Four — count ’em, four! — Hunter alumni are set to graduate this May from Yale Law School, comprising about 2% of the august institution’s 201-member 2024 class.
The four alumni are Arifa Ali ’20, Edward Friedman MHC ’18, Demi Moore MHC ’19, and Saifeldeen Zihiri MHC ’19.
The number represents the most Hunter alumni to graduate in one class of any of the nation’s top-ranked law schools and establishes Hunter as a top Yale feeder school.
Yale is tied for #1 with Stanford in U.S. News & World Report 2023-2024 Best Law Schools. Eighty-seven undergraduate institutions contributed to Yale’s 2024 class, and almost 4,500 hopefuls applied for a spot, according to the university.
Pre-Law Director Elise Jaffe explained: “Hunter Pre-Law students embody a rare combination of talent, hard work, moxie, and commitment to excellence. They are disproportionately first-generation college students, and first-generation Americans. Throughout their undergraduate careers, the city is their laboratory. The need for students to balance coursework with their other commitments – including internships, jobs, community, and family – fosters maturity and professional skills. The law schools know that Hunter Pre-Law students are ready to take on the world, and to build transformative careers as attorneys.”
The Hunter alumni brought diverse perspectives to Yale, which seeks to model diversity. Some 57% of students are persons of color, according to its website. Ali, as she describes herself, is “a hijab-wearing Bangladeshi Muslim” whose perceptions were shaped profoundly by her experience living in the “post-9/11 United States.” Friedman, the New York City-born child of Soviet Jews who emigrated to America as teens, was born with cerebral palsy and primarily uses a power wheelchair to get around. He was selected for the prestigious Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. Moore’s emphasis on civil rights stems from her experience as an African American, the daughter of immigrants from Haiti and Jamaica. Zihiri (who declined to speak about his time at Yale) is Egyptian American.
Following are their responses to our questions for this article:
Graduate: Arifa Ali ’20
- Major/Minor: Political Science major, Human Rights minor
- Career Path: Hired by white-shoe firm Sidley Austin, LLP. Plans to do privacy/cybersecurity work.
- Why Hunter: “My time at Hunter College was instrumental in determining where I ended up today. My peers offered some of the most engaging and thought-provoking conversations; it was a privilege to share a classroom with them. The advocacy, diversity, and resilient spirit of the CUNY student inspires me and is a core part of who I am.”
- Hunter’s Special Sauce: “As a Roosevelt Scholar and an Eva Kastan Grove Fellow, I was able to receive rigorous mentorship and professional development from Hunter. I had access to campus resources, interacted with prestigious officials and researchers, and engaged in critical discourse all throughout college. Elise Jaffe was an amazing mentor and she demystified the law-school application process.”
- Personal Thoughts: “I am passionate about studying the intersection of privacy, surveillance, and civil rights, and I am committed to direct client representation and social justice. My interest in studying privacy surveillance law stems from my identity as a hijab-wearing Bangladeshi Muslim living in the post-9/11 United States. Often, I have felt that my identity and community were the targets of the expansive national security apparatus. Having lived through the heightened scrutiny of law enforcement and surveillance in New York City, I have experienced the inevitable conclusion of unchecked national security rhetoric, pervasive assaults on civil-political rights, and mass surveillance of people of color enabled and legitimized by the state.”
Graduate: Edward Friedman MHC ’18 (valedictorian)
- Major/Minor: Political Science with certificates in Public Policy and Human Rights; minors in Legal Studies and International Relations
- Career Path: Accepted a return offer to join Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as a litigation associate at the firm’s New York City office this fall.
- Why Hunter: “My time at Macaulay at Hunter solidified my interest in going to law school. I am extremely grateful to a large support system including Pre-Law Advisor Elise Jaffe, Macaulay Director Lev Sviridov, and adviser Cristina Gleicher, Office of Prestigious Scholarships Director Stephen Lassonde, former Political Science Professor Sanford Schram, and former Public Policy Program Director Shyama Venkateswar for their guidance.”
- Hunter’s Special Sauce: “Elise was immensely helpful during every aspect of law-school admissions, meeting with me weekly to go over my essays and ensure that they put me in the best position for success. She is a gem and the Macaulay team also offered great support.”
- Personal Thoughts: “Moving to New Haven to attend YLS was my first time living away from home. As someone who was born with cerebral palsy who requires assistance with activities of daily living, this was a big decision and pretty daunting. I am extremely grateful to Elise, Lev, and Cris in particular for reaffirming my belief that YLS was the best choice for me. I have had a wonderful three years in New Haven and I am eager to return to New York City full-time after graduation with a newfound sense of personal independence. l look forward to getting my own apartment in Midtown within rolling distance of the firm.”
Graduate: Demi Moore MHC ’19
- Major/Minor: Political Science major, English Literature (Creative Writing) minor
- Career Path: Accepted an offer to join Edelson PC as an associate in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, where she’ll focus on government litigation and investigations.
- Why Hunter: “My undergraduate experience was almost entirely defined by the warmth and generosity of the people around me — my professors, advisers, and lifelong friends — who challenged and encouraged me to live as big and bold a life as humanly possible.”
- Hunter’s Special Sauce: “Everyone deserves to have Stephen Lassonde, Elise Jaffe, and Lev Sviridov in their corner. Many thanks to Professor Robyn Marasco for helping me develop a deep sense of appreciation for political theory, which sustains my work to this day.”
- Personal Thoughts: Moore offered two articles on her accomplishments: one on a suit she and YLS colleagues filed against the Town of Woodbridge, Conn., challenging exclusionary zoning laws; another announcing her naming as a “When There Are Nine” scholar, an award honoring the legacy of late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
