WashU Law welcomed our newest class of JD, MLS, LLM, and exchange students at the 2026 Convocation Ceremony, held on Thursday, August 20 in historic Graham Chapel.
Dean Lindquist opened the ceremony with a warm welcome and reflections on leadership, civility, and community.
“Lawyers act as the bulwarks of democracy, due process, and the rule of law,” Dean Lindquist told the audience. “We ensure that people are treated fairly and with respect. We are the keepers of civil society.”
Following Dean Lindquist’s remarks, the ceremony featured words from keynote speaker the Honorable Whitney Hermandorfer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Professor Danielle D’Onfro, Treiman Professor of Law and last year’s recipient of the David Becker Professor of the Year Award, and SBA President Jamison Straulin.
Convocation followed several days of orientation activities designed to introduce students to law school, their classmates, and the community.
As part of orientation, students took part in a Negotiation and Dispute Resolution class, providing students the opportunity to meet and work with one another in small groups, and gain practical skills that are central to the study and practice of law.
WashU Law’s LLM and MLS students visited the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse in St. Louis with Juan Del Valle, director of international programs and lecturer in law. The visit offered students a firsthand look at the federal courthouse and the legal community in the city they will call home during their studies.
Students also had opportunities to connect with the broader WashU Law community throughout orientation. Over lunch, students met with alumni to hear about their law school experiences, career paths, and life after graduation. The Public Service Advisory Board invited students to spend Saturday giving back through service activities in the St. Louis community, and the Student Bar Association brought students together for a night at Busch Stadium to cheer on the St. Louis Cardinals as they faced the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Together, the week’s activities gave students opportunities to build connections, explore St. Louis, meet members of the WashU Law community and begin their legal education with a strong sense of belonging.
WashU Law looks forward to welcoming this new group of students as they begin the next chapter of their legal education.
