The first day of the Class of 2024’s Orientation began with a “Clap-In”, where staff and fellow students welcomed the new class as they filed into the auditorium for the first time.

This year’s Orientation Leaders were second- and third-year students who helped run events and offered assistance as the incoming students navigated their first days at the Law School.

After the Clap-In, Clinical Professor Herschella Conyers, director of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic, and Professors Emily Buss and Will Baude, delivered an introduction to intellectual life at the Law School.

During a student panel, members of the Class of 2022 discussed peer advising and preparing for their first class.

Here, an Information Technology services team member is helping a new student during “IT Orientation.”

In this photo, Dean Thomas J. Miles welcomes the LLM Class of 2022.

Over several days, the Class of 2024 attended sessions on health and wellness, public interest law and pro bono work, library services, and, seen above, Law School 101—which featured Dean of Students Charles Todd, Dean of Career Services Lois Casaleggi, and Registrar Jeana Driggers.

Over the weekend, new students participated in one of nine different community service projects. These included working with the Jackson Park Advisory Council to clean up trash and debris at Jackson Park, working in the garden at Shoesmith Elementary School, and working with My Block, My Hood, My City, to clean up the empty lots at 64th and Vernon. Pictured here is the group of students who spent the service day gardening at the 65th and Woodlawn Community Garden.

The following week, students participated in the Kapnick Leadership Development Initiative, an Orientation program that gives law students an opportunity to assess and enhance their leadership skills. The program includes sessions on interpersonal communication, working in teams, managing conflict, preparing and delivering presentations, and more.

Here, students participate in the challenge course portion of Kapnick, which took place on the University’s main quadrangle.

During the Entering Students Reception, Dean Miles and Professor Aziz Huq, pictured here, congratulated and welcomed the new students.

The reception gave members of the class a chance to mingle with new friends, faculty, and administrators.

During the Class of 2023’s Re-Orientation, second-year students engaged in the Kapnick challenge course, attended campus and library tours, and, pictured above, enjoyed lunch with faculty and fellow students.

Students also enjoyed a boat cruise on the Chicago River.

Welcome back to the Class of 2023!

And welcome to the LLM Class of 2022!

And to the Class of 2024!

Autumn 2021 marked a new beginning for the Law School after a challenging year. The Law School welcomed students back into the building at full capacity while maintaining masking and social-distancing requirements. In addition to offering Orientation activities for the Class of 2024 and the LLM students, the Law School also provided a Re-Orientation for the second-year students, many of whom spent little time in the building during the last academic year. This slideshow offers some highlights of the Orientation events that took place between September 9 and September 25.

Photographs by Lloyd DeGrane and Jean Lachat.