Notre Dame Law School has announced the selection of four first-year law students—David Jordan, Maddie Kosobucki, Catherine Kolesar, and Jack McEnery—as the 2024-25 Murphy Fellows. Established in 2022, the Murphy Fellowship supports students who are interested in exploring the intersection of law and religion. The fellowship provides students with the opportunity to participate in programming with both Notre Dame Law School’s Program on Church, State & Society and the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic.

The Murphy fellowship is named in honor of Edward J. Murphy, a Catholic legal scholar and former Notre Dame Law professor. Murphy, who joined the Notre Dame Law School faculty in 1957, became a prominent figure in the field of contract law and was the co-author of one of the most widely used contract casebooks in the country. He served as acting dean of the Law School during the 1970-71 academic year and directed the Notre Dame Summer Program in Japan in 1974. In 1979, he was appointed the John N. Matthews Professor of Law, making him the first chaired law professor at Notre Dame.

Recipients of the Murphy Fellowship are selected annually through a competitive written application process. This year’s fellows will have the chance to further engage in the study of law and religion, following in the footsteps of Professor Murphy, who was known not only for his expertise in contract law, but also for his dedication to legal education and Catholic intellectual tradition.

“The Notre Dame Law School is enriched, and our mission is enhanced, by the Murphy Fellows program,” said Richard Garnett, director of the Notre Dame Program on Church, State & Society. “Thanks to generous benefaction, we are able to provide financial support to high-achieving students with a demonstrated interest in, and commitment to, religious freedom and healthy church-state relations.”

The Murphy Fellowship underscores Notre Dame Law School’s commitment to advancing scholarship and practical experience in the area of law and religion, continuing the legacy of Edward J. Murphy, whose contributions to the legal field and the Law School remain significant.

Meet the 2024-25 Fellows

David Jordan earned his undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University. Jordan chose ND Law because he believed Notre Dame understands that thinking deeply about the law necessitates thinking deeply about what it means to flourish as a human being.

“Being an excellent lawyer is about more than being great at reading statutes and parsing case law; it is also about being relentlessly curious about the human experience and human condition. The faculty and student body at Notre Dame Law School embody that curiosity well. It's great to be in a learning environment where ideological diversity and meaningful disagreement can coexist with genuine friendship and mutual respect,” Jordan said.

Jordan has been interested in religious liberty because of his own story of conversion to Catholicism.

“I have always been passionate about religious liberty because I think debates about religious freedom get to the heart of liberal democracy itself,” Jordan said. “I'm incredibly excited for the chance to go deeper on the subject of religious freedom as a matter of law and public policy, and learn from so many of the premier scholars in the field here at Notre Dame.”

Catherine Kolesar earned her undergraduate degree from Villanova University. After speaking to several professors from Villanova and Notre Dame and a few ND Law students, she said it was clear that ND Law was the best fit for her.

“I chose ND Law because of its unparalleled commitment to the Catholic faith in legal education, its view of the law as a vocation, its strong community of students, and its extraordinary and caring faculty,” said Kolesar. “As a Murphy Fellow, I’m excited to explore issues facing religious liberty and to apply my legal education to serving the public good through the Religious Liberty Clinic. I’m especially excited to learn more about the intersection of religion, the law, and the common good from my peers and the faculty.

Maddie Kosobucki earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame. Finding a law school that prioritized faith and encouraged her to grow closer to God was a top priority when choosing a law school. Kosobucki wanted to challenge herself, learn from the best professors, and be a part of a supportive community.

“It quickly became clear to me that Notre Dame is the only school in the country that is authentically Catholic, academically rigorous, and community-oriented, so it was the obvious choice for me,” said Kosobucki.

“The Murphy Fellowship has been such a beautiful source of community, especially now that we have three cohorts. I am so excited to learn about and discuss important topics in law, religion, and society with like-minded students and professors. I also know the older fellows and professors will be wonderful role models for the next three years and beyond,” said Kosobucki.

Jack McEnery earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame. ND Law was especially appealing to him for two reasons. First, he was drawn to the Catholic character of the law school and the opportunities it affords to grow spiritually and personally alongside excellent academic formation. Second, Notre Dame has top-tier faculty who are particularly invested in their students' well-being, as well as a strong and supportive student community.

“I'm grateful and excited to be a Murphy Fellow because it has connected me with amazing people across all three grades and it allows me to develop my interest in religious liberty law,” said McEnery.

Originally published by Elyse Paul at religiousliberty.nd.edu on September 20, 2024.