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2017 Commencement Scheduled for May 22

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Yale Law School’s 2017 Commencement ceremony will take place on Monday, May 22, 2017.

The University commencement ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Old Campus. Students and faculty assemble at 9:40 a.m. on cross campus and proceed to the ceremony. During the ceremony, the deans of the various schools present their candidates to the president. The president, in turn, confers the degrees. Student marshals from each school accept symbolic diplomas from the president on behalf of their colleagues. Honorary degrees are also conferred at the University commencement. The ceremony lasts approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Visit the Yale Law School commencement website and watch the livestream here.

Immediately after the University Commencement ceremony, at approximately 12 p.m., the Law School holds an individual ceremony at which each graduate is recognized by Dean Robert C Post ’77. The graduation ceremony, in the Lanman Center of the Payne Whitney Gymnasium, lasts approximately two hours. Anne Alstott ’87, Jacquin D. Bierman Professor in Taxation, will be the faculty speaker. The ceremony will be live streamed on the Yale Law School YouTube channel. 

Following the Law School ceremony, at approximately 2:30 p.m., graduating students and guests will adjourn to the Law School courtyard for a champagne reception, followed by an optional buffet luncheon in the Law School dining hall. No tickets are required for the champagne reception. Tickets for the luncheon may be purchased at the door for $24 per person. Students may use their unused dining hall meal plan to pay for the buffet.

The night before Commencement, on Sunday evening, May 21, Dean Robert Post ’77 will host a reception for graduating students, their families, and guests from 5-7 p.m. in the Law School courtyard. No tickets are required, and there is no limit on the number of guests.

Prior to commencement, on April 25, there will be a banquet at the New Haven Lawn Club.

Visit the Yale 2017 Commencement website for more information.