A Different Kind of Lawyer: Kaitlyn Bowe, Class of 2025

Every Friday of her final semester of law school, Kaitlyn Bowe crossed the gates of Westville Correctional Facility, trading the traditional classroom for a circle of chairs where Notre Dame students and incarcerated classmates sat next to one another—a setting that transcended differences and offered her some of the most profound lessons about justice. Through Notre Dame’s Poverty & Justice: Inside-Out course, Kaitlyn’s understanding of pervasive inequality deepened. The class propelled students to confront the policies and practices that systemically weave poverty and mass incarceration into the fabric of American life—and to imagine a more just world, together. Kaitlyn further grappled with the reality that injustice is not distant or theoretical—it is embodied in the lives and stories of those around her.

Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Kaitlyn had already witnessed how injustice moves like a silent current through neighborhoods—defining who is afforded the resources to succeed and who faces greater barriers to opportunities. But instead of letting adversity dictate her path, Kaitlyn channeled her challenges into fuel, forging within her a steadfast commitment to advocacy. “Being raised in an impoverished community just showed me how much inner strength I have,” she said, “and that kind of inner strength is needed when you’re going through law school.”

“My life could have easily gone a different route with fewer opportunities,” she reflected. "My community drives me to invoke change and inspires me to never want to stop learning, accomplishing, or working towards the future."

Before joining Notre Dame Law School, Kaitlyn honed her commitment to justice by working as an assistant and public relations liaison for a criminal defense attorney in Chicago, where she immersed herself in community advocacy. There, at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, she helped organize the firm’s first civil rights protest and also visited several of the state’s largest prison facilities. During these visits, she listened to the experiences of the firm’s incarcerated clients, whose lives were shaped by the brutal realities of mass incarceration, racial profiling, and police misconduct. These experiences solidified her determination to fight for meaningful criminal justice reform.

On admitted students day, she and her mother met Professor Jimmy Gurulé, director of the Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic. Their conversation left a lasting impression. As a second-year law student, Kaitlyn joined the clinic, working on wrongful conviction cases and helping individuals navigate their pursuit of justice after years of incarceration.

Also during her second year, Kaitlyn was awarded the prestigious Graduate Justice Fellowship from the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Social Concerns, where she conducted evidence-based research on rehabilitation and restorative justice.

Her commitment has extended beyond the classroom and into the Law School community. Kaitlyn served as mentorship coordinator for the First Generation Professionals organization, secretary for both the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) and the Death Penalty Abolition Society, and public relations chair for the Exoneration Project. She was also a 1L representative for both BLSA and the Exoneration Project, a committee member for the Student Bar Association, and an editor for the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy.

Kaitlyn’s academic excellence was recognized with the Judge Willie Lipscomb Jr. Fellowship and the Notre Dame Club of Chicago Academic Scholarship.

After her first year, Kaitlyn participated in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Summer Scholars program with Jenner & Block LLP and Chime in Chicago. She returned to Jenner & Block as a summer associate after her second year and will continue working there after graduation.

Kaitlyn reflects on what it means to be a Notre Dame lawyer: “Being a ‘different kind of lawyer’ means using your experiences to see the dignity in those around you and advocate for their rights during challenging times.” This mindset fuels her drive to give back to the community that shaped her.

She is also thankful to her family for supporting her throughout her law school journey. “They remind me that I can accomplish anything,” she said.

Justice—as she has learned at Westville, at the Exoneration Justice Clinic, and at home—is not an abstract concept. It is woven in small acts of empathy, compassion, and relentless hope. And for Kaitlyn, it is a lifelong calling.