Faculty of Law JD Valedictorian Address 2025
The Valedictorian Address for the JD Class of 2025 was Jordan Wagner. The text of his speech is below, and a video recording from the June 7th Manitoba Law Students’ Association Grad Gala can be viewed on the Faculty of Law’s Youtube channel.
Good evening, everyone.
Jordan Wagner, Valedictorian, Juris Doctor Class of 2025.
My name is Jordan Wagner, and it is an honour and a privilege to stand here tonight before you as your Valedictorian for the Law Class of 2025.
Unlike Mike Ross from Suits, we actually made it through law school. We didn’t fake it. Although if you saw our 3L final exams, that might still be up for debate.
I want to begin by expressing heartfelt thanks to our professors, faculty, families, and friends. Your support over the past three years has meant everything, and without it, none of us would be here tonight.
And to my classmates: oh, what a ride it’s been!
I want to take you back to that first day of law school back in September 2022. We were all packed into the Moot Court Room, not yet thinking about convocation or graduation dinners; those felt like light years away. Most of us were still wondering whether our outfits actually counted as business casual or if we’d already failed our first ungraded test.
Many of us, including myself, had this mix of excitement for starting a new chapter in our lives, paired with the realization that this was going to take a lot of work and that we’d have to make plenty of sacrifices.
And what we’ve seen over the past three years is that both of those feelings turned out to be true.
There have been moments along the way that brought out excitement in all of us, whether that was winning a high-stakes curling match on a Friday evening at the St. Vital Curling Club, doing well on an important exam that we poured countless hours into, going down to Grand Forks to cheer on our Robson Hall Jets and see yet another impressive championship, or just simply spending time with fellow classmates and seeing that relationship evolve into lifelong friendships.
But at the same time, there were moments when we were overwhelmed, studying for a 100% final exam or finishing a 7,500-word paper and submitting it at 11:59pm while quietly hoping there would be another grading snafu.
But when things felt like too much, we kept going. Not because it always felt possible but because it was necessary. Necessary because we came to law school with a purpose: To improve access to justice. To help the little guy. To fix what’s broken in the justice system. Each of us came here for something bigger than ourselves, and that’s what kept us pushing forward when things got tough.
Recently, I had the chance to speak with some of our transfer students about how their experience at the University of Manitoba compared to their previous law schools. The message was clear: what sets Robson Hall apart is the strength of its community.
Over the past three years, through every high and low, we’ve been surrounded by people who genuinely want to see us succeed. It’s unlike anything I had experienced before in my academic career, whether it was classmates sharing outlines and notes to make sure that we were ready for exams, or faculty members like Lisa Griffin and Trina McFadyen helping us get our ducks in a row from day one, the support has been constant. That sense of community has carried us from the beginning, and it’s one of the things I know we’ll remember and miss the most.
And that community extends beyond Winnipeg.
Whenever I meet lawyers from other provinces and mention that I go to Robson Hall, a smile appears. That reaction speaks volumes, whether they went here themselves, grew up in Winnipeg, or know a proud alum. That shared connection reflects the pride and enduring sense of belonging that this school fosters in everyone who passes through its halls. They know what it’s like to trudge through the winter roads to make a downtown networking event after a long day of contract and constitutional law. They’ve heard Lord John Irvine reflect on case law from centuries ago. And they share the immense pride that comes with being a graduate of this school.
If we look back to 1L, life moved fast, and we had to keep up. With seven courses per semester on our plates, we were constantly juggling readings and deadlines. As final exams rolled around, things got even more intense. Not only were we managing a busy exam schedule, but we also had to dodge the notoriously aggressive Canadian geese patrolling the front of Robson Hall like they were campus security. And through it all, we had Lord Irvine calmly delivering his lectures in full spring uniform: farm overalls and rain boots – only at Robson Hall. We were fortunate to have people like Lily Deardorff, who was always there to support us and ensure that our time at law school was as enriching and rewarding as possible.
And then came 2L. We started to find our paths. We chose classes that reflected who we wanted to become as future lawyers. Some of us leaned into criminal law. Others leaned into business, family, or Indigenous law. We heard names like Baker and Vavilov on repeat, but we also got the chance to see ourselves as future lawyers after conducting our own trials in Oral Advocacy.
By 3L, we were hitting our stride. Some of our classmates studied abroad in Sweden, the Netherlands, and England. Others stayed close to home and took part in legal clinics, where we saw firsthand how the law touches the lives of everyday Manitobans.
And we competed. And we won.
From a first-place showing at the Isaac Moot to success at the Gale, the Wilson, the Laskin, the Fox, the MacIntyre, the Sopinka, you name it, we proved that when it counted, we delivered on the national scale.
And then, something we thought might never happen, we were finally let back into the Fort Garry Hotel for our last Carbolic. We dressed to the nines, danced like no one was watching, and thanks to our incredible social committee, made memories that will last far beyond that night in March.
But this journey wouldn’t have been possible without the people around us.
To our professors: thank you for your patience, your thoughtful challenges, and your unwavering commitment to shaping us into critical thinkers and compassionate advocates. Thank you for treating us like future professionals, even before we felt like we were.
To Dean Jochelson, Associate Dean Schultz, and the entire Robson Hall team: thank you for guiding us through uncertain times. Your flexibility and steady leadership kept us moving forward, and we appreciate that.
To our families: thank you for being our foundation. For the late-night pep talks, the check-in texts that said, “You’ve got this; go crush your exam!” and for patiently listening to our endless rants about exams, grades, and the ever-complicated concept of standard of review. You saw us at our most tired, most stressed, most doubtful, and stayed by our side. I know that without the support of my brother, mom, dad, and grandma, I wouldn’t be standing up here today.
And to the Class of 2025: you are some of the most talented, driven, and generous people I’ve ever met. Thank you for the group chats, the shared outlines, the moral support, the TikTok and Instagram Reel therapy, and for never letting any of us feel like we were in this alone.
Each of us has our own version of what made these three years meaningful. It could be travelling the world with classmates. It could be getting involved in the community. Or it could be even as simple as realizing that in this profession, we have the power to evoke positive change.
These moments shaped us. And now, our paths will diverge. Some will clerk. Some will litigate. Some will stay far away from a courtroom. Some will write policy or fight for change. Others may leave the law entirely and find purpose elsewhere.
That diversity is something to be proud of. Because this degree wasn’t about fitting a mold, it was about discovering what we’re capable of and finding our place in something bigger.
We didn’t just survive law school. We built something meaningful. And now, we carry it forward into courtrooms, boardrooms, communities, and beyond.
From that first day in the Moot Court Room to this moment tonight, we’ve come full circle, and we’re ready for whatever comes next.
To the Class of 2025: Congratulations. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for everyone!