AMERICA | A brilliant young woman named Alice Adu Gyamfi has achieved a remarkable milestone after passing the New York Bar Exam with outstanding grades, making her the first graduate in her family in 17 generations.
Born in Ghana and raised in the United States after migrating with her family as a child, Alice’s success represents the fulfillment of a dream that her ancestors could only imagine.
She shared her emotional journey on LinkedIn, dedicating her triumph to her grandmother, the woman who gave her both faith and fuel for her legal pursuit.
“When I told my grandma I was going to law school, she started calling me her granddoctah! I told her she couldn’t call me Doctor just yet. She sent me off to law school with $100 and an anointing. This degree belongs to her,” Alice wrote.
Alice's Story and How She Did It
Alice’s higher academic journey began in Europe, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Human Rights and Migrant Studies from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) in the Netherlands.
Motivated by her passion for justice and human rights, she went on to pursue a Doctor of Law (JD) degree at Pennsylvania State University’s Law School, specializing in International Arbitration.
During law school, she excelled both academically and professionally, winning first place at the prestigious Willem C. Vis Commercial Arbitration Moot Court Competition in Vienna, Austria. Her eloquence and advocacy skills also earned her the Martin Domke Award for Best Oralist.
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Before law school, Alice had already demonstrated her brilliance when she worked as a policy analyst for President Barack Obama’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Initiative, contributing to diplomatic and developmental strategies that shaped U.S.-Africa relations.
Reflecting on her journey, Alice revealed that she is the first woman in her lineage, after 17 generations, to learn to read and write, a fact that deepened her sense of purpose and responsibility.
“Tracing our lineage back, every woman before me fought — as mothers, warriors, and survivors — but none were taught to read. This degree was my warfare. I fought battles with my tongue, on my knees, and with my hopes lifted toward heaven,” she shared.
Alice described her victory not just as a personal achievement but as a generational breakthrough. She stated that her success symbolizes the start of a new legacy, one where the women after her will all be literate, empowered, and unafraid to dream.
After Law school, Alice advanced to earn her Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Columbia Law School, one of the world’s most prestigious institutions.
She graduated with honors as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and a Salzburg Cutler Global Fellow — distinctions reserved for top-performing law students with exceptional global impact.
Today, Alice stands as a beacon of resilience and faith, using her journey to inspire other young lawyers, especially women and immigrants, to be bold in pursuing unconventional paths.
Advising aspiring attorneys, she encouraged creativity and courage: “Get creative about where to practice. Think about pursuing an opportunity before joining a law firm — it might open doors to experiences you never imagined.”
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