Fordham Law School is proud to announce that Jessica Berman ’02, commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), will serve as the graduation speaker at Fordham Law School’s 117th diploma ceremony on Monday, May 20.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at Edwards Parade on Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus in the Bronx, where over 650 law students will receive their diplomas.
“A trailblazer in a traditionally male-dominated field, Jessica is a leading advocate for women in professional sports and an inspiration to women and law students everywhere,” said Dean Matthew Diller. “We are thrilled to welcome her as this year’s commencement speaker and are so excited that one of our most distinguished alumnae will be sending the class of 2024 out into the world.”
Berman completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, graduating with a degree in sports management and communications. At Fordham Law, Berman was editor-in-chief of the Fordham Sports Law Forum as well as associate editor of the Fordham Urban Law Journal.
As commissioner of the top U.S. professional women’s soccer league, Berman oversees all league operations, including working on behalf of and in partnership with players and NWSL clubs and strategizing new ways to increase the visibility of the league and support its growth. The NWSL represents 14 teams nationwide with two teams, including Boston, set to join in 2026 and has over 300 players.
Berman joined the NWSL in 2022 after more than two years at the National Lacrosse League, where she became the first woman to hold the title of deputy commissioner for a men’s professional sports league. Before that, she spent 13 years at the National Hockey League (NHL), where, as deputy NHL general counsel, she played a key role in hammering out a new collective bargaining agreement that helped end the 2012 lockout that halted play for almost half a season. Later, she was named vice president of community development, culture, and growth and executive director of the NHL Foundation, the league’s philanthropic arm.
Before working for the NHL, Berman was an associate in the labor and employment sector at the New York City law firm Proskauer Rose, where she focused on collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, mediations, and litigations. She also worked on pro bono cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault, and military matters.
Click here for more details about this year’s ceremony.
Read more about Berman in the Spring 2024 issue of the Fordham Lawyer.