Every year since 2007, the American Constitution Society (ACS) has recognized recent and forthcoming law school graduates through its Next Generation Leaders (NGL) program. For the first time in the program’s history, two Michigan Law students have been chosen for the same class: Jonah Abraham and Kirby Goodman join a cohort of 23 Next Generation Leaders selected from across the country.
Abraham and Goodman have worked side by side as co-presidents of the ACS chapter at Michigan Law, demonstrating strong leadership skills and a desire to make a positive impact in their communities.
“Jonah and Kirby are both high-energy organizers,” said Professor Barbara McQuade, ’91, faculty adviser to the Michigan Law chapter of ACS. “I have been proud of their efforts to create opportunities for classmates to connect with judges and lawyers who share their goals to use the law to improve the lives of others. I am confident that they will each continue to use their legal skills to advance causes of social justice.”
The selection of Abraham and Goodman also marks the fourth consecutive year that students hailing from Michigan Law will participate in the NGL program: Betsy Knox, ’26, was a member of the 2025 cohort; Arthur Etter, ’25, was a member of the 2024 cohort; and Zach Gan, ’24, was a member of the 2023 cohort.
Jonah Abraham
With a background in business analytics and data science, Abraham worked as a technology software consultant before entering law school. When ChatGPT became publicly accessible in late 2022, Abraham began to question the legal implications of the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
When considering AI, “you can think about everything from IT problems to labor, energy, and the environment,” he said. “It spans the whole breadth of the law. That’s why I pivoted [my career], and I knew immediately, even before I visited, that Michigan Law was at the top of my list.”
At the Law School, Abraham has served as co-president of the ACS chapter and vice president of the Artificial Intelligence Law and Policy Society. He also is an executive online editor for the Michigan Law Review and conducts tours for prospective students; he previously was a leader in the First Year Information (FYI) program and participated in the Campbell Moot Court Competition, finishing as a semifinalist.
When he learned he was named to this year’s class of NGLs, he was thrilled.
“I take my participation in ACS very seriously,” said Abraham. “When I came to Michigan Law for Preview Weekend, it was the first organization that I went to for their recruiting event. I was already very passionate about their stance on the rule of law and about building a progressive network of lawyers in law schools and across the legal field. So, to be recognized as a Next Generation Leader feels rewarding; it’s something I’ve been working toward for the past couple of years. Also, Kirby has been the perfect co-president; she made the job easy.”
This summer, Abraham is working as a summer associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (WilmerHale) in Washington, DC, focusing on litigation. He also has been selected to serve on the national ACS board.
Kirby Goodman
Goodman earned her undergraduate degree in peace and conflict studies from Colgate University, which offered her an interdisciplinary look at systems of violence, conflict, injustice, and inequity. After graduation, she worked as a paralegal at Ropes & Gray LLP in New York, where associates from Michigan Law influenced her move to Ann Arbor for her own legal education.
“Michigan Law’s ACS chapter was the first thing I got involved with on campus as a 1L,” said Goodman. “There are so many student organizations on campus doing amazing work, so it’s been really cool to get to partner with them through ACS.”
She also came to Michigan Law wanting to write on to a journal, because she believes in “the power of publication and of writing as a form of change-making.” She joined the Michigan Law Review and now is its managing editor for production. She also is a member of the Women Law Students Association, the Jewish Law Students Association, and If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Rights. In addition, she served on the Campbell Moot Court board and as an FYI program leader.
Last summer, Goodman served as a judicial intern to the Hon. Ann Donnelly on the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Currently, she is a summer associate at Ropes & Gray in the firm’s litigation enforcement group, on the same floor where she sat as a paralegal.
“I am thinking about clerkships after I graduate, but so far I’ve had a really great summer and have been really enjoying getting to be back at a place where I started my career,” she said.
When Goodman learned she was selected for the ACS NGL program alongside her co-president, Abraham, she felt excited and proud. “Michigan Law has totally built my confidence. My time here so far has helped me feel worthy of this and other opportunities to come.”
About the ACS Next Generation Leaders program
Participants in the NGL program will spend the next year engaging in quarterly training and career advancement calls, attending select press and donor calls, and having access to special events as well as individualized support from ACS staff.
There are now more than 400 NGLs, with many NGL alums contributing to the network’s strength as lawyer chapter leaders, authors of blog posts and other substantive contributions, and advisers to the organization in its continuing efforts to provide valuable opportunities to its members.
Banner image: Rising 3Ls Jonah Abraham and Kirby Goodman served as co-presidents of the American Constitution Society at Michigan Law, and now both have been chosen as Next Generation Leaders.