Kathleen Marie Kelly, Esquire
Ok, now WHY do we need these silly PhD hats just because the degree is called "juris doctor"??!?
It’s official. I can now participate in the main purpose of getting a JD: putting an “Esquire” after my name on EVERYTHING!**
I graduated from American University (see… you can tell by that hilariously large patch on the graduation regalia) on Sunday. At long, long last. I had this Indigo Girls song in my head all week for these lyrics:
I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my paper. And I was free.
There was a reception for graduates the night before. Not to brag, but I was most definitely and without a shadow of a doubt the best dressed girl at the party.
Outfits sponsored by Patty Ransom
Patty made me this amazing dress, purse and matching tie from fabric Neil risked his life to get in a shady market in Kenya. As you can see, all of that sacrifice paid off. Big time.
The fam flew in just in time for the party
Favorite part of the OAS reception: WCL cookies (and the ample dessert bar)
I am just rakin’ in the amazing graduation gifts & not to be outdone… Donna Kelly handmade me a quilt she designed herself to look like Mexican tiles.
Truly amazing custom quilt made just for me!
The crowd of people at the ceremony was huge. But, considering there were almost 500 graduates, the ceremony was mercifully short. It was nice, aside from their obvious poor choice of student speaker. My friend Miss Jill came to graduation and texted me throughout the entire student speech about how bad it was to make me feel better for not having been chosen. It wasn’t hard to come up with material since the speech started off with a quote from Kanye West…to quote my mother’s favorite saying, “I am NOT making that up!”
Nearly 500 JD & LLM students & all of their fan clubs
For some unknown reason (perhaps because I turned in my last grade at the last possible moment on Friday and I was waiting to hear to see if I would make “cum laude” or not… which I did!, yessssss), I got totally unnecessarily nervous before I walked up on stage. I just plowed through and didn’t even shake my favorite professor’s hand or look up at my family in the bleachers.
Me making a mad-dash off the stage
Luckily, I got to see them all afterwards and they didn’t even notice.
My Con Law Prof. Jamie Raskin
My parents reaping the rewards of paying for my LSAT prep class
It was nice to celebrate a little with friends and folks who were so supportive of me through the adventure that is law school.
My Clinic partner Mina & fellow NLG board members Elena & Ann.
One of the sweetest moments of graduation was seeing my clinic client afterwards. She came and stayed for the entire ceremony even though she speaks NO English & couldn’t understand a word of it. She brought gifts and got to meet my family.
My clinic client
Helping her get asylum was the most rewarding thing that I did in law school (tie with completing my film, actually).
Z meeting my mom
I thoroughly enjoyed law school and made the most of it, but I am so SO so glad to be done.
I’ve got my paper & now I’m free!
**Of course I will only actually use “esquire” when I am officially barred…and then, I’m going to use the heck out of it!
Themocracy
I am so, so proud of you! And proud to even know you, let alone be *related* to you! (Despite my failure to get dates straight & mistaken belief that it was happening NEXT weekend. Card forthcoming.) The world is already a better place.
P.S. Kanye. Really now.
P.P.S. Thank you for quoting the Indigo Girls correctly and not being “prostate” to the higher mind. Yes, I’ve seen it put exactly that way.
Congrats! We are very excited for you, although I will have to actually have to “get” things at law school though my own merits now.
Awful hats, AMAZING quilt! Congrats Katie!
I think you got it wrong. “Esquire” should be honored to have “Kate Kelly” right BEFORE it.
CONGRATULATIONS KATE!! Fabulous work, and I’m sure Jill is completely right about their speech error.
Love your dress, and Madly love the quilt your mother made. She is so magnificent.
Congrats! Congrats! Contrats!
wonderful African fabric! So happy for you! You graduated!