Paige White.

Jessica Nicole Williams, Nicholas Chadwick Williams, Charles Joseph Wittmann, Shelby Wolfe, Mia Wolosky, Gavin Hong-Yan Wang, Christian Colby Woodis, Toni Lynn Woods Maignan Jr., Nicholas Christopher Work, Matthew G. Wulf, Lingyu Xia, Zach Mulhollan Zamoff, Madison N. Zardiackas, Zachary Zelenak, Ruyan Zhang, Kyle Frederick Ziemnick.

And now the candidates for the degree of Masters of Laws. Amara Ozioma Amugo, Aline Antonio, Andrew R. Britt, Xifan Chen, Yuanrong Chen, Eduardo Tomas Damian Vega, Jan-Ulrich Georg Dittmer, Melissa A. Eisenberg, Boxuan Geng, Vitor Guilherme da Silva Barbosa, Kazunari Horiuchi, Jia Hu, Xuan Hu.

Toshihiro Iso, Xiaogi Jiang, Takuya Kinoshita, Yusuke Kobayashi, Tatjana Kuhlen, Taketsugu Kuramoto, Matheo Daniele Rene Le Goff, Jingjing Li, Qinglei Li, Ting Liang, Chieh Shan Lin, Tze-Yao Lin, Lingyun Lou, Hiroaki Masuo, Tomohide Mutsuda, Tomohiro Numahata.

Kentaro Okamoto, Reona Okazaki, Shota Otake, Mauricio Palmeiro, Kangzhe Peng, Rodrigo Fidel Robles Oteiza, Zara M. Scribner, Xiangxiang Shen, Ippei Shimizu, Hye Yoon Son, Katheryn C. Summers, Tianjie Sun, Tzu Chieh Sun, Mariko Takahashi, Yuki Takatomi, Atsushi Udagawa.

Josse Van Passel, Gustavo José Villaca Borin Gaviao Almeida, Fengyi Wang, Jianglin Wang. Jingxuan Wang, Xing Wei, Mengya Yang, Mengying Yang, Zhe Zhang.

And finally, the candidate for the degree of Doctor of Juridical Science, Charlotte Hana Montory Munoz.

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This concludes the roll of the graduates. Congratulations!

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LESLIE KENDRICK: One more time, congratulations to all the graduates.

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What an amazing thing? I know speak for everyone here when I say how incredibly proud we are of each and every one of you. We will miss you here at the law school, but we send you off on your career bursting with pride. And we're excited to see all you will accomplish. As you take this important step today, you will enter a world with many uncertainties, but I'm confident in your ability to navigate it.

Here, you have trained in the rigorous skill of legal analysis and the no less demanding skill of engaging others constructively and in good faith. You have honed your judgment while also cultivating your humanity. As a group, you came to us with 365 different backgrounds and perspectives and one shared commitment to the law. You came with a commitment to the law as something worth studying and something worth practicing.

You leave here with that same commitment. You leave here also with the benefit of all you have learned and all you have done as students, as externs, and summer associates and clinical students serving your first clients and as leaders and peers within a close community.

Your knowledge, experience, and commitments will serve you well. And I have no doubt that you will embody the very highest standards of our profession. As we send you off, please know that this is not goodbye. You will always have a home here, both at the law school and among your classmates.

At orientation this year, I remarked on how layered your relationships to each other are. You're each other's professional peers, intellectual partners and rivals, softball teammates and rivals, roommates, and friends.

As you go forward in life, you will have more boundaries separating the personal, civic, and professional parts of your lives. That might well be easier. When Robert Frost said, "Good fences make good neighbors," he may have had a point, but there's something unique about all that you are to each other while you're within these walls.

Do not lose the skills you made in forming a community here or the relationships you built. And know that we faculty and staff are part of your community too. We have seen you grow from novice to expert. We have seen your hard work and it's payoff. Some of us may have seen you at your most stressed or most discouraged. And all of us have seen you at your very best.

We send you off as proud as we can be, and we look forward to following your careers and welcoming you back as alumni and hearing all about your personal milestones. I look forward to being on the road for alumni events and seeing you in your place, where you are working and hearing about all you are doing. And in no time, future graduates, who will sit in these chairs after you, will look for you and look up to you when they follow you out into the world. Congratulations, Class of 2025.

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And I now invite you all inside for light refreshments. Congratulations again.

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