Class of 2026 Commencement Feature: Thomas MacPhee | News | The Law School

Smiling man in navy suit, red tie, brown boots, hands clasped, stands in Hesburgh Library's grand reading room. — *Thomas MacPhee pictured in the Kresge Law Library*

For Thomas MacPhee, a steadfast commitment to faith and service has long guided his path to law school and a legal career. Tom was born and raised in Conifer, Colorado, and spent his childhood hearing about both of his parents’ careers as lawyers. At first, Tom thought he would choose a different path than his parents, but participation in mock trial and debate in high school began to shift his mindset. Ultimately, it was prayerful discernment and the mentorship of his mock trial coach, now-retired Federal Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty, who encouraged him to pursue a vocation grounded in both faith and the law.

Tom attended Hillsdale College, partially because its liberal arts education led to strong law school placement rates. At Hillsdale, Tom served as president of the Student Federation, developing skills in drafting provisions and articulating ideas. He graduated with a B.A. in Economics and then chose to attend Notre Dame Law School.

“I wanted to attend a law school where I would receive an excellent legal education and be spiritually nourished. To any student serious about their Christian faith—whether Catholic or Protestant, like me—Notre Dame uniquely offers that environment. I wanted somewhere I could get to know my professors outside of class, in faith and in the law, and I’ve found it here,” he said.

Three smiling men in suits, one in pinstripes, two with Notre Dame Law School plaques, stand in a courtroom with judges. — *Dean Marcus Cole (center) presenting Gabriel Powell (left) and Tom (right) with awards for winning the 2024 Justice Amy Coney Barrett Moot Court Tournament*

Tom had a profound impact during his time at Notre Dame Law School, including serving as editor-in-chief of the Notre Dame Law Review. Through his work on the Law Review, Tom engaged deeply with legal scholarship while contributing to a publication rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition. He professed his deep gratitude for working among a group of hardworking students who were always dedicated to the truth.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to give my time to such an important project, publishing the best scholarship on important topics from perspectives that other journals do not share, as it is informed by Christian faith,” he said.

In addition to his role as editor-in-chief, one of Tom’s most remarkable accomplishments was his participation and performance in the Justice Amy Coney Barrett Moot Court Tournament, where his two-person team earned first place and he was named Best Oralist for two consecutive years. Tom described his experience as both incredibly fun and rewarding. “It was a ton of work, but exciting and productive, and it felt more like the artistic side of law,” he said.

Young man in a dark suit speaks at a wooden podium with a microphone, facing left. An audience sits blurred behind him. — *Tom presenting at the 2025 Justice Amy Coney Barrett Moot Court Tournament*

Tom and his partners spent countless hours researching, refining, and revising their arguments in preparation for the competition. He expressed deep gratitude to his incredibly hardworking partners both years, who inspired and motivated him during preparation.

When Tom looked at the judges’ bench and saw two of his role models, Justices Barrett and Kavanaugh, serving as judges for the tournament, prepared to ask him extremely difficult questions, he admitted to feeling a bit nervous. Before the competition began, he and his partner took a moment to pray together, grounding the experience in faith.

The key to Tom’s success was viewing the process as collaborative, as opposed to an adversarial conversation. “There is no cure for nervousness, but I just had to put all of that energy into the performance. I thought of it like a conversation with the bench, like we were working together to come to an understanding of the truth,” he said.

Young man in a navy suit, red tie, and white shirt smiles while leaning on a stone ledge in a Notre Dame arched hallway. — *Tom pictured at the Law School archway*

For Tom, being a “different kind of lawyer” brings to mind the Parable of the Talents in the Gospel of Matthew.

“To be a ‘different kind of lawyer’ is an awareness that the work we are doing isn’t for us. It isn’t for personal glory or wealth or any of those things; it is using your talents for the good of the human race. In Matthew 25, Jesus said, ‘What you did for the least of these, you did for me.’ We are not just learning how to practice law, but honoring God through loving and serving our neighbor.”

After graduation, Tom will clerk for Judge Joan Larsen on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and then for Judge Benjamin Beaton on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. After clerking, he plans to move to Texas to work in litigation at Jones Day.