Class of 2026 Commencement Feature: Amanda and Eddie Soto

Growing up, Amanda (Garcia) and Eduardo “Eddie” Soto lived just 30 minutes from each other in South Florida—without ever meeting.

It took their independent decisions to attend Notre Dame Law School for their paths to cross. They met during 1L orientation then began dating several months later. Over time, the futures they had imagined separately began to take shape side by side.

This past fall, during their 3L year, Amanda and Eddie were married in Spain. Now, as graduation approaches, they are preparing to return to Florida—not just as Notre Dame Law graduates, but as partners beginning a life together.

Their story as a couple began at Notre Dame, but it was shaped by two distinct journeys.

For Eddie, the path to law school was influenced by discernment and a search for meaning. He attended Northwestern University, where he studied economics and worked as a student coach for the football team. After graduating, he continued coaching at both Northwestern and Kent State University.

“Two years after college, I was thinking about where God was calling me and what my vocation was,” Eddie said. “I was looking for something where I could have more meaning and make a positive impact.”

Amanda’s path reflected a similar sense of faith and trust, though it unfolded differently. After attending Florida International University, she did not initially see Notre Dame as a possibility.

“It was the last school I applied to, and the first school I got into,” Amanda said. “When I visited, I knew immediately—this was the school for me. I didn’t need to look anywhere else.”

That decision carried special meaning for Amanda and her family. After emigrating from Cuba as a young child, her father came to know American culture in part through sports—and through Notre Dame football.

“My father, not knowing much about American culture, followed sports and would watch Notre Dame football every Saturday,” Amanda said. “He came from very little, and Notre Dame football meant so much in our home.”

For both Amanda and Eddie, Notre Dame Law School stood out for its academic strength, Catholic mission, and emphasis on formation.

“The faculty was a huge reason I chose Notre Dame,” Eddie said. “They prepare you incredibly well, especially for opportunities like clerkships, but they also care about you as a person.”

That sense of formation was reinforced by the professors who shaped their experience. Amanda points to Professors Rick and Nicole Garnett as particularly influential, while Eddie credits Professor Jeffrey Pojanowski as a mentor who also played a key role in his decision to attend Notre Dame.

“I spoke with Professor Pojanowski when I was considering my options,” Eddie said. “He talked about the faculty and the Catholic culture of Notre Dame. I was single at the time, and he said, ‘You know, you have a good chance of finding your wife here, probably a better chance than at some other law schools.’”

It seems Professor Pojanowski had pretty good intuition.

At Notre Dame, both Amanda and Eddie immersed themselves in the life of the Law School. Eddie served as a managing notes editor on the Notre Dame Law Review and was active in the Federalist Society and the Saint Thomas More Society. He also served as a March for Life coordinator and mentored students through the Dean’s Initiative for Leadership and Scholarly Excellence.

Amanda’s involvement reflected a similar commitment to leadership and community. She served as president of the Women’s Legal Forum, treasurer of the Student Bar Association, and an articles editor for the Journal of Law, Ethics, & Public Policy. She also participated in the Eviction Clinic, completed a double externship, and is a Sorin Fellow with the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. As the 2025–26 recipient of the Lardy Scholarship Award, she distinguished herself through her commitment to building community within the Law School.

“I love this law school dearly,” Amanda said. “Most of what I’ve been involved in has not been for me, but for bettering the people who attend this law school and helping others see this place the way I do. Everything I’ve done has been geared toward community building—helping people experience not just Notre Dame Law School, but the professors as people and the families that make up this community.”

After graduation, Amanda will clerk for Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz of the Florida Supreme Court and then plans to pursue a career in trust and estate law.

Eddie will clerk for the Honorable Rodolfo A. Ruiz of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, followed by a clerkship with the Honorable Robert J. Luck on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He plans to pursue a career in litigation.

They also have another exciting milestone ahead: Amanda and Eddie are expecting their first child, due in December.

As they look ahead, both reflect on how Notre Dame has shaped their understanding of what it means to be a “different kind of lawyer.”

“I think being a ‘different kind of lawyer’ is realizing that the law is so much more than you,” Amanda said. “It’s not just about becoming a lawyer, it’s about being formed as a person.”

“It’s about being a servant—to your client and to the system—while putting God first,” Eddie said. “When people hear you’re a Notre Dame lawyer, they should know you’re someone who tells the truth and does the right thing.”

For Amanda and Eddie Soto, that formation is reflected not only in the lawyers they are becoming, but in the life and family they will build together along the way.