Law Graduates Urged to Become 'Founders and Framers' of Democracy
Civil rights leader Sherrilyn Ifill, JD, challenged University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law graduates to see themselves as "founders and framers" of the next iteration of American democracy during the school's hooding ceremony at the Hippodrome Theatre on May 23, 2025.
Dean Renée Hutchins Laurent congratulates a graduate as keynote speaker Sherrilyn Ifill looks on.
Speaking to 251 Juris Doctor candidates and dozens of Master of Laws and Master of Science in Law graduates, Ifill drew parallels between today's democratic challenges and the period following the Civil War, when the 14th Amendment helped reshape the nation.
"You are part of the generation of founders who will help us create the next stronger, healthier iteration of our democracy," said Ifill, the Vernon Jordan Distinguished Professor in Civil Rights at Howard University School of Law and founding director of the 14th Amendment Center for Law & Democracy.
Dean Renée Hutchins Laurent, JD, praised the graduating class while offering some memorable guidance about their next challenge.
"Now, I know many of you have heard me say, 'For the ten weeks following graduation cancel your plans and do nothing but live and breathe bar prep,'" Laurent said. "But I want to encourage you to take this weekend to not think about the bar. Instead, commit to reveling in this moment of celebration."
The dean highlighted graduates' achievements beyond the classroom, including their work representing clients in legal clinics, winning global competitions, and building lasting friendships while balancing family and work obligations.
Day Division President Halla McDermon, JD, drew inspiration from Thurgood Marshall's legacy, noting how the future Supreme Court Justice could not even apply to the University of Maryland School of Law due to his race.
"Because he didn't give up, I got to study—and sometimes fall apart—in that same library named after him," McDermon said. "His perseverance created a ripple effect that still reaches us today."
Ifill, who taught at Maryland Carey Law for 20 years from 1993 to 2013 before leading the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund for nine years, praised the character of Maryland law graduates.
"Maryland law graduates have a heart and a spirit of service," she said. "They serve on bar committees and civic organizations, on judicial selection committees, on boards of public institutions. Maryland law graduates are doing the work that keeps our profession afloat."
The keynote speaker, who was named one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2021, emphasized the importance of the oath new lawyers will take, urging them to let the words "go deep" as they pledge to "demean yourself honorably and fairly" and defend the Constitution.
"There can be no healthy democracy where the rule of law is threatened," Ifill said. "What we do, how we show up in the profession, whether we truly comport ourselves as officers of the courtmatters in ways fundamental to the maintenance and strength of democracy in this country."
While acknowledging the country faces a "moment of democratic crisis," Ifill encouraged graduates to view today’s challenges as an opportunity rather than a burden.
"We can only repair, we can only fix and replace damage that we can see," she said, comparing the current moment to the post-Civil War period of Reconstruction when lawmakers working to repair a “fractured nation” created the 14th Amendment's guarantees of birthright citizenship, due process, and equal protection.
McDermon concluded her remarks with a rallying cry that echoed Ifill's message, "The world needs us—our voices, our compassion, and our courage,” she said. “So let's move forward with boldness, perseverance, and the resilience that brought us here."
Ifill advised the new graduates to focus on their immediate challenges while remaining open to the calling of future service opportunities.
"You'll need to focus, get your land legs, learning and absorbing all you can," she said. "Don't worry, you'll know when it's time to serve. You don't have to look for it. It will find you. The only thing you'll have to do is say yes."
