Northeastern University School of Law has awarded the Law, Equity and Race Scholarship — the School of Law’s highest honor for students pursuing careers in race, equity, and law, with a focus on civil rights, restorative justice, and criminal justice reform — to first-year student Lian Nicholson ’29.
Nicholson’s interests center on civil rights, racial justice, and public interest law. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Wellesley College and later her M.A. in the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago. Before law school, Nicholson spent four years in the Illinois Office of the Lieutenant Governor, gaining firsthand experience at the intersection of government, policy, and public service. That time in state government deepened her interest in how institutions can be used to address systemic inequities and create meaningful change in people's lives.
Nicholson came to law school to understand — and challenge — the legal structures that allow those inequities to persist. She aspires to build a career in civil rights law, using advocacy and litigation to hold institutions accountable and advance systemic change. Ultimately, she hopes her legal career will help not only dismantle discriminatory systems, but replace them with structures rooted in dignity and justice. As a Law, Equity and Race Scholar, Nicholson will engage with the Center for Law, Equity and Race’s mission, a national leader in using law, research, investigations and restorative justice to confront racial injustice.
Outside of class, Nicholson enjoys writing movie reviews on Letterboxd, going to trivia nights, seeking out quality matcha lattes, listening to audiobooks, and walking in nature.