Student Spotlights

Since 2001, a select group of Harvard Law School students have undertaken public service internships under the auspices of the Chayes International Public Service Fellowship, dedicated to the memory of HLS Professor Abram Chayes ’49. This past summer, 19 students traveled to 15 countries—the following are snapshots of several of their experiences.

Myanmar police officers used excessive force during a crackdown on protesters and arrested more than 100 individuals in Letpadan, Bago Region in March, according to a new report released today by Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic and Fortify Rights.

Harvard Law School’s Community Enterprise Project has published a first-of-its kind guidebook for immigrant entrepreneurs. The guidebook offers a comprehensive analysis of the many legal implications of immigrant entrepreneurship.

85 Harvard Law students participate each year in Harvard Defenders, a student practice organization in which they represent low-income clients in criminal show-cause hearings.

Jonathan Hiles '16 was 5 years old when Kareem Bellamy was arrested for murder. This past spring, Hiles helped Bellamy win a $2.75 million settlement from the state of New York for the 14 years he was wrongfully imprisoned.

As Harvard Law School welcomes new degree candidates in the J.D., LL.M. and S.J.D. programs, here is a sampling of images from the students' first days on campus.

A special reception was held at the White House on July 20 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. On hand to introduce President Barack Obama ’91 and Vice President Joe Biden was Harvard Law School graduate Haben Girma ’13, who is currently a Skadden Fellow at Disability Rights Advocates in Berkeley, Calif. Girma was the first deafblind student to graduate from HLS.

For the fourth consecutive year, a team of students from Harvard Law School, advised by HLS Professor and international trade expert Mark Wu, has made the final rounds of the ELSA Moot Court Competition, a simulated hearing of the WTO dispute settlement system organized annually by the European Law Students’ Association.

Mohammad Hamdy, an S.J.D. candidate at Harvard Law, was selected by the American Society of International Law (ASIL) as a 2015 Helton Fellow.

On Thursday May 28, 2015, the Harvard Law School Class of 2015 officially became HLS graduates. Here is a look at their day of celebration, filled with families, gavels, a former governor—and at least one kazoo.

Always a popular photo spot, the Harvard Law School sign (and sometimes bench) is even more popular at graduation. This time-lapse video, taken on May 28, condenses six hours of foot-traffic to and from Commencement ceremonies into two minutes.

In this video, first shown during HLS Commencement ceremonies on May 28, 2015,  students look back on their unique experiences and shared journey at Harvard Law School.

Harvard Law School’s 2015 Class Day ceremony featured speeches by Gabrielle Giffords, former U.S. Representative from Arizona, and her husband Mark Kelly, a Navy pilot and NASA astronaut, and Harvard Law School Professor Jon Hanson, winner of the 2015 Albert M. Sacks-Paul A. Freund Award for Teaching Excellence. A number of Harvard Law students from the Class of ’15 received special awards for their outstanding leadership, citizenship, compassion and dedication to their studies and the profession.

A number of Harvard Law students from the Class of ’15 received special awards this year during the 2015 Class Day ceremony on May 27. The students were recognized for their outstanding leadership, citizenship, compassion and dedication to their studies and the profession.

Four years ago, then-Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, was shot in the head and gravely wounded by a gunman in a mass shooting outside a Tucson supermarket. Most people who suffer such an injury don’t survive, as her husband, Mark Kelly, pointed out. But Giffords fought back. On Wednesday, taking the podium to a standing ovation at Class Day exercises for Harvard Law School, she urged the students to action.

This year, more than 750 students will receive degrees from Harvard Law School. Each brought unique experiences to law school and all have tailored their academic careers while at HLS to explore their individual interests. As they prepare to graduate, several members of the Harvard Law School Class of 2015 reflect on the interests they brought to law school and the experiences they will take from their time at Harvard Law.

This year’s Andrew L. Kaufman Pro Bono Service Award was presented to Chad Baker, honored for demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to improving and delivering high quality volunteer legal services to disadvantaged communities. Baker contributed over 2000 pro bono hours working with the Tenant Advocacy Project, the Prison Legal Assistance Project, and the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau.

Christopher Melendez ’15 received the Outstanding Clinical Student Award from the Clinical Legal Education Association. The award is presented annually to one student from each law school in recognition of outstanding clinical coursework and contributions to the clinical community.

Harvard Law School’s Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs has recognized graduating students Seth Hoedl ’15 and Seth Packrone ’15 for exemplifying putting theory into practice through clinical work.

Harvard Law School's 2015 Commencement ceremonies began with the Class Day program on Wednesday, May 27 and continued into the afternoon of May 28. This year’s Class Day speakers, chosen by the Class of 2015, were Gabrielle Giffords, former U.S. Representative from Arizona, and her husband Mark Kelly, a Navy pilot and NASA astronaut. HLS alum Deval Patrick '82, former governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, delivered remarks on Thursday afternoon at Harvard University’s 364th Commencement.