Leadership Scholars
The University of Illinois College of Law is pleased to present the Class of 2023 Leadership Scholars. The students below have completed the Leadership Project and earned the Leadership Project certification in the 2022-2023 academic year.
2023 Leadership Scholars
Emily Cranny
I am originally from Boulder, Colorado. For my 2L summer I will be working as a Summer Associate at Reed Smith in Chicago. I am a leader for the Student Bar Association and Real Estate Law Society; I also serve as a mentor for high schoolers in the Champaign school district.
“The Leadership Project has been a wonderful reminder that practicing law is not all about legal research, writing, and analysis. By pursuing law and becoming attorneys, we will be presented with the opportunity to be leaders for our clients, our firms, and our field. It has been rewarding to continue to hone the skills that are required to do just this in the future.”
Dillon Diffie
I’m originally from the Southwest. While at the College of Law, I served on two committees, held a leadership position with the Criminal Law Society, and was a Public Interest Law Foundation mentor to new students. After graduation, I will be working with Chornenky Law in my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. I will also be consulting with CPG brands to develop and lead in food and beverage, as well as dedicating as much time as possible to serving my community.
“I highly recommend The Leadership Project! Having worked with executives in the past, The Leadership Project is a terrific foundation for student-leaders who want a head start in their career. Students at the College of Law will have the opportunity to focus on the skills, strategies, behaviors, ethics, and principles required to lead in the courtroom, the boardroom, and their community.”
Andrea Fischer
Andrea Fischer is from Litchfield, Illinois. While in law school, she served the Student Bar Association as the President. She acted as the Editor-in-Chief of the Elder Law Journal. Andrea was also the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity President for the Magruder chapter. After graduation, she will be working in St. Louis at Husch Blackwell in intellectual property litigation.
“The Leadership Project at the College of Law facilitated my ability to improve my skills as a leader and to allow me to better serve my community. I look forward to applying the skills I have learned here in my career.”
Josh Hanson
I am a second-career law student with a background in logistics and marketing. After graduating, I will be joining Neal Gerber Eisenberg in their Commercial & Technology Transactions group. While in law school, I served as an officer in the Immigration Law Society and as an Articles Editor on the Elder Law Journal.
“Leadership is a very learnable skill that too often goes untaught, leaving new leaders to learn lessons the hard way. The Leadership Project is doing great work to help future leaders learn from the experience of others and develop their skills so that they can better support their teams in the real world from day one.”
GyuHui Hwang
I am originally from South Korea and lived in different places growing up including Busan, Bangkok, and Connecticut. During my time in law school, I served as the President of Corporate and Business Law Association, Vice President of Alumni Relations for the Privacy and Cyber Law Society, and Professional Development Chair of the Asian Law Students Association.
“The Leadership Project gives students a chance to learn about prominent figures and take away valuable insights from different leaders. Through the discussions and lectures, I gained a deeper understanding on my own leadership qualities, including my strengths and weaknesses.”
Elizabeth Patton
I am from Lawrence, Kansas. Following graduation, I will be working for Dickinson Wright in the firm’s Chicago office. During my time at the College of Law, I held leadership positions with the Illinois Journal of Law, Technology & Policy (Internet Editor) and the Student Bar Association (Events Coordinator and 2L Class Representative).
“Participating in The Leadership Project provided invaluable opportunities to define and hone my leadership style. Learning from a variety of different leaders allowed me to develop skills that will undoubtedly play an important role throughout my legal career.”