UMass Law News UMass Law News: UMass Law Class of 2026 graduates ready to Pursue Justice

Commencement ceremony honors 92 graduates prepared to lead through advocacy, service, and the law

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School of Law (UMass Law) celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 during its Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 22, honoring 92 graduates as they completed their legal education and prepared to begin the next chapter of their professional journeys.

The Class of 2026 represents 30 Massachusetts cities and towns, 19 states, and four countries. Nearly half of graduates are from outside Massachusetts, reflecting UMass Law's growing national reach and reputation for public service-focused legal education.

Graduates ranged in age from 23 to 63 years old, with more than one-quarter of the class identifying as students of color.

"The true measure of a public university is not who it excludes—it's how many lives it changes," said Chancellor Mark A. Fuller. "As the Commonwealth's only public law school, UMass Law opens doors for students who might otherwise never see a legal education as attainable."

"The world desperately needs thoughtful, courageous, and humane lawyers, not perfect ones. Keep choosing the next right thing—one decision, one act of courage, one moment of honesty, and one life at a time."

View the entire 2026 UMass Law Commencement Ceremony.

UMass Law Dean Sam Panarella urged graduates to let life surprise them, one right thing at a time. 

"The world desperately needs thoughtful, courageous, and humane lawyers, not perfect ones," said Dean Panarella. "Keep choosing the next right thing—one decision, one act of courage, one moment of honesty, and one life at a time."

Dean Panarella also announced awards for graduates, including the 2026 pro bono award recipient Adele Rouanet who conducted 412 hours of pro bono work. The 2026 Public Interest Law Fellow Leadership Award was given to Isabelle Lang, who performed 326 hours of public service work. Kaitlyn Girouard and Paul O'Brien III took home full-time and part-time academic achievement awards, respectively.

Student Commencement Speaker Paul Riley served as a Staff Editor for the UMass Law Review, represented the School in the ABA Client Counseling Competition, and was active in several student organizations, including the International Law Student Association, the Law Association Against Sexual Exploitation, the Legal Association of Women, and the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association. Riley also participated in UMass Law’s inaugural Attorney General Clinic in the Gaming Enforcement Division as a Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:03 Certified Student Practitioner, gaining hands-on experience in public service.

Reflecting on the experiences that united the graduating class and the responsibility that comes with a legal education, Riley said, "There is beauty in struggle. There is a unique nobility in striving toward that which is difficult. For nothing worthwhile in our lives will come easy. You are being called upon to right wrongs. You are being called upon to fix our broken world."

The Class of 2026 distinguished itself through a strong commitment to public service, academic achievement, and student leadership. When the full-time cohort entered UMass Law in 2023, it represented one of the most academically accomplished and diverse classes in the School's history. During their time at UMass Law, students expanded participation in clinics, public interest programs, internships, and student organizations while collectively contributing nearly 7,000 hours of pro bono legal service to communities across Massachusetts.

"Serving as your dean has been one of the great privileges of my life," said Dean Panarella, who will depart UMass Law following the conclusion of the academic year. "I leave extraordinarily hopeful for the future, precisely because of who you are."

Throughout their legal education, graduates experienced a period of continued growth and national recognition for UMass Law's commitment to access, affordability, and public service.

"You leave this institution better than you found it—through your scholarship, your compassion, and your willingness to advocate fiercely for the causes and communities you care about most deeply," said Chancellor Fuller.

UMass Dartmouth expects to confer over 1,800 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and law degrees. Of those students, the Class of 2026 represented 247 cities and towns in Massachusetts, 33 states, and 28 countries.