April 2022
Alumni Volunteers needed!
Ceremonies to mark the conclusion of our graduates’ time in law school will begin with the David A. Clarke School of Law Hooding Ceremony on Friday, May 13 at 2:00 p.m. and will conclude with the conferral of degrees by President Mason at the University Commencement on Saturday, May 14 at 10:00 a.m.

Alumni volunteers are needed to assist with the Hooding Ceremony which will be held in the Theater of the Arts at the University of the District of Columbia Van Ness Campus.

To volunteer for the Hooding Ceremony, please complete the signup form.

Admitted Student Day Dinner Reception is Wednesday, June 8, 2022, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (up to 10 alumni). This event will be in-person. Alumni volunteers will participate in a meet and greet and will be among the first to give admitted students a warm Firebird welcome.

To volunteer for the Admitted Student reception, email [email protected]
Catching Up with Karen Newton Cole '87
Watch this clip from the upcoming full-length interview featuring 3L Pearl Mansu and Karen Newton Cole '87
Karen Newton Cole '87 and 3L Pearl Mansu chatted about law school, pro bono work and running for the D.C. Bar Board of Governors. Full episode coming soon.
We did it! $10,020 raised for the 50 for 50 pledge!
$10,020 raised. Special thanks to Cornelius Pope '22 whose gift helped us cross the finish line.

If you haven't taken the 50 for 50 pledge yet, you can do it now at supportudclaw.com.
ALUMNI NEWS
Celebrating the life of Joyce Batipps '96
The celebration of life for Joyce Batipps '96 has been scheduled for May 7 at 1:00 p.m. at Lowell School (1640 Kalmia Road NW). The service will be outdoors and tented.

Campus and street parking are available.

Gayle Peterson '96 said, "We want as many of Joyce's former classmates and colleagues to attend her celebration of life as possible. We consider this to not only be a celebration of Joyce's life but also a thank you to Joyce for her many years of service to the UDC Law community."
Casby Harrison III '82 leads Rhode Island Black Business Association
Casby Harrison III ’82 was recently elected chair of the Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA) board of directors. 

SCHOOL NEWS
Youth Justice Clinic (YJC) participants continue commitments to youth rights through publication and public education
In February, 3L Tierra Copeland participated in the D.C. Justice Lab’s Safety Summit 2022: Prevention over Punishment. This Black-led policy forum and safety summit called for a range of evidence-based, community-responsive policy changes that also reduce violence in the D.C. area. 

Legislation and Civil Rights Clinic and DV LEAP urge United Nations to recognize gender-based violence in climate change policy
3L Sarah Buskirk and DV LEAF Interim Executive Director Sasha Drobnick responded to a call by the United Nations for input for a report on climate change and violence against women and girls, which U.N. Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem will present in September during the U.N. General Assembly.

Three UDC Law students chosen for Fellowship from LexisNexis African Ancestry Network and LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation
3L Nija Bastfield and 2Ls Alexus McNeal and Songo Wawa have been chosen as fellows by LexisNexis African Ancestry Network (AAN) and LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation (LNROLF) for 2022. 

Prof. Marcy Karin profiled in American University Magazine for her work in menstrual equity
Prof. Marcy Karin and Holly Seibold, Executive Director of Bringing Resources to Aid Women's Shelters (BRAWS), were classmates at AU and now work together to fight period poverty.

Prof. Mae Quinn quoted in Chicago Tribune, Teen Vogue, ProPublica

Prof. Mae Quinn offered perspective in an article about students receiving tickets for violating municipal ordinances at school.

Student Bar Association establishes Jean Camper Cahn Scholarship Award
At this year's Barristers’ Ball, the SBA awarded two $1,000 scholarships in honor of Jean Camper Cahn, one for a UDC undergraduate student planning to attend UDC Law in the fall and the second to a current UDC Law student. 

2L Alexus McNeal received the inaugural law school scholarship.
UDC Law faculty and staff recognized during Women's History Month
Law students and undergraduates identified women who educate, inspire, advance and advocate in the March issue of UDC Forward. Among them were Dean Renée Hutchins, Prof. Saleema Snow '97, Prof. Tianna Gibbs and UDC Law communications team member Erin Looney.

National Association of Women Lawyers
Help plan the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) 18th General Counsel Institute by joining the GCI18 Host Committee. GCI18 will take place Thursday, November 10 through Friday, November 11, 2022, in New York City. It's the first in-person GCI conference since 2019.
 
Host committee members plan the conference and use their networks to ensure the event is a hit. Host committees are a great way to meet other NAWL members and help shape NAWL events.
 
Interested in joining the GCI18 Host Committee?

Contact NAWL Publications Manager, Isabell Retamoza, at [email protected]

Participation is limited to in-house attorneys.
UDC Law turns 50; celebrate our golden anniversary all through 2022
2022 marks 50 years of UDC Law. We’re celebrating all year with special events, programming and other opportunities to celebrate the pioneering legacy of UDC Law. Through these efforts, we’re rededicating ourselves to our mission of diversifying the legal profession and serving the residents of the District of Columbia.

Join us throughout the year as we commemorate key moments from our 50-year history and invite our extended community to share in our efforts to achieve our mission. We will highlight our integral role in the early days of clinical legal education and how our clinical program remains an innovative and powerful tool for serving D.C. residents who could not otherwise afford legal services. We’ll hear from some of the transformative voices that have shaped our history and those that will shape our future. We’ll honor figures with whom our story could not have been told, and we’ll tell the stories that will shape our next 50 years.

We invite you to celebrate alongside us by sharing your UDC Law memories on social media using #UDCLaw50.
COMING UP AT UDC LAW
UDC Law Hooding Ceremony
May 13, 2022
2:00 p.m.
UDC Theater of the Arts
UDC Commencement
May 14, 2022
10:00 a.m.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Barbara Tommey Scholarship Winner announced
May 14, 2022
More info coming
Save the Date!
Nov. 17, 2022
5th Annual UDC Law Gala
More info coming
UDC LAW HOODIES NOW AVAILABLE
If you, your organization or your company are hiring, we are happy to share with our alumni network. Please email [email protected].
4340 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-274-7400