Historic Class of Incoming Law Students Welcomed at Orientation 2023

The newest class of Rutgers Law School students has the distinction of having the largest female enrollment in the law school’s history. Of the 400+ full-time and part-time students who began their law school journey last week, 59% of the class is comprised of women. 

New Rutgers Law Dean Johanna Bond is also a record breaker as the first person to singularly lead both campuses. Dean Bond welcomed the new students at Orientation opening sessions in Newark on August 15 then in Camden on August 16.

“Whatever your personal motivation is for coming to law school, don’t lose sight of that,” she remarked. “That is what will get you through on the tough days – and there will be some. Remember the ways that you hope to use your law degree, whether it is to help shape education policy, to represent corporations in merger discussions, or to help get someone off death row. On some level, the thing that unites us is the desire to use the law to have an impact on our world.”

The law school’s longstanding commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is evidenced in the statistics of the diverse incoming class. In Newark, the youngest 1L is 17 years old and the oldest 1L is over 60 years old. In addition:

• 48% identify as students of color
• 24% are first generation college graduates
• 77% are first generation law students
• 22 states and 22 countries are represented

“It was wonderful to get to meet many in the Rutgers Law community,” said Ash Barcus, incoming Minority Student Program (MSP) student in Newark. “This is truly an amazing class.”

Ash is a 2023 graduate of Rutgers-Newark, joining Rutgers Law as a powerful force for foster care reform and advocate for accessibility. A non-binary disabled former foster youth, they have a strong interest in civil rights law and hope to use their advocacy skills and law degree to ensure that existing legal protections are reasonable and enforced to protect marginalized groups.

In Camden, the 2023 incoming part-time students have the highest academic record and highest enrollment of students of color (33%) for its class in the law school’s history. Other statistics of the entire incoming class include:

• 25% identifying as LGBTQ
• 25% first generation college graduates
• 78% first generation law students
• 14 countries represented

Incoming MSP student Aminata Diallo was born in Mali and raised in the Bronx, New York City. Fluent in four languages, she made history at Susquehanna University by becoming the first Black person ever elected as Student Government Association President. The first-generation college and law school student is interested in the intersection of law and technology. She says she chose Rutgers Law because of the collegiality of this community.

“I'm most looking forward to learning from the brilliant faculty here and taking full advantage of the opportunities and resources available to students on both campuses,” she said. “I hope to gain all of the necessary skills to become a deeply analytical thinker and to use my lived experiences to advance the law.”

Aminata, Ash, and their new classmates participated in three days of information and introduction sessions, walking tours, and receptions as part of Orientation. All students took the New Jersey State Bar Association Lawyer’s Pledge. They also heard from upper-division law students, alumni, and deans in addition to participating in small, faculty-led group discussions on the book, “Evicted” by Professor Matthew Desmond.