IRVINE, Calif. (May 13, 2025) — The University of California, Irvine School of Law celebrated its 14th Commencement on Friday, May 9, at 2:00 p.m. at the UC Irvine Bren Events Center. The Honorable Roopali H. Desai, U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, delivered the keynote address.
Visit UC Irvine Law’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony event page for more information, including a link to watch the ceremony.
UC Irvine Law Dean and Chancellor’s Professor of Law Austen Parrish opened the ceremony, followed by remarks from UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman. Graduates representing each of the school’s academic programs — including Sarah Eufrosina Daclan Celino (Global LL.M.), Zachary Kraemer McDaniel (Graduate Tax LL.M.), and Andrew Nicholas Hallak (J.D./Ph.D.) — offered reflections on their time at UC Irvine Law. Their remarks were followed by Clinical Professor of Law Katharine Tinto, this year’s faculty speaker selected by the Class of 2025. Anne Marie Nicholson ’21, President of the Law Alumni Association Board, served as the ceremony’s Mace Marshal.
This year’s commencement celebrated 155 J.D., 30 Global LL.M., and 8 Graduate Tax LL.M. students. Degrees were conferred by Chancellor Gillman and Dean Parrish, followed by the formal presentation of candidates by Assistant Deans and Program Directors representing the J.D., LL.M., and Graduate Tax programs.
About the Keynote Speaker
The Honorable Roopali H. Desai was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2022. Before joining the bench, she was a partner at Coppersmith Brockelman, a Phoenix-based law firm where she specialized in complex civil litigation and election law. Prior to transitioning to the judiciary, Judge Desai served on numerous community boards, including as president of the board of directors for the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, Arizona’s only public interest law firm, from 2015 to 2017. In 2022, Judge Desai was named one of USA Today’s Women of the Year in a cohort that also included Vice President Kamala Harris and Melinda Gates. In addition to her judicial role, Judge Desai serves as a professor of practice at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. She holds a J.D., an M.P.H., and a B.A., all from the University of Arizona.
Honoring a Culture of Community and Service: 2025 Pro Bono and Student Life Awards
Leading up to commencement, UC Irvine Law honored outstanding students, faculty, staff, and student organizations at the 2025 Student Life and Pro Bono Awards. The celebration highlighted trailblazing student leaders, community builders, and standout student organizations. Faculty and staff were recognized for their teaching and support, and the Continuing Education of the Bar presented Excellence in Legal Research and Writing Awards to eight exceptional students. View a full list of this year’s honorees on the 2025 UC Irvine Law Leadership and Service Awards webpage.
The celebration also recognized students who demonstrated extraordinary dedication to pro bono service, a cornerstone of the school’s mission to blend legal education with service to society. Since its founding, UC Irvine Law students have collectively contributed more than 170,000 hours of pro bono service, the equivalent of 94 full-time public interest attorneys working for an entire year. Visit the 2025 Pro Bono Awards webpage for a full list of students who were recognized for their extraordinary commitment to public service.
This year’s graduates contributed nearly 11,000 hours of pro bono legal service, providing critical assistance to clients who could not otherwise afford representation. These efforts supported low-income families, survivors of violence, foster youth, unhoused individuals, LGBTQ+ communities, and low-wage workers.
Notably, 96 percent of the Class of 2025 participated in pro bono work, one of the highest participation rates in the law school’s history. Nearly one-quarter of the class graduated with formal recognition for their sustained commitment to public service.
Graduates who completed at least 120 hours of pro bono service during their time at UC Irvine Law were recognized with Pro Bono Honors at commencement, marked by gold cords worn over their academic regalia. In addition, 23 students who earned Pro Bono High Honors by completing 200 or more hours of volunteer legal service received gold stoles in recognition of their extraordinary contributions.
The celebration underscored UC Irvine Law’s deep institutional commitment to access to justice and reflected the Law School’s role as a national leader in experiential and public service learning. Learn more about UC Irvine Law’s acclaimed Michael G. Ermer Pro Bono Program.
About the University of California, Irvine School of Law
The University of California, Irvine School of Law is a visionary law school that provides an innovative and comprehensive curriculum, prioritizes public service, and demonstrates a commitment to equity within the legal profession. At UC Irvine Law, we are driven to improve our local, national, and global communities by grappling with important issues as scholars, as practitioners, and as teachers who are preparing the next generation of leaders. The collaborative and interdisciplinary community at UC Irvine Law includes extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, dedicated staff, engaged alumni, and enthusiastic supporters. Connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Threads, and sign up for our monthly newsletter for the latest news and events at UC Irvine School of Law.