Heather Haratsis never imagined she’d spend the last three years in Nebraska.
A Fort Worth, Texas, native and Texas A&M alumna, Haratsis originally applied only to law schools in her home state. But a waived application fee — and a personal phone call from the University of Nebraska College of Law — changed everything.
“I always like to joke that luck brought me to Nebraska,” Haratsis said. “It was the only school that called to tell me I was accepted. That personal connection meant something. And once I visited, I fell in love with the community.”
On May 3, Haratsis will graduate from Nebraska Law, closing a chapter that began unexpectedly but quickly became transformative. Along the way to her juris doctorate, she found more than a legal education — she discovered a passion for litigation, built lifelong friendships, and found a second home in Lincoln.
At Nebraska Law, Haratsis fully immersed herself in student life. She served as vice president of the third-year class' Student Bar Association, contributed to the Nebraska Law Review, and was a leader in the Inclusive Leadership Fellows program. She also helped launch the college's Nebraska Journal on Advancing Justice while serving on the board of another journal.
I don’t like just sitting still. And I was on a mission to give back to Nebraska Law everything it was giving to me.
“I don’t like just sitting still,” Haratsis said. “And I was on a mission to give back to Nebraska Law everything it was giving to me.”
One of her most meaningful experiences came through the Community Legal Education Project, an outreach initiative that teaches local students about the law. Haratsis helped deliver classroom talks on the Constitution and led mock trials — including one memorable case that put Goldilocks on trial for breaking into the three bears’ home.
After one presentation, a young girl stayed behind to ask how she could become a lawyer.
“That moment stuck with me,” Haratsis said. “She was so curious and incredibly bright. Being able to plant that seed of possibility — it was powerful.”
Throughout her time at Nebraska Law, Haratsis found herself surrounded by faculty who went the extra mile. Professor Kristen Blankley encouraged her to enter — and ultimately, win — a national scholarly writing competition held by the American Bar Association. Associate Professor Steve Schmidt coached her and the college’s trial team to a regional victory, even dedicating weekends to their preparation. And Gus Hurwitz, now at the University of Pennsylvania, gave her a moment of confidence early on in a first-year torts class.
“It was the first time I really felt like I got it,” she said. “Like law was something I could actually be good at.”
That talent shines through in her recent article on Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, a U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned Chevron deference. Her analysis, set to be published in May in the Nebraska Law Review, argues that while the ruling shifts power away from federal agencies, the real-world impact on judicial review may remain limited.
“Judges still value expertise,” Haratsis said. “But the decision potentially opens the door to more judicial activism.”
Outside the classroom, Haratsis built what she calls a “chosen family” — a core group of close friends who dubbed themselves the “Adverse Possessors,” a nod to a property law concept. In a rigorous academic environment, that sense of community made all the difference.
“We celebrate each other’s wins and push each other to be better,” she said. “That’s rare in a competitive space like law school. But at Nebraska Law, I’ve found that kind of support everywhere. It makes this a special place.”
After graduation, Haratsis will clerk for Judge Michael W. Pirtle at the Nebraska Court of Appeals. She sees the opportunity as a moment to reflect, refine and grow before fully diving into civil litigation.
“I want to keep learning. I want to get close to being the best brief writer, the best oral advocate I can be,” she said. “Watching appellate arguments and reading briefs — that’s how I’ll keep getting better.”
And while a Nebraska Law degree opens doors across the country, Haratsis is hoping to stay right where she is.
“I came here by chance, but I stayed because of the people and the incredible opportunities I found at Nebraska Law,” she said. “Coming to Nebraska has been the best decision I’ve ever made.”
