Judge Scott engages with students during the annual Youth Fair, a community outreach event she participates in each year.
Yet Scott persevered, continuing her work on the bench while navigating grief and unprecedented changes in the courts.
Judge Ebony M. Scott ’06
Judge Scott also credits AUWCL for reinforcing another core value that has defined her career: public service.
She recalled meeting an aspiring law student at an Apple store and inviting her to visit chambers and learn more about the profession. These encounters and subsequent meetings happen frequently. Mentorship, she believes, is essential.
She encourages law students to immerse themselves in the fields that interest them, through internships, court observations, or networking. She also stresses the importance of building genuine professional relationships early in their careers.
“Relationships are very important,” she said. “People have to know who you are.”
She also advises students to be mindful of their digital presence.
“One of the first things many judges and employers will do is Google you,” Scott noted. “If you want to be in a position of
public trust, you have to be thoughtful about how you present yourself.”
Finally, she encourages students to pursue excellence in everything they do, from legal writing to professional communication.
“Your presentation should never contradict your purpose,” she said.
Scott’s path to the bench was not without hardship. She was sworn in as a magistrate judge in January 2020, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the legal system and daily life.
Shortly aſterward, she experienced two profound personal losses: her father died from COVID-19 in May 2020, and her grandmother passed away only a few months later.
“It was the best and the worst period of my life,” she said.
Today, she oſten reflects on a Maya Angelou line that resonates deeply with her journey: “I come as one, but I stand as ten thousand.” For Scott, the quote is a reminder that no achievement is accomplished alone. Behind every milestone stand family members, mentors, colleagues, and communities who helped make the journey possible.
Although Scott achieved the goal she set for herself years ago by becoming a judge, she says her work is far from finished. She hopes to continue mentoring young lawyers, serving the District community and growing in her role on the bench.
“My plan,” she said, “is to go as high as I can, because I know I can continue serving the people of this city in deeper ways.”
For Scott, the mission remains clear: Serve with integrity. Support the next generation of lawyers. Honor the institutions that make justice possible.
And in doing so, she continues the calling that began long ago, when a young girl gathered her cousins, declared order in the room, and imagined the courtroom she would one day lead.
Watch the Video
tinyurl.com/ Judge-Ebony- Scott
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW 29
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