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George Clooney Is Finally Settling Down -- With a Lawyer

By Gabriella Khorasanee, JD on April 30, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Oh happy day! We never thought we'd see George Clooney settle down, but we learned earlier this week that he got engaged -- to a lawyer! But she's not just any lawyer, she's pretty fancy one (and a barrister to boot).

And, when we say fancy, we don't just mean fancy looking -- Amal Alamuddin has one hell of a resume. Here are some of her impressive lawyerly accomplishments.

1. Education

Amal Alamuddin received her BA and LLB (law degree in the U.K.) at Oxford University, and came to the U.S., where she received an LLM at New York University. If that were not enough, she amassed scholarly awards while she was in school at both universities.

2. Law Clerk

Alamuddin has clerked for judges on both sides of the pond. She was judicial assistant to Judge Nabil Elaraby, and Sir Frank Berman QC, from 2004-2005 at the International Court of Justice. In the U.S., she clerked from then-Second Circuit judge (now Supreme Court Justice) Sonia Sotomayor, according to the ABA Journal.

3. Practice

Alamuddin is a barrister in England and Wales, and a member of the New York Bar. She is a human rights attorney, even worked in BigLaw at Sullivan & Cromwell for three years, and has worked on many high-profile cases including her representation of Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, reports Reuters.

4. Author & Scholar

According to her online bio, Alamuddin co-edited a book and has written many chapters and articles on the topic of international law and human rights. She's also taught and given lectures on the subject at schools in the U.S. and Europe, reports Forbes.

5. "Hottest Barrister"

Not really a legal feat, but it's amusing to note that last year she topped the list of the "Official 2013 Barrister Hottie List" -- even immensely impressive and intelligent women get objectified (insert eye rolling here).

If you were down on the profession lately, don't be. This little tidbit of Hollywood gossip is like a light at the end of the tunnel ... apparently, one of Hollywood's (former) most eligible bachelors likes smart women. Granted, we can't all be Ms. Alamuddin, but we'll take this as a win for women lawyers (and brunettes!).

What do you think of Ms. Alamuddin's credentials? Let us know on Facebook for FindLaw for Legal Professionals.

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