CHAMPION STORIES


RETURNING TO ROOTS: MATT NICELY’S JOURNEY IN INTERNATIONAL


TRADE LAW From Student Advocate to Partner and Professor, AUWCL Alumnus Matt Nicely ’91 Makes a Lasting Impact at Akin Gump


BY ERIKA HARTINGS


“ As a student, the legacy I am most proud of is my advocacy for the mandatory adoption of pro bono services at law schools nationwide.” –Matt Nicely ’91


Matt Nicely ’91


Sometimes life comes full circle. In 2020, this was the case for Matt Nicely ’91, who returned as a partner to Akin Gump, where he began his law career.


“The firm’s extremely collaborative approach is unique in my experience,” Nicely said. “Combined with the firm’s inclusive culture and strong commitment to pro bono services, it’s a special place.”


These core values took root early for Nicely at the Washington College of Law. “As a student, the legacy I am most proud of is my advocacy for the mandatory adoption of pro bono services at law schools nationwide,” recalled Nicely, who was president of the AUWCL Student Bar Association. “The curriculum didn’t change, but the school’s leadership was young and progressive, and it was a comfortable place to engage in debate and raise awareness of our societal obligations.”


The faculty also leſt a lasting impression. In his second year, Nicely was a student representative on the faculty committee that hired Jamie Raskin, who became one of his favorite professors.


“We started with a common background,” he said. “I had worked on Jesse Jackson’s 1988 Presidential Campaign, and Jamie had worked for the Rainbow Coalition.”


Nicely was also inspired by Burt Wechsler, whose class on the Federal Courts informed his work challenging US Government actions in court.


40 THE ADVOCATE SUMMER/FALL 2024


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