From August 23 to August 29, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law was buzzing with excitement as students new and old arrived on campus to begin Orientation and the new academic year.  Fall semester is always special, but this year was particularly special because we were also returning to on-campus learning after 18-or-so months of virtual learning.

Orientation week was jam-packed full of events, classes, programs, and activities.  The MSL full-time class of 2022 kicked off their first day of orientation with a welcome from the Law School’s new dean — Hari Osofsky, and then participated in a variety of events including Professor Talks (short sessions where law faculty present their work on various topics), a school-wide lunch, and an introductory MSL session, where students and staff members introduced themselves, were welcomed by MSL alumni, and were treated to an inspirational talk from MSL alumnus Celeste Calhoun-Johnson (MSL ’16).

The MSL incoming part-time students kicked off their orientation program on Tuesday with a curriculum overview, and a get-to-know-you dinner with the returning part-time students.  All MSL students joined together on Tuesday for a substantiative session on sources of law and a community development session focusing on group communication led by Professors Lynn Cohn and Shermin Kruse.

The remainder of the week was filled with a variety of substantive, administrative, and social sessions, focused on getting acclimated to the building, learning about the MSL curriculum and selecting courses, reading and briefing cases, hearing from MSL alumni, being introduced to the MSL faculty, and socializing with the law school community – including a Movie Night in the Courtyard and a block party featuring famous foods of Chicago.

The weekend after Orientation week, many students participated in “Days of Service” – an opportunity to do public service work organized by the NLaw Public Interest Center and the SERV student group (Student Effort to Rejuvenate Volunteering); the available volunteer placements included the Chicago Food Depository, the Chicago Justice Project, Ladder up, and many more.

Orientation week was an exciting whirlwind of activity, and the MSL team is thrilled to have our Fall 2021 residential cohort students on campus, in the classroom, and ready to go!