“The last three years have convinced me that we have to make the rest of the world more like Berkeley. Because doing ‘Berkeley things’ means questioning whether what is should be.”
The Honorable Edward Chen '79
Keynote Speaker, United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Learn more about Judge Chen.
“I have had the opportunity to work with over 200 law clerks. And I can tell you that Berkeley Law students are consistently among the brightest, most committed, passionate, socially minded, and least self absorbed.”
Dean Erwin Chemerinsky
“Over and again we hear people say that someone should do something about an injustice. Now, with your law degrees, you are the ones who can do something.
You have the chance to make an enormous difference in people's lives in the world. Having that ability means you have a duty as lawyers to not squander it.”
Lexi Heller
J.D. Class Speaker
“The last three years have convinced me we have to make the rest of the world look more like Berkeley, not just in some abstract future, but soon, starting today—the day we officially leave law school behind and spread out across the legal profession.”
Christian Stefanov
LL.M. Class Speaker
“Our class showed resilience and made it to this day. If our journey on this LL.M. has shown us anything, it’s that we can expect our commencement to be special as well. Try not to miss it. I’ll see you all there.”
Professor Abbye Atkinson
Faculty Speaker
“Your accomplishment is no less than a testament to your particular resilience, grace, and courage. I hope that you feel particularly proud of yourself.”
Professor Saira Mohamed
Faculty Speaker
“Being a lawyer is an intellectual pursuit. But it’s also a humanistic pursuit, one that involves love and hurt and heart.”
Professor William Fernholz '93
Faculty Speaker
“The value of a Berkeley Law education isn’t limited to the classroom. It’s also about the community.”
Professor Avani Mehta Sood
Faculty Speaker
“There is a lot of uncertainty in the world out there as you graduate. But you have the drive, the brilliance, and the resilience to forge your path ahead as lawyers.”
Professor Laurent Mayali
Faculty Speaker
“In this critical time of necessary confinement, it is very heartening to find how superbly you resisted the temptation of intellectual confinement.”
Professor Trish Hurley
Faculty Speaker
“Your class provided much of the leadership that led to changing the name of the law school to one we can all be proud of.”