Class of 2026 Commencement Feature: Nicholas Smith
Nicholas Smith’s journey began in a small farming community in Top Alston, Clarendon, Jamaica—a community where dreams are often measured against tradition. There, young people are often encouraged to pursue one of a select number of professions deemed worthy and respectable.
“In Jamaica, there are five professions that are traditionally acceptable: doctor, teacher, engineer, police officer, and lawyer,” Nicholas jokingly recalled.
For a young boy described as inquisitive, articulate, and talkative, others pictured his future before he could fully grasp it himself. “Everyone told me I would become a lawyer,” he said. “That planted a seed in my mind.”
Yet the road was not linear. Nicholas imagined himself as a pilot, a dermatologist, even an actor. He ultimately found his footing not in flight decks or laboratories or on the stage, but in the social sciences. At the John Jay College Macaulay Honors Program, he studied Law and Society and began to see law as an instrument of change.
“The more I understood how central law is to every facet of our lives,” he reflected, “the more I saw how crucial being a lawyer can be in making an impact on the lives of others.”
That realization deepened through his work experiences. At Amgen, a leading global biotech company, Nicholas encountered the intricate world of healthcare compliance. There, amid regulatory frameworks and ethical questions, he discovered a calling. “It was fascinating to see how law intersects with healthcare,” he said. “That experience really birthed my interest in health law.”
He later joined Amgen’s career development program, rotating through compliance, commercial, corporate affairs, and internal audit. Each role brought him closer to the law—and further convinced him that proximity was not enough. He wanted to be at the center of it.
When the time came to choose a law school, Nicholas was searching for more than academic excellence. He was searching for a community. At Notre Dame Law School, he found it.
“Notre Dame was the most intentional in their recruiting process,” said Nicholas. “Conversations with students, especially through the Black Law Students Association, made me feel that community was a core principle of Notre Dame Law School. The community here is aligned with my own value system.”
Through his leadership, Nicholas made a significant impact on the Notre Dame Law School community, serving as president of the Student Bar Association, president of the Black Law Students Association, and chair of the Affinity Leadership Council. He also serves as a research assistant at Notre Dame Law School’s Global Human Rights Clinic, working under Professor Diane Desierto.
His summers have reflected that same dual commitment to service and responsibility. He worked with the New York County Defender Services, conducting client interviews, assisting in trial preparation, and witnessing the arc of justice unfold—from voir dire to verdict. The following summer, he turned to the regulatory side of healthcare at Summa Health, helping systems navigate the ever-shifting terrain of federal and state law. In both spaces, the same thread endured: advocacy.
To Nicholas, advocacy is a calling rooted in responsibility. “Being a lawyer is a solemn commitment to advocating for others—a calling I find deeply fulfilling,” he explained.
That belief carries particular weight for Nicholas, who stands on the cusp of becoming the first lawyer in his family. His grandparents farmed the land. His father grew up doing the same and later became a police officer.
“It’s awe-inspiring,” he said, “to see every generation move the needle a bit further—breaking the ceiling where there might have been one before.”
Soon, Nicholas will begin the next chapter of his journey in Boston, advising on transactional risk insurance and supporting healthcare and other essential sectors. But his ambitions are not measured in titles or locations. They are measured in impact.
“Being a ‘different kind of lawyer,’” said Nicholas, “means really honing in on what your values are, what it means to be a force for good in the world, what it means to truly pursue a courageous career, and being a leader in every environment you’re placed in.”
As he summed up his journey from Jamaica to Notre Dame Law School, Nicholas said with a chuckle, “I will always be proud to be Jamaican but thanks to Notre Dame Law School, I can now say that I am also proud to be Irish!”
From Jamaica, where one’s possibilities are often shaped by familiar horizons, Nicholas has charted a course uniquely his own—one shaped by community, advocacy, and leadership. In doing so, he reminds us that every ceiling broken becomes a doorway for the next generation.