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Forming the next generation to defend religious freedom is of central importance to the Notre Dame Law School Religious Liberty Initiative. The initiative provides law students with numerous opportunities to learn about relevant case law and gain experience with research, writing, and litigation in real-world cases.

Katie Alexander

Student Fellow

Katie Alexander

Student Fellow

Katie Alexander is from Smithville, Missouri. She graduated summa cum laude from Truman State University with a B.S. in political science and minors in English and economics. During her 1L summer, Katie worked as a research assistant in public legal bioethics for Professor O. Carter Snead at Notre Dame Law School. Katie will continue her work for Professor Snead this year, while also serving as staff editor of the Notre Dame Law Review and President of the St. Thomas More Society. She will spend this summer at Kirkland & Ellis in Washington, D.C. After graduation, Katie will clerk for the Honorable Eric E. Murphy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Katie loves to host meals for friends, spend quality time with her fiance, Joseph, and pray in Eucharistic Adoration.
Peter Allevato

Student Fellow

Peter Allevato

Student Fellow

Peter Allevato is from Castle Rock, Colorado, where he grew up with his five brothers and sisters. He graduated in 2019 from Colorado Christian University with a B.A. in Political Science and a specialization in Biblical Studies. He was President of the Speech and Debate team and coached high school debate in his spare time. During his 1L summer, Peter worked for Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. He is a Staff Editor of the Notre Dame Law Review and an Oralist on Notre Dame's Moot Court Board.
Daisy An

Student Fellow

Daisy An

Student Fellow

Daisy An is from Ontario, Canada. She graduated from McGill University in 2018 with a major in Economics. Prior to law school, Daisy worked in Toronto as a Franchise Development Coordinator for a digital marketing agency. Daisy spent her 1L summer as a summer associate at Stinson LLP and her 2L summer as a summer associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. In her spare time, Daisy enjoys watching TikToks, playing video games, and hating on artisanal poutine.
Luray Buckner

Student Fellow

Luray Buckner

Student Fellow

Luray Buckner is from Marshall, Virginia. She graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2020 with a degree in political science. Luray is a research assistant for Professor Gerard Bradley and a Senior Symposium Editor for Notre Dame Law Review. During her 1L summer, she interned for the Honorable Richard J. Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Luray spent her 2L summer at the Institute for Justice, a national public interest law firm specializing in education choice and property rights. After graduation, she will clerk for the Honorable Allison Rushing of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. For fun, Luray enjoys riding horses, playing harp, and visiting Civil War battlefields.
Elisabeth Crusey

Student Fellow

Elisabeth Crusey

Student Fellow

Elisabeth Crusey grew up in Dayton, Ohio. She graduated with highest honors from Emory University in 2020, where she earned a B.S. in anthropology and human biology and a minor in ethics. At Notre Dame, Elisabeth is the Executive Notes Editor of the Notre Dame Law Review and is an oralist on the Moot Court Board Showcase Team. She has also worked as a research assistant for Professors Randy Kozel, Emily Bremer, and Christian Burset and as a Torts teaching assistant for Professor Jeffrey Pojanowski. During her 1L summer, Elisabeth served as a judicial intern for Judge Timothy J. Kelly in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She spent her 2L summer working for Latham & Watkins LLP in Washington, D.C., where she will return after graduation. In her spare time, Elisabeth enjoys learning the guitar, reading historical nonfiction, and traveling.
Billy Eisenhauer

Student Fellow

Billy Eisenhauer

Student Fellow

Billy Eisenhauer is from Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2015 where he majored in Political Science and minored in Russian. He served as a submarine officer for five years and resigned his commission in May 2020. At Notre Dame, Billy is the Executive Editor of the Notre Dame Law Review and has served as a teaching assistant for both Torts and Constitutional Law. After graduation, Billy will clerk for Judge Amul Thapar of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and Judge Ben Beaton of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He enjoys military history, pickup sports, and spending time with his better half, Kelly.
Joseph Graziano

Student Fellow

Joseph Graziano

Student Fellow

Joseph Graziano is from southern New Hampshire. He graduated from Providence College in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Theology and a minor in Classics. He then spent five years in formation with the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph, earning an STB from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception. During his 1L summer, Joseph interned at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and worked in his spare time as a research assistant for Professor Paolo Carozza. Over his 2L summer, he worked as a summer associate at Kirkland & Ellis in the litigation group. He currently serves as Chair of the Honor Council, the President Emeritus of the St. Thomas More Society, Senior Articles and Symposium Editor of the Notre Dame Law Review, Scholarship Coordinator of the Federalist Society, and a Sorin Fellow in the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. After graduation, he will clerk for the Honorable Stephanos Bibas in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In his free time, Joseph enjoys writing poetry, playing board games, hiking, and wedding planning with his fiancée Katie.
Jared Huber

Student Fellow

Jared Huber

Student Fellow

Jared Huber is from Fair Oaks, Indiana. He graduated in 2021 from Purdue University majoring in Political Science and Mass Communciations. During his 1L summer, he interned with Judge Damon Leichty in the Northern District of Indiana and will spend his 2L summer at Jones Day in Chicago. Jared serves as a staff editor on the Notre Dame Law Review, Secretary of the Federalist Society, and Vice-President of the Christian Legal Society. Following graduation, he will clerk for the Honorable Matthew Kacsmaryk in the Northern District of Texas and then the Honorable Kyle Duncan on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In his free time, Jared enjoys spending time with his family, chess, and playing his violin.
Josh Lacoste

Student Fellow

Josh Lacoste

Student Fellow

Josh Lacoste is from Metairie, Louisiana. He graduated magna cum laude from Tulane University in 2020 with majors in Finance and Legal Studies in Business and a minor in Political Science. He is a Sorin Fellow in the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture, Research Assistant to Professor Randy Kozel, and was President of the Notre Dame Space Law Society. Josh split his 1L summer as a judicial intern to Judges Martin Feldman and Lance Africk of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. After his 2L year, he was a Summer Associate at Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago. Upon graduation, he will serve as a law clerk to The Honorable Federico A. Moreno of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. In his free time, Josh enjoys watching Notre Dame football, learning about blockchain, and trying different coffee spots around South Bend.
Jacqueline Muallem

Student Fellow

Jacqueline Muallem

Student Fellow

Jacqueline Muallem is a native New Yorker committed to public service. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Macaulay Honors College at Lehman College with a double major in History and Political Science and a double minor in Philosophy and Music. She attended the performing arts high school that inspired the films and television shows Fame and High School Musical. Before law school, Jacqueline interned for Hon. Claire R. Kelly of the U.S. Court of International Trade and worked for three years at the Municipal Art Society of New York. Jacqueline currently serves as a Staff Editor of the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics, and Public Policy, Research Assistant to Professor John Conway, Senior Logistics Coordinator of the Notre Dame Federalist Society, and Director of Alumni Relations of the Notre Dame Art, Cultural Heritage, and Museum Law Society. During her 1L summer, she was a Summer Honors Intern at the NYC Law Department, Commercial & Real Estate Litigation Division. Jacqueline loves playing her cello, exploring museums, traveling, and watching Studio Ghibli movies.
Huan Nguyen

Student Fellow

Huan Nguyen

Student Fellow

Huan Nguyen is from Charlotte, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2020, majoring in political science with a minor in history. Huan currently serves as a staff editor on the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy and as an oralist on the Notre Dame Moot Court’s Jessup team. During his 1L summer, Huan worked as an intern in the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Special Litigation Section in Raleigh, North Carolina. For his 2L summer, Huan will be working as a summer associate at Kirkland & Ellis in their Chicago office. In his free time, Huan enjoys reading, lifting weights, and following Tar Heel sports (Go Heels!).
Chris Ostertag

Student Fellow

Chris Ostertag

Student Fellow

Chris Ostertag grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated magna cum laude from Grove City College in 2020, where he earned a B.A. in philosophy with minors in English and classics. At Notre Dame, Chris serves the Notre Dame Law Review as a Staff Editor and the Moot Court Board as an Oralist for the Seventh Circuit Team. During his 1L summer, Chris served as a judicial intern for the Hon. Stephanos Bibas of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. After graduation, he will serve as a law clerk for the Hon. Julius Richardson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In his spare time, Chris enjoys playing the violin, cooking, and literature.
Nate Reyes

Student Fellow

Nate Reyes

Student Fellow

Nate Reyes is from Manassas, Virginia. He graduated from Christendom College in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. During his 1L summer, Nate interned for two U.S. District Court judges: Judge Trevor N. McFadden of the District of Columbia and Judge Karen S. Marston of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Nate serves as a staff editor for the Notre Dame Law Review. After graduation, Nate will clerk for U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold of the Northern District of Illinois. Prior to attending law school, Nate was self-employed as a handyman, and home improvement remains one of his chief loves. He also enjoys hiking, fishing, and traveling home to visit his family and friends.
Olivia Rogers

Student Fellow

Olivia Rogers

Student Fellow

Olivia Rogers is from Gardner, Kansas. She graduated from Kansas State University in 2020 with a degree in political science. During her 1L summer, Olivia returned to Kansas to intern for the Honorable Eric F. Melgren on the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. In her free time, Olivia enjoys trying new coffee shops, reading political philosophy, and going for long walks. After graduation, she will clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit for Judge Kevin Newsom, then the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit for Judge David Stras.
Andrew Scarafile

Student Fellow

Andrew Scarafile

Student Fellow

Andrew Scarafile is from Glencoe, Illinois. He graduated from The College of William & Mary in 2020 with majors in Government and History. Andrew spent his 1L summer externing at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC. After his 2L year, he was a Summer Associate at Faegre Drinker in their Washington Office. He is spending his 3L year in London where he is participating in Notre Dame’s London Law Program. Upon graduation, he will return to Washington to practice.
Bernadette Shaughnessy

Student Fellow

Bernadette Shaughnessy

Student Fellow

Bernadette Shaughnessy is from Cimarron, Kansas. In 2021 she graduated from Benedictine College with majors in Finance and Accounting and minors in Economics and Theology. During her 1L summer, Bernadette returned to Kansas to intern for the Honorable Holly L. Teeter on the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. At Notre Dame Law, Bernadette serves on the executive boards of Jus Vitae and the St. Thomas More Society. Upon graduation, she will clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit for the Honorable Raymond W. Gruender. In her free time, Bernadette enjoys hosting friends in her home and going on long walks.
Athanasius Sirilla

Student Fellow

Athanasius Sirilla

Student Fellow

Athanasius Sirilla is from Steubenville, Ohio. He graduated in 2021 from Franciscan University of Steubenville majoring in Mathematics and Philosophy. He is a Sorin Fellow in the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture, an oralist for the Moot Court board, and a staff editor on the Notre Dame Law Review. He is also the secretary of the St. Thomas More Society and a 2L representative for the Federalist Society. Athanasius spent his 1L summer as a research assistant for the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Initiative. Upon graduation, he will serve as a law clerk to The Honorable Matthew H. Solomson of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. In his spare time, Athanasius enjoys distance running, brewing and enjoying good coffee, and spending time with his wife and son.
Sarah Stagg

Student Fellow

Sarah Stagg

Student Fellow

Sarah Stagg is from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She graduated from the University Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in communication in 2017 and a master’s degree in higher education in 2019. As a graduate assistant, Sarah served in roles facilitating student leadership development and stewarding university donors and alumni. Before law school, she served as Associate Director of Alumni and Development at a small liberal arts college. Sarah worked as a summer associate at Kirkland & Ellis in the Restructuring group and will rejoin the firm following graduation. At Notre Dame, Sarah is a Sorin Fellow in the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture and a member of the St. Thomas More Society. In her free time, Sarah enjoys cheering on Sooner and Irish football and spending time with family and friends.