This year's JD class speaker was Tranae Felicien.
Tranae Felicien is a native of Castries, Saint Lucia, who was raised in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area of Texas. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in sociology. At Duke, she has served as president of the Black Law Students Association, executive editor for the Duke Law Journal, and a member of the Moot Court Board and the law school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. After graduation, she will work for WilmerHale in Washington, D.C.
This year's LLM class speaker was Arthur Adler.
Arthur Adler earned his law degree from Université Paris II Panthéon-Sorbonne. Before law school, he studied economics at University College London. At Duke, he worked on the Duke Law Afghan Asylum Project and served as a staff editor on the Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law. After graduation, Arthur is joining the New York office of a large corporate law firm.
Judge J. Michelle Childs MJS '16 gave this year's Convocation address.
Judge J. Michelle Childs MJS ’16 is a United States district judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, serving in that role since 2010. She has been nominated by President Joe Biden to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Childs is a graduate of the University of South Florida, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Management, and she earned a JD and a Master’s in Personnel and Employment Relations from the University of South Carolina. After graduation, Childs joined Nexsen Pruet as an associate in its Columbia, S.C., office, rising to become the first Black woman partner at any major firm in South Carolina. In 2000, South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges appointed Childs deputy director of the state Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. Two years later, the governor appointed her to the South Carolina Worker’s Compensation Commission. Childs’ judicial career began in 2006, when the South Carolina legislature elected her to serve as an at-large circuit court judge. She also served as needed as an acting state supreme court justice. In late 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Childs to the U.S. District Court; she received Senate confirmation by voice vote in August 2010. Childs is the president-elect of the Federal Judges Association. She is also a member of the American Law Institute, having served as an advisor to the Restatement (Third) of Employment Law, and sits on the Leadership Council of Duke Law School’s Bolch Judicial Institute. She received the Duke Law Alumni Association’s 2022 Charles S. Murphy Award for Achievement in Civic Service.
Justin Miller Award Winners
The Justin Miller Award winners are nominated by their peers as demonstrating the highest levels of citizenship, leadership, intellectual curiosity, and integrity during their time at Duke Law.
Public Interest and Public Service Law Certificate Graduation Ceremony
A separate graduation ceremony was held for the 24 students earned the Certificate in Public Interest and Public Service Law. The program is designed for students who are committed to a legal career in public service. They must complete at least 75 hours of public service, as well as fulfilling other requirements.
Duke Law Class of 2022 Slideshow
Student Profiles
We caught up with graduates – some of whom we profiled when they started at Duke Law – to ask about the lessons they learned and the memories they'll be taking with them.
How do you think your time at Duke prepared you for the next stage of your career?
I think my overall experience at Duke was transformative. Even though it is your best year in many senses, it does not mean that you are above the clouds all the time. There are severe difficulties along the way, but Duke community including students, professors, staff, and alumni are incredibly supportive, more than one from outside the U.S. could ever expect. Learning experiences, memorable times with your classmates, and overcoming your challenges help mature you and, hopefully, make you a better legal professional.
- Enes Sevencan LLM'22
What will you miss most about your time at Duke Law?
I will miss my friends at Duke Law. I came to Duke Law at the age of 35, after working as a scientist and becoming a mother to two daughters. Needless to say, I was nervous about starting school again with classmates who are more than 10 years younger than me. My classmates have welcomed me since day one. I will forever remember the time I spent with my friends discussing legal questions on our way home, preparing finals together in the library, and exploring different restaurants in Durham. Even during the pandemic, as I needed to stay in New York with my family, my friends kept in touch and continued to support me.
- Shu Boboila ’22
Of your classmates, whom do you admire most, and why?
Elyse Burns. She was recently featured on the "Today Show" for her self-started business, but I first knew her as a talented teammate leading us to a championship in the 2020 Twiggs-Beskind Mock Trial Tournament. I still keep a doodle Elyse made me on a sticky note during our final mock trial round. I'm convinced it will be worth millions someday.
- Sadie Kavalier '22
Of your classmates, whom do you admire most, and why?
The person who came to mind immediately is Leigh Davenport. She is an incredible scholar, mother, activist, and woman of color, who is unapologetic in the work that she does to make the world better. I admire her for her patience, her caring nature, and how much she genuinely wants to do good in the world. I knew that if I ever needed anything at all, I could reach out to her and she would be there for me in a pinch. Also, with us both being older members of the class, it was nice to joke about how much we loved being Millennials!
- Jennifer McGrew '22
Class of 2022 News Highlights
Macy '22 gains appreciation for strength of U.S. judicial system through work with Bolch Institute
Bleiweiss '22 analyzes how neuroenhancements affect the use of force calculus for LENS essay series
JD/LLM students sweep prize for best comparative law paper a second time
Who were your most influential mentors?
Too many mentors come to mind! I was lucky (and strategic) enough to take multiple classes with some of my incredible female 1L professors -- Professors Sarah Baker, Kathy Bradley, and Marin Levy -- all of whom played huge roles in my time at Duke, inside and outside of the classroom. I’m so grateful to have crossed paths with them early on, and look forward to staying in touch long past graduation.
- Emmy Wydman '22
Have your career interests changed since you started Duke Law?
I was a banking lawyer before I started my LLM, and Duke just affirmed time and again my decision to pivot to human rights, thanks to the professors and classmates I met along the way who cheered me on to keep doing what I’m doing. As I’ve been told by some great mentors here, going down the human rights path can be unsettling and at times isolating, but I’m ready for it all, knowing that I’m not alone in this fight.
- Maliha Abu-Nowar LLM’22
What will you miss most about your time at Duke Law?
The community! There is nowhere quite like Durham, NC. The sky is (mostly) a beautiful blue, the trees are a lush green, and there is always a small business nearby with great outdoor seating. Though everything closes at 9 p.m. (which can be very annoying at times), for a relaxed and chill evening to hang with friends, Durham is always the perfect aesthetic!
- Kaytlan Anderson JD/AM '22
Who were your most influential mentors at Duke Law?
My favorite professor is hands down Professor Rachel Brewster. She manages to make everything she teaches interesting, and she knows how to engage her students (even over Zoom). I also need to give a huge shout out to Hadley Dreibelbis ’21, Alex Cochran ’21, and Shareef Salfity ’21 for being amazing mentors and for giving me invaluable advice since I was a baby 1L.
- Edward Gonzalez '22
Class of 2022 News Highlights
Kayla Fries '22 inspired by 'mission-first' culture in national security work placements
Grady '22 happy to help state that holds "a large part of my heart" through externship
Harpaz SJD '22 wins research grant from Duke University Center for International and Global Studies