I’m delighted to share that the Columbia Law School Class of 2026 Class Day Ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 17, from 4:30 to 6:45 p.m. on the South Lawn of our Morningside Heights campus, in front of Butler Library. Gates will open at 3:30 pm. Class Day is our Law School graduation ceremony. At this ceremony, your name is announced as you cross the graduation stage to the applause of your peers, faculty, family, and friends!
And, as if that were not enough celebration for your tremendous accomplishments, Columbia’s University Commencement will take place on Wednesday, May 20th. Commencement is a University-wide graduation celebration that seeks to celebrate all 17 schools and their graduates. While individual graduates do not cross any stage, the Law School is acknowledged by the entire University community and it is the date of your degree conferral.
Please keep an eye out for the launch of the 2026 Law School Graduation webpage, where we will include information about: renting graduation regalia; obtaining visas and guest tickets (typically, ~6 per student); how to sign up for graduate portraits; and so much more. Updates will be shared on a rolling basis, particularly in the spring semester.
The Office of Student Services looks forward to working closely with the Student Senate and their Graduation Committee in planning for Graduation Day. We are delighted to be able to share this information with you so early in the academic year, and hope that this helps with your planning. While May 2026 feels far away, we know it will be here sooner than we can imagine. So, mark your calendars now!
Dean Andrea C. Saavedra
Associate Dean, Registration and Student Services