Fordham Law School celebrated its 117th diploma ceremony on May 20, awarding degrees to 683 graduates at Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus.
The well-attended ceremony was held under sunny skies on the lawn in front of Keating Hall, where the air buzzed with excitement as thousands of friends and family members cheered the graduates as they walked across the stage in regalia to receive their diplomas.
Jessica Berman ’02, commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League, served as this year’s diploma ceremony speaker. She emphasized how Fordham Law School continues to “instill a sense of accountability and fairness” in its graduates, igniting in them a strong desire to do something meaningful and purposeful with the skills they have acquired and honed in law school.
“The world you’re entering is crying out for leaders who can embrace this complexity, visionaries who understand that two things can be true at the same time,” Berman said. “The world needs courageous thinkers like you who aren’t afraid to go deeper.”
On a bittersweet note, this year’s diploma ceremony was the last presided over by Dean Matthew Diller. Diller announced in June 2023 that he would be stepping down from the position at the end of the academic year after nine years of service and leadership to return to teaching as a member of the Fordham Law faculty.
In his final address as dean, Diller dispensed advice on the ways in which graduates can deploy the skills they have gained at Fordham Law to make a difference in people’s lives.
“Often, lawyers are depicted as warriors—fierce advocates who function as modern-day gladiators,” said Diller. “While gladiators for justice will always be important, in today’s polarized times we have a desperate need for lawyers who can work toward justice and excel in dimensions other than adversarial combat. We need lawyers who can build and create—establishing and improving institutions, bringing people together, seeking compromise, and bridging divides.”
Fordham University President Tania Tetlow bestowed the prestigious President’s Medal, Fordham’s highest honor, on Diller for his “unmatched dedication” to the Law School.
In a heartfelt message to his classmates, Josh Cockream ’24, this year’s Student Bar Association president, shared his belief that leading with one’s heart can “help illuminate the whole individual.”
“I know this message may come across as overly optimistic, perhaps even naive, but I know it’s possible. And how do I know? Because I see it in all of you, my classmates,” said Cockream to his fellow graduates. “With thoughtful, kind and empathetic lawyers like us, I believe this world can become a better place.”
After the speakers’ remarks, Professor Gemma Solimene announced the recipients of more than a dozen student awards recognizing the graduates’ academic achievements, public service, and competition victories.
The conferrals of three annual faculty awards were announced the morning of the diploma ceremony. They include the Teacher of the Year Award to Daniel Capra, Reed Professor of Law; the Dean’s Medal of Recognition to Professor James Kainen, Brendan Moore Chair in Advocacy; and the Adjunct Teacher of the Year Award to Visiting Professor Martha Chamallas.
Afrika Owes ’24—this year’s director of diversity for the Student Bar Association (SBA), who will be starting as a tax attorney after graduating—received the Eugene J. Keefe Award at the ceremony. Presented by the SBA, the award is presented to the person that has made the most important contribution to the Fordham community. Owes spoke to the graduating class’ agility and resilience amid a rapidly evolving legal landscape.
“In our time in law school not only did the world change, but the law changed. The practice changed. We changed,” she said. “As we embark on our careers, I ask that you hold on to that resilience. Hold on to the feeling of being new at something and the work needed to master it, since the journey is certain to be difficult along the way.”
Owes added, “Resilience is a necessity for anyone who wants to live a life of consequence, guided by the Fordham principles to be ‘in the service of others.’”
In her message to the graduates, Tetlow urged the Class of 2024 to find power in humility as the graduates embark on their careers.
“Right now I imagine most of you are drowning in humility, but I hope it’s a feeling you will keep for the rest of your career, that you will forever resist the temptations of swagger because the practice of law and, indeed, all of life is so much more interesting if you are curious [and]open to the possibility of being wrong,” Tetlow said. “So, every day as you make 100 small decisions, you will have more power than you imagine [by]how you treat your clients, how you fight your cause, and, more importantly, what causes you choose to fight.”