Media Advisory: U.S. Congresswoman Katie Porter to Deliver Commencement Address at UCI Law
IRVINE, Calif. (April 8, 2021) — U.S. Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA 45th) will deliver the commencement address for the University of California, Irvine School of Law (UCI Law) on Saturday, May 8th. The ceremony will be virtual. Other featured speakers include UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI Law Dean L. Song Richardson, Faculty speaker Swethaa Ballakrishnen, and student speakers Claire Anderson (LL.M. ’21), Jamison Whiting (J.D. ’21), and Youjia Xie (Graduate Tax Program ’21).
WHAT: UCI Law will celebrate its 10th commencement, in which 241 students are expected to participate – its largest graduating class ever. The outstanding students in UCI Law’s Class of 2021 personify the Law School’s commitment to public service:
- More than 90 percent of the Class of 2021 participated in pro bono work, collectively completing more than 20,000 pro bono hours (thousands more than any other class).
- Approximately 35 percent (72 students) will be graduating with Pro Bono Honors — and 46 of those students will be graduating with Pro Bono High Honors.
WHO: The commencement speaker, Congresswoman Katie Porter, was sworn in as a United States Congresswoman in 2019 and represents the 45th Congressional District in Orange County, California. The Congresswoman is currently serving her second term in Congress, and is also an important member of the UCI Law faculty; she is currently on leave while she serves in Congress.
Rep. Porter joined the faculty of UCI Law in 2011, and taught courses on business law, consumer law, bankruptcy, and secured transactions. In 2012, she was appointed by then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris to be an independent monitor of banks in a nationwide $25 billion mortgage settlement, and launched the UCI Law Consumer Protection Clinic to assist with the monitor’s work. Rep. Porter earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Yale University.
Congresswoman Porter serves as a member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee, where she also chairs the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
Rep. Porter has developed a reputation for her use of visual aids—especially her whiteboard—during Congressional hearings. For more about Congresswoman Porter, please click here.
WHEN: UCI Law Commencement is Saturday, May 8, 2021, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
MEDIA CONTACT: Media wishing to view the Commencement video should email their contact details to Mojgan Sherkat, Media Relation Specialist at UCI Law, at msherkat@law.uci.edu.
About the University of California, Irvine School of Law
The University of California, Irvine School of Law is a visionary law school that provides an innovative and comprehensive curriculum, prioritizes public service, and demonstrates a commitment to diversity within the legal profession. UCI Law students have completed more than 110,000 hours of pro bono work in the past decade. Forty-six percent of UCI Law’s graduates are students of color. At UCI Law, we are driven to improve our local, national, and global communities by grappling with important issues as scholars, as practitioners, and as teachers who are preparing the next generation of leaders. The collaborative and interdisciplinary community at UCI Law includes extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, dedicated staff, engaged alumni, and enthusiastic supporters. More information on UCI Law is available here. Please follow us on Twitter @ucilaw and on Facebook @UCIrvineLaw.