Charles F. Coleman Jr., Esq., civil rights attorney, activist, and one of the country’s leading voices on social justice, will be keynote speaker for the graduating class at the University of the District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law Hooding Ceremony at 2 p.m. May 12, 2023.

Coleman’s insights are expected to be a highlight not only of the traditional ceremony but also graduation weekend.
“It is truly an honor to be selected as this year’s speaker for UDC Law’s Hooding Ceremony,” Coleman said. “This is a momentous occasion for these scholars who are entering a new phase of their life and profession. I hope to impart a message which will inspire them as they celebrate the conclusion of one chapter and prepare to meet the challenges of what may be ahead.”
Nationally recognized for its clinical program, UDC Law is committed to educating students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented at the bar and is home to one of the most diverse (law) student populations in the nation. Coleman was selected for his innovative yet pragmatic perspectives on the criminal justice system, equal opportunity laws, cultural sensitivity, and unconscious bias in the workplace.
Coleman is a former Brooklyn, NY, prosecutor turned civil rights attorney. As the founding principal at CFColeman LLC., he has advised multinational brands including Viacom, MTV Entertainment Networks, BET, the NFL, SAP Concur, PepsiCo, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the National Association of Black Journalists.
It is truly an honor to be selected as this year’s speaker for UDC Law’s Hooding Ceremony. This is a momentous occasion for these scholars who are entering a new phase of their life and profession. I hope to impart a message which will inspire them as they celebrate the conclusion of one chapter and prepare to meet the challenges of what may be ahead.
charles F. Coleman, jr.
Coleman, a MSNBC legal analyst, has been featured in The New York Times and has appeared on CNN, HLN, Sirius XM, BET, NBCBLK, Blavity and The Root. He is an executive producer of the web series Black Brilliance 360 and co-hosts The Binder, The Wrapper, and The Charles F. Coleman podcasts.
Coleman holds a B.A in Political Science from Howard University and a law degree from Howard University School of Law.
WHAT: UDC David A. Clarke School of Law Hooding Ceremony
Featuring keynote speaker Charles F. Coleman Jr., Esq.
WHEN: May 12, 2023
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: UDC Theater of the Arts
4200 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Livestream on UDC Law YouTube
The event is open to members of the media and the UDC Law community. To confirm attendance, please email Shola Akintobi at adeshola.akintobi@udc.edu. For more information, email lawcomm@udc.edu.