Harvard Law School celebrates the Class of 2023

On Thursday, May 25, Harvard Law School conferred 735 Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Doctor of Juridical Science degrees on the Class of 2023. The festivities kicked off on Wednesday, May 24, as graduates celebrated Class Day, at which several faculty, staff, and students were honored for their achievements and contributions.

In remarks to the audience, Class Day speaker, actress and advocate Michelle Yeoh, shared three pieces of advice: stay loose, know your limits, and find your people. “Stay loose, be smart, and go with love… and then leap. And then leap again. And then leap again.”

Professor Crystal S. Yang ’13, who was recognized with the Albert M. Sacks-Paul A. Freund Award for Teaching Excellence, encouraged graduates to approach their new careers with kindness and tolerance. And Sama ElBannan, the winner of the Suzanne L. Richardson Staff Appreciation Award, urged the graduates to use what they’ve learned to build community.

Commencement Day opened with university-wide morning exercises in Tercentenary Theatre, which featured remarks from Harvard’s commencement speaker, actor Tom Hanks. In the afternoon, Harvard Law graduates returned to Holmes Field to receive their degrees from Harvard Law School Dean John F. Manning ’85.

In his Commencement address, Dean Manning praised the graduating students for stepping up to help others during a challenging time. “In the great tradition of Harvard lawyers,” he said, “you worked to achieve something larger than yourselves, to dedicate your time and skills and gifts and heart to making the world better.” He also encouraged departing graduates “to keep faith, even — or perhaps especially — when times are hard and uncertain, as they are today.”