UMass Law reflects on a year of achievement, service, and impact in 2025
/filters:quality(90)/prod01/production-cdn-pxl/media/umassdartmouth/news/law/EnteringClassof2025.jpg)
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School of Law (UMass Law) celebrated a year of achievement, growth, and impact in 2025. From national recognition in public interest and practical training to major milestones in public service, our students and faculty continued advancing the school’s mission to pursue justice.
Through prestigious fellowships, community-centered service, and robust professional development, the Commonwealth’s only public law school continued its work to broaden access to the legal profession and deliver an exceptional legal education.
Celebrating the Class of 2025 at Commencement
UMass Law conferred 99 Juris Doctor degrees to its Class of 2025 in May, honoring Ashley Dahae Bonnette-Kim with the pro bono award and naming Haley McCurry as the Public Interest Law Fellow Leadership Award recipient. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Justice Serge Georges Jr. delivered UMass Law's commencement address — urging new lawyers to "see people, not just problems," and underscoring that "how you practice law will say more about you than any diploma ever could."
UMass Law students complete 250,000 public service and pro bono hours
UMass Law students surpassed a significant milestone this year, collectively contributing more than 250,000 hours of public service, clinical, pro bono, and field placement work since joining UMass Dartmouth 14 years ago.
"For our students, public service and pro bono work is not just a requirement—it's a calling," said UMass Law Dean Sam Panarella. "Through these 250,000 hours, they have made a tremendous difference in the lives of countless people, from tenants facing eviction to families navigating immigration challenges. Their dedication reflects the core values of our public institution."
Federal Circuit Court makes first visit to UMass Law for special sitting
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit visited UMass Law for the first time, holding a special off-site sitting in the Commonwealth's only pubic law school. UMass Law students had the rare opportunity to observe live appellate arguments and engage directly with members of one of the nation's most influential courts.
UMass Law students help uncover 200 racist deeds in North Shore registry
Three UMass Law 2L's — Patrick Wilson, Adyen Artica, and Nathan Gudas — helped uncover roughly 200 property deeds in the Southern Essex Registry of Deeds that contained racist or discriminatory covenants. Their summer-long internship contributed to a broader initiative to identify and remove "dirty deeds" across the North Shore, helping correct a long-standing injustice in property records.
Two UMass Law students named Gants Scholars
Paulina Aguilar Delgado '26 and Joseph Bukuras '27 were named recipients of the Chief Justice Gants Judicial Scholarship for the summer of 2025, marking the first time the school has had multiple recipients in a single year. Through placements at the Taunton Juvenile Court and the Framingham District Court, they gained meaningful experience advancing Chief Justice Gants’ legacy of access to justice and judicial innovation.
UMass Law student named 2025 Rappaport Fellow
Emily Philbrook '27 was selected as a 2025 Rappaport Fellow in Law and Public Policy, joining a prestigious cohort of graduate students committed to public service. As the 11th UMass Law student to earn this honor, Philbrook spent the summer working with Boston Public Schools, contributing to policy efforts that advance equity, opportunity, and effective governance across the Commonwealth.
National rankings recognize UMass Law for practical training and public interest outcomes
preLaw Magazine named UMass Law a Top Law School for Practical Training, reflecting the strength of its clinics, field placements, and experiential opportunities. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report ranked UMass Law 22nd in the nation for public interest law employment, highlighting the school’s success in placing graduates in mission-driven careers that serve the public good.
Faculty honored with prestigious awards
UMass Law faculty earned significant professional recognition this year for excellence in teaching, advocacy, and leadership. Associate Professor Margaret Drew received the Massachusetts Bar Association's Access to Justice Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades of work supporting survivors of domestic violence and training future public interest attorneys. Associate Dean Shaun Spencer was named a Massachusetts Lawyer of the Year by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly for his impactful legal advocacy in a 2024 landmark alimony case which the publication says secured a "win for women" in Massachusetts family law.
UMass Law welcomes new Executive Director of Justice Bridge
UMass Law appointed Kelli J. Proia, JD, as the new Executive Director of Justice Bridge, the law school’s legal incubator that supports recent graduates serving low- and moderate-income clients. Proia brings more than 30 years of legal experience, including extensive entrepreneurial and practice-management expertise.
Welcoming the entering class of 2025
UMass Law welcomed 142 incoming students to the entering class of 2025. Representing 13 countries and 27 states, this cohort marks one of the largest, most diverse, and most academically prepared entering classes in UMass Law's history. Thirty-seven percent of the class are first-generation college students, and 88% of the class are first-generation law school students.
"Spending time with this group of talented, motivated students has been inspiring," said Dean Panarella. "Each of them brings unique experiences and perspectives to our public law school, and I have no doubt they will support and challenge one another as they prepare to pursue justice in the legal profession."