Notre Dame Law School names inaugural Kopko Family Law Fellows | News | The Law School

Two smiling women stand with clasped hands in a stone archway of a university building. The blonde woman on left wears a green tweed jacket, white shirt, & light pants. The woman on right wears a navy blazer, black top, & navy pants. — *2025–26 Kopko Family Law Fellows*

Notre Dame Law School has named first-year law students Grace Hazelhoff and Naomi Whipps as inaugural 2025–26 Kopko Family Law Fellows.

Established through the generosity of Frederick H. Kopko, Jr. ’80 J.D. in honor of his late wife Mary Beth, The Kopko Family Law Fellowship each year will support Notre Dame Law students who are committed to pursuing careers in public service and advancing social justice. The fellowship provides both financial assistance and opportunities for professional development.

Class of 2028 Kopko Fellows

A smiling young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes wears a green tweed blazer and white pants, hands clasped. She stands outdoors in front of a stone building with a large wooden door. — *Grace Hazelhoff*

Grace Hazelhoff
Hazelhoff, from Traverse City, Michigan, graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2024 with a degree in legal studies. As an undergraduate, she interned with North Mississippi Rural Legal Services and founded a women’s advocacy group that partnered with a local domestic violence shelter. Before coming to law school she worked as a litigation paralegal at a general practice law firm.

Hazelhoff expressed gratitude for the opportunities the Kopko Fellowship makes possible. “Pursuing a legal career free of student debt will open many doors for me in terms of the field of law I pursue and my location of practice, and I will always have the Kopko Fellowship to thank for that.”

She hopes to continue her advocacy for women and families, drawing on formative philanthropic experiences during her undergraduate years. “Law is a service profession,” she said. “Regardless of where my study of the law takes me, I will never lack opportunities to serve.”

Smiling young woman with blonde hair in a navy pant suit, hands clasped, stands in a stone archway with a dark wood door behind her. — *Naomi Whipps*

Naomi Whipps
Whipps, from Troutdale, Oregon, graduated from Corban University in Salem, Oregon. During her senior year, she worked in the counseling unit of a correctional facility, an experience that revealed to her the challenges and inequities of the criminal justice system.

She said she chose Notre Dame Law because of its unique character. “Notre Dame’s community felt very different from the other law schools I had toured,” Whipps said.

Her time working in corrections strengthened her commitment to public service and justice.

“Pursuing the study of law gives me the tools and training to make a difference,” Whipps said.

She believes the Kopko Fellowship will give her the flexibility to explore a variety of service-focused career opportunities. “The Kopko Fellowship will support my passion for public service and social justice by allowing me to explore many different career opportunities,” she said. “I am excited to see what the future has in store.”

The Kopko Family Law Fellowship

The Kopko Family Law Fellowship is a merit-based scholarship and is awarded to first-year J.D. candidates who are committed to a career in public service and social justice, including fields such as the judiciary and academia. Read more about the fellowship here.