Student Profiles

  • Tatiana Sainati ’13
    Tatiana Sainati ’13

    Sainati once planned a career as an English professor. She is still aiming to enter academia, but now has her sights set on the legal academy, with a focus on human rights. The shift came somewhat gradually, she explains.

  • Ellie Marranzini
    5 Questions for Ellie Marranzini '13

    Marranzini chose Duke Law because she could tell that the faculty and administration supported student initiatives and endeavors - particularly in public interest law.

  • Chris Bryant '14
    Chris Bryant '14

    An accomplished musician, Bryant's love for music indirectly led him first to teaching and then to law. 

  • Sophia Carter '15
    5 Questions for Sophia Carter '15

    Carter chose Duke Law for its small size, strong alumni network and the breadth of international law offerings.

  • Kailun Li '13
    5 Questions for Kailun Li LLM '13

    Li chose Duke Law for the environmental law program, to study with people from around the world, and to fulfill his dream of protecting the rights and traditions of minorities.

  • Mariana Estevez
    5 Questions for Mariana Estevez '15

    Estevez knew she wanted to practice law internationally, and Duke Law's JD/LLM program was a great step in that direction.

  • Planning for the future: Katharina Riedl LLM '13

    Riedl talks about what brought her to Durham from Austria, and how the Duke Law LLM experience has enhanced her career options.

  • Alberto Gutierrez Pier LLM '13
    Life outside the classroom: Alberto Gutierrez Pier LLM '13

    Pier, originally from Mexico, discusses social life and extracurricular options in Durham and at Duke.

  • Mukami Wangai LLM '13
    Pursuing academic excellence: Mukami Wangai LLM '13

    Wangai, originally from Kenya, talks about what drew her to Durham from the United Kingdom, and her academic experience as an LLM student.

  • Soeren Skjerbek LLM '13
    A family-friendly experience: Soeren Skjerbek LLM '13

    Skjerbek talks about bringing his family from Denmark to Duke Law.

  • Autumn Hamit '14
    5 Questions for Autumn Hamit '14

    Autumn Hamit '14 chose Duke Law for the challenging courses and the intelligent and driven student body.

  • David Roche '13
    David Roche '13

    In a photograph taken during the 2012 USA Trail Racing Championship last August, David Roche’s head is down, he is running up a steep, twisted path, and his chest is covered in mud. “I fall a lot,” Roche laughs. “It’s what I’m known for.” He gets up a lot too. He won that race in August and is putting his toughness — and his love for the outdoors — to good use as an advocate for the environment.

  • Moza Al-Naemi
    5 Questions for Moza Al-Naemi LLM '13

    Al-Naemi was a member of the first team from the University of Qatar to compete in the Willem C. Vis Moot Court Competition in 2011.

  • Phil Aubart '13
    Phil Aubart ’13

    An army-intelligence-trained, Arabic-speaking, travel-loving 3L, Aubart brings a genuine passion for even-keeled discussion to his leadership of the Federalist Society at Duke Law. 

  • Eb Bernazard portrait
    Eb Bernazard LLMLE ‘13

    Bernazard talks about what brought him to Duke's LLMLE program.

  • Tony Wang JD ’14
    5 Questions for Tony Wang ’14

    Tony Wang ’14 is working on a joint degree with the Fuqua School of Business. The schools’ entrepreneurship programs drew him to Duke.

  • Zachary Kleiman '13
    5 Questions for Zachary Kleiman '13

    Zachary chose Duke Law for opportunities featured at the intersection of sports and the law. You could say he’s just a little passionate about the subject.

  • Larissa Boz '14
    5 Questions for Larissa Boz '14

    After many years in New York, Larissa headed south in search of better weather and better basketball. She currently serves as a Duke Bar Association 2L representative and a case investigation team member of the Innocence Project.

  • Noor Alfawzan LLM ’12
    Noor Alfawzan LLM ’12

    Leading the way for Saudi Arabian women in law.

  • Sarah Boyce '12
    Sarah Boyce '12

    After a two-year stint in Teach for America, Boyce decided that her contributions would be most effective in the arena of law and policy advocacy.

  • Gilbertson '12 is awarded two-year Appleseed fellowship

    Theresa Gilbertson ’12 has been awarded a two-year postgraduate fellowship with New Mexico Appleseed. The Albuquerque-based organization advocates for policy changes concerning hunger and education to benefit poor and underserved communities.

  • James Gillenwater '12
    James Gillenwater '12

    Ex rugby pro makes the sport—and sports-injury research—part of his Duke Law experience.

  • Glaucia Petcov LLM '12
    Glaucia Petcov LLM '12

    Corporate attorney turns her sights to international business.

  • Einat Levy '12
    Einat Levy LLM '12

    Former soldier and dancer makes the move to corporate law.

  • Joanna Darcus ’12
    Joanna Darcus '12

    Independence Foundation Fellowship will further work on economic justice issues.

  • Caitlin Swain ’12
    Caitlin Swain '12

    Skadden Fellowship will support Swain’s work on issues of educational equity for at-risk youth in North Carolina.

  • Solomon Njeru '12
    Solomon Njeru LLM '12

    Njeru says he will use his Duke Law education to continue improving human rights under Kenya’s new Constitution.

  • Haley Warden '13
    Haley Warden '13

    Warden focuses on civil rights, marriage equality.

  • Christina Mullen '14
    Christina Mullen '14
    -  Duke Black Law Students Association

    Summer Starter chose Duke Law for its JD/LLM program and renowned international faculty.

  • Isabelle Mercier-Dalphond LLM '12
    Isabelle Mercier-Dalphond LLM '12

    The perfect combination between sports and law

  • Jonathan Strauss, LLMLE '12
    Jonathan Strauss, LLMLE '12

    Jonathan talks about his reasons for pursuing the Duke Law LLMLE

  • Jessalee Landfried JD/MEM ’13
    Jessalee Landfried JD/MEM ’13

    Durham native already lauded for community-based environmental work.

  • Katie Ertmer ’13
    Katie Ertmer ’13

    City planner brings expertise in sustainability to law studies.

  • Daniel Leslie '11
    Daniel Leslie '11

    More than a Guy in a Wheelchair

  • Lesley Hamming '13
    Lesley Hamming '13

    Lesley Hamming’s nonprofit camp immerses young scientists in innovation, entrepreneurship.

  • Tom Crosby '11
    Tom Crosby '11

    Photos of Abu Ghraib inspired study of law and pursuit of becoming a military lawyer.

  • Nadia Prinz ’11
    Nadia Prinz ’11

    From teacher to aspiring prosecutor.

  • Andrea Hamilton '11
    Andrea Hamilton '11

    Student combines faith and legal service through work with new community organization.

  • Negar Amir-Haeri LLM '11
    Negar Amir-Haeri LLM ’11

    Having studied piano since childhood, Amir-Haeri was torn between continuing her musical career or pursuing a different discipline professionally. She chose to do both.

  • Rocio Perez '11
    Rocio Perez '11

    Involvement with Law School organizations reinforces Perez's belief in the value of community as well as advocacy.

  • Pate Skene '13
    Pate Skene '13

    1L and Duke University neuroscientist speculates he’s had “the longest unrequited love affair with the law” of any law student.

  • Bettina Roberts JD/LLM '10
    Bettina Roberts JD/LLM '10

    Roberts, a JD/LLM student, tells how her summer internship with the Geneva-based nonprofit International Bridges to Justice led her to India.

  • Laura Pisoni JD/MEM '11
    Laura Pisoni JD/MEM ’11

    Matching science to law in environmental law clinic.

  • Katherine Tsai ’10
    Katherine Tsai ’10

    Recent graduate finds satisfaction in advising educational nonprofit startups through Community Enterprise Clinic.

  • Slavik Gabinsky '10
    Slavik Gabinsky '10

    Outgoing president of the Duke Law Drama Society heads to Allen & Overy in London to practice transactional law.

  • Jonathan Knight '11
    Jonathan Knight '11

    Knight talks about the work he has done in Ghana to help improve the country's legal system and the people's daily lives.

  • de Vos Devine
    Katherine de Vos Devine JD/MA '10

    A dual-degree candidate for a master in art history, de Vos Devine talks about curating an exhibit of political caricature at Duke's Nasher Museum.

More Student Profiles