Good evening, everyone. My name is Dena Aminzadeh, and it is an honour to stand before you tonight as Valedictorian of the Class of 2026.
It feels surreal to be standing here and officially closing this chapter of our lives, one that at times felt as if it might never end.
It seems like only yesterday that we were sitting together in the Moot Court room on the first day of 1L, most of us as complete strangers. I remember hearing over and over again about how formative these years would be and how important the relationships we built here would become. We were told that we would leave law school with lifelong friends, trusted colleagues, and maybe even future partners.
I remember thinking to myself, “we’ll see.” But it didn’t take long before I did. After all, what did we expect? Our friends and family outside of law can listen to us explain how you need consideration to form a contract so many times before they finally check out. But us? We would never leave each other hanging. We will always find one more hypothetical to keep things going.
Of course, these years weren’t defined only by friendships. They also challenged us in ways we never expected.
In those first months of 1L, it often felt like we were thrown into the deep end. Seven classes at once, exams worth more than half of your grade, learning not only new material but also an entirely new way of thinking and looking at the world. Not only that, but we also finally became aware that in almost any circumstance of life, there may be a potential tort. It’s really hard to cope with.
For those of us in A03, there were also many moments in our torts class where our professor would ask: “Do you get this?” And I can say with complete confidence that at least 75% of us absolutely did not get this at all.
Yet somehow, perspectives change, and the things that once felt impossible became routine. For most of us, that pivotal moment was probably when we discovered the outline bank.
Today, we can look back on moments that seemed overwhelming at the time, like our very first case brief in Legal Methods, and laugh.
That lesson may be one of the most valuable things that law school has given us. As we move into practice or whatever comes next, there will be moments where we feel just as uncertain as we did during those first months of 1L. But just as you did then, you will find your way. We have proven that we can adapt, learn, and find our footing. Again and again, that’s what we’ve done.
Along the way, we’ve collected many memories that I’m sure will stay with us forever. Some of them are less welcome than others. For example, the stress dreams about ExamSoft failing to save your answer and frantically waving down Lily Deardoff to save the day. Your first networking event, where you somehow convinced yourself that you had forgotten how to act like a normal person. Or that persistent delusion that, despite already being impossibly busy, you definitely have the time to join 3 more clubs, attend an event every night, and pick up a part-time job. But more importantly, we’ll remember the people sitting around us tonight and the moments we shared together.
The Class of 2026 is remarkably driven, and nowhere is that more apparent than on a dance floor. I am shocked that only one person has ripped their pants while dancing at a Robson Hall event, although, to be fair, the night is still young.
Beyond the memories, our class leaves behind an extraordinary legacy. I still find myself amazed by everything the Class of 2026 accomplished during our time at Robson Hall, and I consider it a privilege to have witnessed so many of you achieve goals that once felt beyond reach.
We saw our peers achieve many professional milestones, such as advocating on behalf of real clients, pursuing opportunities in new cities, travelling the world to attend meetings at the United Nations, and even winning moot competitions such as the Fox Moot for the first time in Robson Hall history (congratulations, Jasmine and Sameer).
What makes these accomplishments so special is that they were only one part of the story. At the same time, many of you were building meaningful lives outside the walls of Robson Hall. You served as active participants and leaders in your communities, pursued passions outside of law school, got married, and even became parents.
This class has continually expanded our understanding of what a Robson Hall student can achieve. I am in awe of your curiosity, passion, and willingness to embrace new challenges.
Perhaps that is what makes this moment so special. We all arrived here by different paths. Some of us knew we wanted to be lawyers from a young age because we were always told that we were good at arguing. Others found their way to law school after entirely different careers and experiences. And some of us simply ruled out medicine and worked backwards from there.
This path isn’t linear, and very few of our journeys looked the same. However, I feel lucky that out of all the possible paths we could have taken, they converged here so we could go through it together.
The years we spent at Robson Hall will continue to connect us after tonight. Some say that law school friendships are built through shared trauma. But personally, I think they are built through something much better: shared generosity, genuine friendship, and a willingness to show up for one another.
There is tremendous comfort in knowing that wherever our careers take us, we will always have this community. A community that understands what this experience was like and one that will celebrate our successes, help us navigate uncertainty, and answer the inevitable email that begins with, “quick question…”
Now in law, they say that brevity is a virtue. So, I have a few thanks-yous before we get to the dance floor.
I’d like to thank all the faculty, staff, and law society members who have played a pivotal role in preparing us for our legal careers. We are so lucky to have had such great teachers and mentors to help us navigate this journey and to act as role models for who we can become.
To our friends and families, it truly takes a village to get through these three years. Thank you for being the unwavering support and voice of reason at times when we felt the most unsure of ourselves, stressed out, or overwhelmed. We share today with you.
And finally, to my classmates: thank you for making these past three years ones that I will truly cherish. I cannot wait to see everything that you continue to achieve and where your careers, passions, and ambitions will take you next. I’ll always feel a sense of pride in your accomplishments and great comfort when we come across each other in practice and in life.
Tonight we celebrate everything we have achieved.
Tomorrow, we begin a new chapter.
And wherever that chapter takes us, we will always be the Robson Hall Class of 2026.
Please join me in congratulating the Class of 2026, thank you.
