It was a jubilant day in Seattle University's Campion Ballroom in late December, as Seattle U Law students walked across the stage to receive their JD, LLM, and MLS degrees, including 25 members of the first graduating class of the hybrid-online Flex JD Program.
Forty-three December candidates, 35 of whom are in the Flex Program, are expected to receive a JD, four are expected to receive an MLS degree, and 10 are expected to receive an LLM degree. August graduates, who may also walk in December Commencement, included five JD grads, eight MLS grads, and one LLM grad. Degrees for December graduates are considered final once grades are posted in January.
Launched in 2021, the Flex JD Program offers a hybrid-online structure, in which most coursework is completed virtually. It is designed for students who cannot attend traditional full-time JD programs because they must work, have family commitments, or live far from a law school in another city or state. Most students complete the program in 3.5 years.
Campion Ballroom, bright with poinsettias and other festive décor, was standing-room-only as relatives and friends turned out to watch their loved ones graduate, before celebrating at a reception in Sullivan Hall.
Dean Anthony E. Varona offered the new lawyers congratulations and valuable words of wisdom as they enter the profession.
“Treat the janitor and mail person with the same with the same respect and dignity you show the Supreme Court,” he said. “Exercise compassion and equanimity. Embrace the small and big victories. Fail quickly and move on to more success.”
Class speaker Cayla Cossano '24, a Flex JD grad, spoke about her upbringing in a neighborhood full of her relatives and her desire to use her legal career to create that sense of community for others who may not be as blessed.
“Community is something you create, not something you’re born into,” she said. “That lesson is what drew me to the law.”
Cossano highlighted some of her Flex JD peers and the obstacles they have had to overcome to study law, including a student who immigrated to the U.S. as a child, an Iraq War veteran and law enforcement officer who attended class after working with a bomb squad all night, and multiple new parents. While everyone’s stories and backgrounds are different, Cossano said, they all share one common trait — resilience.
"If you only remember one thing I say, it's that right here, right now, you are completely surrounded by people who believe that you're good enough," she said. "We have put in the work, we are capable, and we are worthy."
Jeffrey Frank ’86, a shareholder at Buchalter in Seattle, delivered the alumni keynote, in which he encouraged the graduates to always seek out pro bono opportunities.
“Treat your law license with honor and care, give back to your community, and express gratitude to those you love,” he advised.
A video of the ceremony and an album of photos from the ceremony and reception can be viewed online.