Leadership Scholars
The University of Illinois College of Law is pleased to present the Class of 2022 Leadership Scholars. The students below have completed the Leadership Project and earned the Leadership Project certification in the 2021-2022 academic year.
2022 Leadership Scholars
Soha AbdurRahman
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. After law school, I will be working in Dykema’s Chicago office. During my time in law school, some of my leadership roles included being the President of the Muslim Law Student Association and Articles Editor for the Journal of Law, Technology & Policy.
“The most important lesson this Project teaches you is that being a leader is not linked to a specific personality type. Rather, leadership is a set of skills that can be cultivated by any individual hoping to take on a leadership role.”
Megan Archibald
I am a fifth generation Illini from San Diego, California. After graduation I will be working at a boutique litigation firm in Chicago. While in law school, I served as the Vice President of the Criminal Law Society and the Lectures Chair for the Women’s Law Society.
“The Leadership Project was one of the best things I’ve done during law school. It taught me that leadership and communication skills are not merely skills we are born with, rather they are strengths that we can learn and develop over time. During law school, we work so hard to cover the substantive material that I think it’s easy to forget that none of it matters if you cannot communicate it or effectively work with a team. I find myself drawing on the techniques and lessons we learned through the Project on a near daily basis. It really has been an invaluable resource as I start my legal career.”
Alex Bailey
I’m from Hanover Park, IL. This summer, I will be joining Foley & Lardner LLP in their Chicago office. In law school, I had leadership positions with the University of Illinois Law Review (Articles Editor), Black Law Students Association (President), American Constitution Society (Secretary), and Federal Civil Rights Clinic (Student Attorney).
“The Leadership Project has given me the ability to step into any leadership role and have the confidence to lead my colleagues through complex and novel issues. Having worked before coming to law school, I’ve seen how crucial effective leadership is to achieving goals in the workplace. The Leadership Project helps develop those important skills that you can’t get from just reviewing the law.”
Lauren Eiten
Originally from Peru, Illinois, I received my Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Following graduation, I will be working at Katten Muchin Rosenman in its intellectual property group. I loved my time at the College of Law, particularly my experiences on the Student Bar Association and on the negotiation team.
“Being a leader can take many forms but there are certain leadership qualities all leaders must develop and hone. The Illinois Leadership Project helps student leaders identify their leadership strengths and weaknesses through book discussions, lectures, and a capstone workshop. Through discussion and debate, student leaders develop the skills necessary to take on leadership roles in their future firms, non-profits, in-house positions, or governmental roles.”
Alexander Pullen
I will be joining the Peoria office of Davis & Campbell as an associate attorney after graduation. During my time at the College of Law, I served as a Dean’s Scholar, the Co-President of the Privacy & Security Law Society, and as the Senior Legal & Compliance Extern at Carle Health.
“The Leadership Project helps law students to prepare for the role which lawyers are frequently called to assume: the role of a leader.”
Jessica Pullen
I am from Peoria, Illinois. After graduation, I will be joining the Peoria office of Heyl Royster Voelker & Allen as an associate attorney. My leadership experiences during law school included serving as Treasurer for the Privacy & Security Law Society and serving as a Jerome Mirza Public Interest Fellow to assist underserved populations in downstate Illinois.
“The Leadership Project provides many excellent resources and opportunities for law students to grow into future leaders.”
Akshay Soman
I am originally from Plano, Texas. Following graduation, I will be an associate in Sidley Austin’s Dallas office. During my time at the College of Law, I held the following leadership positions: SBA President (2021-2022); SBA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer (2020-2021).
“The Leadership Project was a fantastic experience. I enjoyed the various discussions we had with prominent figures, including former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar. Conversations with these well-respected leaders allowed me to extrapolate useful skills that I will use in my own experiences as a leader throughout my career.”
Ori Weisz
I am from Lake County, Illinois. Following graduation, I will be joining the Real Estate team at Seyfarth Shaw in Chicago. In law school, my leadership roles included serving on a Faculty Advisory Committee and serving as co-president of the Real Estate Law Society.
“Participating in the Leadership Project was immensely rewarding and beneficial. For the classroom component, I selected courses that taught me leadership skills from different perspectives. From the lecture series, I took away valuable insights and advice from recognized leaders in business and politics. And from the book discussions, I enjoyed thought-provoking group conversations about what made some of America’s greatest leaders ‘tick.’ I highly recommend putting the Leadership Project on your radar beginning 2L year.”