Suzanne Beecher, '19 currently serves as Associate Counsel with First Liberty Institute. Beecher graduated magna cum laude from Notre Dame Law School and was managing Symposium Editor of the Notre Dame Journal of Law Ethics and Public Policy. Notre Dame Law School's Program on Church, State & Society actively helps students like Beecher make the most of their legal education while at Notre Dame.
"My First Amendment classes at Notre Dame Law School were instrumental in preparing me for a career as a religious liberty lawyer. In particular, Professor Rick Garnett's Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion classes equipped me to not only have a firmer grasp on important case law in this area, but also to grapple with the many facets and interests implicated by religious freedom. Hearing the perspectives of other students in these seminars allowed me to refine my philosophy of religious freedom and think more deeply about how to best defend the rights of all involved," Beecher said.
First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious liberty for all Americans. Beecher said about her work, "It is a true privilege to advocate for those who are willing to stand up for what they believe is right. Whether it is an Orthodox Jewish community facing discriminatory zoning laws or an elderly couple prohibited from hosting a Bible study in their apartment, I am constantly inspired by the commitment of our clients to live in accordance with their faith and honored to get to fight alongside them for their right to exercise their religion."