2024 College of Law Commencement Set for May 18 at Majestic Theater

Scholars, future attorneys, public servants, parents, military members, pandemic survivors. There are many descriptions for the 102 individuals expected to receive their law degree from the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law in the Class of 2024. Ninety-six of them will cross the Commencement stage on Saturday, May 18, at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas. 

For their challenges and achievements, this is a milestone cohort of law students. They are the last graduating class to have started when the College of Law was in pandemic mode. The graduating evening students began in the fall of 2020, when we were mostly remote and in a time of uncertainty due to COVID. The graduating day students started in the fall of 2021, when we were still partially remote.

Four of our graduating students have already passed the Texas Bar Exam. Several became parents while in law school. Many served in the military, both on active duty and as reservists, while earning their law degree.

The Commencement keynote speaker is The Honorable Irma Carrillo Ramirez, Circuit Judge of the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Previously, Ramirez served for 20 years as a U.S. magistrate judge. In 2023, she received bipartisan support when confirmed as the first Latina to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Ramirez was born in Brownfield, TX., southwest of Lubbock near the New Mexico border. Her parents met while working in the West Texas cotton fields and always encouraged her to work hard in school so she could so something else.

Other accomplishments of the Class of 2024 include:

Nabutsingso “Mimi” Hoshut, won first place in The Paper Chase, a prestigious writing competition for Texas law school students. Hoshut also received the State Bar of Texas Award for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy.

The UNT Dallas College of Law Board of Advocates started the first UNT Dallas Law podcast, Per Se, with new episodes monthly, and laid the groundwork for that podcast to continue well into the future.

Several graduating students have been successful in national and international moot court and mock trial competitions.

• • Anna Claire Ham received the award for Second Best Oralist in the national Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition.
  • Five of our graduating students were selected to participate in the prestigious Oral Rounds of the Nuremberg International Moot Court Competition.

The Law Review Executive Board published 12 articles, four comments (written by students), and eight infographics this year. The Law Review circulates two student-led digital publications, On the Cusp and Accessible Law. This year, two board members secured prestigious federal judicial clerkships.

Our graduating students have volunteered 7687.67 hours of legal public service. Even at a modest estimated rate of $50 per hour that is an economic impact of over $380,000 in volunteer legal services provided by our graduates to our community.

The UNT Dallas College of Law will have 793  alumni following this commencement. Later this year, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the College of Law with a gala and a new book by Professor Cheryl Wattley documenting the past decade of growth, progress and achievement, always on the bedrock  foundation of public and community service.