2025 Award Winners
Each year Northwestern Pritzker Law awards a variety of student awards and prizes including writing prizes, academic grade-based prizes, and community awards. Congratulations to this year's recipients.
Student Graduation Awards
It is a beloved graduation tradition for the graduating class to nominate and vote on the winners of the annual Student Awards, which recognize students for a range of accomplishments.
Courage Award
Awarded to the student who has shown the greatest courage in surmounting obstacles to completing his or her education
Aasiyah Wasif
Global Legal Profession Award
Awarded to the LLM student who has most exemplified standards of professionalism and has made the greatest contribution to the global legal profession
Jingyi Lei
Leadership Award
Awarded to the student who has made the greatest contribution to leadership in the student community
Gunhee Park
Legal Profession Award
Awarded to the student who has made the greatest contribution to professional responsibility and to the practice of law
Taylor Wagner Semakula
MSL Residential Student Award
Awarded to the graduating residential student who, through their impact on the program and the world, best exemplifies the innovative spirit of the MSL Program.
Chinmeri S. Nwuba
MSL Online Student Award
Awarded to the to the graduating online student who, through their impact on the program and the world, best exemplifies the innovative spirit of the MSL Program.
Kristin A. Weivoda
Service Award
Awarded to the student who has shown the greatest dedication and commitment to public service and the practice of law
Moon Hwan Lee
Victor Rosenblum Award
Awarded to the LLM student who has done the most to uphold the traditions of the Law School
Kaori Kawaguchi
Wigmore Key
Awarded to the student who has done the most to uphold the traditions of the Law School
Adrienne Margaret Redman
(on behalf of all the members of the Class of 2025 Graduation Committee)
Academic Prizes
Northwestern Pritzker Entrepreneurship Prize
Awarded to a second- or third-year law student who most exemplifies Northwestern Pritzker Law’s spirit of innovation, entrepreneurial drive, and integrity
Aryana Swanson
Fall 2024TBA
Spring 2025John Paul Stevens Prize for Academic Excellence
Awarded annually to the law student who graduates with the highest GPA in their class
TBA
The David S. Ruder Prize
Awarded to a student who intends to work in the public interest post-graduation, or after a judicial clerkship, and has logged the highest number of public service hours at the finish of their 2L year
TBA
Raoul Berger Prize
Awarded annually to the law student who submits the best paper in the Senior Research Program
TBA
for their paper "TBA"Barnet & Scott Hodes Prize
Awarded to a law student who writes the best paper on an aspect of the law of local government
TBA
for their paper "TBA"Leigh B. Bienen Prize
Awarded to the student who has written the best note or comment that has been selected for publication in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology
TBA
for their paper "TBA"Charles Cheney Hyde Prize
Awarded biennially to the law student who writes the best paper related to public international law
TBA
for their paper "TBA"Kirkland & Ellis Scholars
The Kirkland & Ellis Scholars program was established in 2012 through the generosity of alumni and friends at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. The annual awards recognize the excellence of the top student in each section of the first-year substantive required classes. The program also extends to the highest achieving 2Ls in certain upper-level courses, including M&A, Securities, Private Equity, and Non-ITA Evidence.
Fall 2024
Julia Carroll (JD ’27)
Civil ProcedureNatalie Guarino (JD ’27)
Civil ProcedureNuo Chen (JD ’27)
Civil ProcedureHao Wang (JD ’27)
Civil ProcedureMaria Duque (JD ’27)
ContractsJosh Kim (JD ’27)
ContractsMackhai Nguyen (JD ’27)
ContractsValerie Bastea (JD ’27)
ContractsEmerald Egwim (JD-MBA ’27)
Criminal LawTessa Harmon (JD ’27)
Criminal LawIan de Wet (JD ’27)
Criminal LawNathan Petty (JD '27)
PropertyOlympia Kim (JD ’27)
PropertyParker McKay (JD ’27)
TortsDaniel Whitehouse (JD ’27)
TortsYuko Nogawa (JD ’27)
Torts
Aidan Coffey (JD ’26)
EvidenceSamuel Lanzer (JD ’26)
EvidenceJacqueline Olson (JD ’26)
Mergers & AcquisitionsAlex Shusko (JD ’26)
Mergers & AcquisitionsLeigha Sommer (JD ’26)
Private EquityLevi Wyrick (JD ’26)
Securities RegulationSpring 2025
Forthcoming
Lowden-Wigmore Prizes
The Lowden-Wigmore Prizes were established by the Frank O. Lowden (Class of 1887) in honor of his relationship with Dean John Henry Wigmore. The prizes are awarded annually to members of the student body for their ability to marshal authority, present arguments effectively in written form, and speak lucidly and convincingly in public. These awards go to students for the best written contributions to each of the Law School's legal journals as well as the final round Moot Court participants.
Journal Prizes
Forthcoming