Tyler Lawrence Peacemaker Award Goes to Meghan Leong ’25
05.08.24 — Meghan Leong ’25, a dedicated educator and advocate committed to equity and justice, has been named as the second recipient of the annual Tyler Lawrence Memorial Peacemaker Award. Tyler Lawrence, grandson of Northeastern Law friend and colleague Stan Lawrence, was just 13 years old when his life was tragically cut short by horrific violence in January 2023. Those who knew Tyler describe him as “a boy who was going to have a big impact on the world,” “a force for good” and “a peacemaker who brought people together.” This award was established by Professor Richard Daynard and his wife, Carol, to recognize and support Northeastern Law students who carry on Tyler’s legacy through youth advocacy and/or community building work accomplished through experiential learning.
“It is an immense honor to receive this award in Tyler’s memory,” said Leong. “Students like Tyler are my inspiration and the reason I have dedicated my legal career to ensuring all kids have a high-quality education and equitable access to justice.”
During the summer of 2019, Leong worked with the International Rescue Committee in San Jose, California, where she designed ESL curriculum and taught English as a Second Language classes to newly arrived refugees, empowering them with language skills crucial for their integration and success in their new community. As a sixth grade math and science teacher at a Title I school in East Palo Alto, California, Leong demonstrated her passion for inclusive, student-centered teaching practices and community empowerment. For two years, she tailored lesson plans with differentiated instruction and culturally responsive pedagogy, ensuring all students, especially multilingual learners and students with disabilities, received the support they needed to thrive academically while meeting Common Core state standards.
At Northeastern, Leong's commitment to social justice continued to shine through her 1L Legal Skills in Social Context (LSSC) Project, where she collaborated with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute to support a recommendation promoting racial justice within the legal profession. Her first co-op at the EdLaw Project within the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Boston showcased her dedication to serving indigent, court-involved youth through client intake, assisting attorneys and engaging with critical issues such as school stability, child welfare, special education, and school discipline. Most recently, she served as a Lawyering Fellow to help 1Ls create two developmentally-appropriate juvenile justice jeopardy games to empower Boston youth in understanding their rights in school environments and during interactions with law enforcement. Meghan will complete a primary and secondary co-op this summer as a judicial law clerk at the Suffolk and Middlesex County Juvenile Courts and as a legal intern at Strategies for Youth in Cambridge. She intends to further deepen her understanding of the intersection of law, education and juvenile justice to combat the historic and systemic inequities that continue to exclude and harm marginalized communities.
About Northeastern University School of Law
The nation’s leader in experiential legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country. Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences through its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. More than 1,100 employers worldwide in a wide range of legal, government, nonprofit and business organizations participate in the program. With a focus on social justice and innovation, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experiences to successfully practice law.
For more information, contact d.feldman@northeastern.edu.