For Elisabeth Snyder, attending UChicago Law holds a special personal significance: not only is her father a Law School alum, but she just graduated from the University this past June with a Bachelor of Arts. Synder, who hails from Falls Church, Virginia, was drawn to the Law School because of UChicago’s values of free expression and open discourse that she has grown to know and love as an undergraduate. Passionate about upholding these values, she is excited to dive into her legals studies to learn how to be a “principled advocate” for all, no matter their viewpoint. 

Tell us a bit about your background and professional path.

I grew up just a short 15-minute drive from Washington, DC, and started working in politics in high school. This spring, I graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA in Law, Letters, and Society and Public Policy, with experience working for political campaigns, on Capitol Hill, at SCOTUSblog, and at the ACLU’s national office.

What key experiences do you feel have shaped you?

My commitment to defending not only voices I agree with, but also those I oppose, was first tested as a high school student. When my public school denied conservative students’ requests to attend protests in DC, while approving requests from liberal students, I advocated for a new policy that would grant all students—no matter their politics—the same number of absences for civic engagement. My successful effort to establish the new policy crystallized the principle that has guided my work ever since: constitutional protections are meaningless if they are applied unequally. 

In the 2024 Price International Media Law Moot Court at Oxford, I was tasked with defending a fictional speaker convicted of incitement by her state. Whenever my competitors won the coin flip to choose whom to represent, they were quick to select the state. Some even apologized after the coin flip for forcing me to defend a speaker whose words were distasteful. Ultimately, in the final round of the competition, before a panel of judges and an audience of over 100 competitors and international law scholars, my co-counsel and I won the case. This experience strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in litigation, in putting aside personal views to provide principled advocacy.

What motivated your decision to go to law school?

My time working in politics revealed a troubling pattern: political actors routinely target speech that is either unpopular or politically expedient to suppress. This reality demands principled lawyers willing to hold the line. I hope that law school will provide me with the knowledge necessary to understand and challenge threats to civil liberties, especially First Amendment rights, and ultimately to preserve the democratic framework that allows all viewpoints to compete in the marketplace of ideas.

Why did you choose the University of Chicago Law School?

I chose the University of Chicago Law School because of the Law School’s commitment to rigorous and open discourse. In my four years as an undergraduate student at UChicago, the bedrock of free and open discourse allowed me to thoughtfully engage with different perspectives and ideas, in and beyond the classroom. I think that attending a law school which values these principles will make me a better lawyer and advocate.

What do you hope/plan to do with your legal education?

I hope to devote my career to defending civil liberties—especially freedom of speech and of the press—at a time when I believe these liberties face existential threats. The future of First Amendment rights depends on legal advocates who prioritize constitutional principles above political expedience in order to prevent the bedrock of functioning democratic debate from eroding with shifting political tides.

What are most looking forward to about being a law student?

I’ve heard so much about how Chicago's commitment to small classes and faculty accessibility creates an environment where we can take a deep dive into challenging legal concepts. I'm excited to build meaningful relationships with both classmates and faculty during my three years at the Law School.

Any interesting hobbies or interests?

I love to run! I’ve run the Chicago Marathon for the past two years, and I’m looking forward to three more years (and many more thousands of miles) of running around Hyde Park and along the Lakefront Trail.

Is there a “fun fact” about yourself that you'd like to share?

My dad graduated from the Law School in 2003, and I was born right after he took the bar exam. He is thrilled, to say the least, that I ultimately chose to attend UChicago Law!