IE Law School holds graduation ceremony to celebrate—and reunite—three graduating classes

July was a pivotal time for graduating students from IE Law School. Both master’s and bachelor’s degree graduates from the Class of 2020, 2021 and 2022 shared the spotlight to commemorate their efforts over the last few years. Due to the exceptional circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic, the classes of 2020 and 2021 finished their degree online. As the 2022 cohort completed their journey once education was finally back face-to-face, IE Law School wished to give an in-person graduation ceremony to the students who graduated during the pandemic.

Their astonishing commitment in the face of difficult times deserves our admiration. Demetrio Carceller—the Executive Chairman of Damm—shared the anticipation felt by everyone, noting that “this graduation is different because it’s not just a celebration; it’s also a reunion. And that makes it much more special.”

Santiago Íñiguez, President of IE University, gave the graduates kudos for not only earning their degrees but, ultimately, for their immense personal growth. He noted:

“You have learned lots of things. You have acquired new knowledge and skills. But, you have also transformed yourselves into more mature people.”

The graduating students overcame unprecedented challenges in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. By grabbing on to flexibility, they developed resilience and an open mind. A lineup of impressive guest speakers encouraged the graduates to leverage the lessons learned from these unusual times to conquer challenges in the future. The Dean of IE Law School, Soledad Atienza, called on them to appreciate the community of classmates, faculty, and mentors that they encountered during their studies. “IE University is not in your past. IE University is your present and it will be part of your future,” she noted.

As responsible global citizens, the up-and-coming international professionals were encouraged to embrace action and compassion. After all, they are the people who will shape the world. Federico Linares is the president of EY Spain, and he reminded graduates of their “moral obligation to make an impact and change society, and fight against inequalities.” Echoing these sentiments, Luis de Carlos Bertran, the Chairman of Uría Menéndez, advised them to “always be honest and act with integrity, and expect the same from those around you.”

Whether they end up in private practice or working for a corporation, our graduates were urged to hold on to their entrepreneurial mindset. Ban Ki-Moon, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, was in attendance and shared some insightful observations on the subject. He notes, “More than ever before, the world needs a dynamic new generation of transformative thinkers and doers. We need thinkers who can appreciate the scale and depth of the global challenges before us. And we need doers who will not hesitate to step forward with the courage to take action to confront these challenges.”

The graduating students were not left far behind, taking the stage to speak to the continued passion that will live on in their contributions to global well-being. Cloe Attieh graduated with a Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics, Law and Economics and was an inspiring ambassador for her cohort. She noted that “we’re always going to keep these memories with us. But, we’re also taking away something that is equally important: this international mindset, this ability to drive innovation, and this thirst to never stop meeting new people.”

Doble Máster en Abogacía y Asesoría Jurídica de Empresas (LL.M.) graduate, José María Puerto, perfectly captured the overall mood as the students crossed this final milestone. “All of us decided to choose the ‘hard way’, to step out of our comfort zone and take on a challenge that would make us grow. And we have definitely done that!”

Above all, Maria Sanchiz—alum and partner at PwC—emphasized that graduating students should feel free to explore and learn lessons along the way. “We live in a culture where failure is covered up; that’s a mistake. Don’t be afraid of getting something wrong. The important thing is to know how to move on from a bad decision, to learn and to fight to correct it,” she shared, offering insight to true success.

The ceremonies were an excellent peek into the future of innovation and diversity. The graduating cohorts are well on their way to great achievements on the local and global stage. Ameyalli Mesiel, a newly-minted alum of the Master of Laws (LL.M.), spoke highly of what’s to come: “From now on, it is our commitment to take this great knowledge and values, and sow them in our society to reap the fruits in the future.”

Likewise, IE Law School is excited to see this new future and commits to continue supporting our graduates. We are confident that they will contribute greatly to the legal profession as they launch their careers in their respective roles.

Congratulations to the graduating classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022!

Every one of our graduates worked diligently throughout their programs and successfully made it to the finish line. Special mention and congratulations go out to the best students : Anna-Lena Hesselmann (Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)), Carla María Ortega Espallardo (Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics, Law and Economics), Enrique Rondenas Parra (Dual Degree in Business Administration & Laws), Ivana Kikerec (Master in Global Corporate Compliance), Juan Toro Paricio (Doble Máster en Abogacía y Asesoría Jurídica de Empresas (LL.M)), Francisco Javier Álvarez Campos (Master of Laws (LL.M.)), María Valentina Martínez Castro (Master in LegalTech).