Class of 2020 First-Year Fellow: Alex Rounaghi ‘20

Alex Rounaghi '20 grew up in Laguna Beach, California where he graduated from Laguna Beach High School. In high school, he worked as Senator Feinstein’s U.S. Senate Page, served as the Secretary-General of the Model United Nations program, and founded Safe Rides Laguna Beach, a program that allows teenagers to have a safe ride home instead of driving in unsafe conditions. He also was involved in student government as Class President and received the award for Top Achievement in the Social Studies department. His passion for criminal justice began with his time as a Juvenile Justice Commissioner for Orange County.

At Dartmouth, Alex plans to major in Government and minor in Public Policy and possibly Urban Studies. He is involved in Great Issues Scholars, College Democrats, and the Dartmouth Law Journal.

As a First-Year Fellow, Alex interned in the Chambers of Judge John Mott ’81 at the District of Columbia Superior Court. As a judicial intern, he was primarily responsible for drafting legal orders for the judge to review and submit as well as researching certain legal issues on which he would write legal memorandums for the judge and clerk. 

According to Alex, the most rewarding aspect of his internship was watching Judge Mott handle a 7-day trial.  “It was fascinating for me to watch every day of it, from the beginning to the end.  I had the chance to hear the attorneys debate certain legal issues in hearings prior to the trial, read their opening and closing statements from both sides, and accounts from the witnesses.  After the jury made its decision, I was able to listen to the attorneys consult with the jury about how they could improve their performance in the future. Seeing the thought and effort that the jury put into the verdict gave me so much confidence in and appreciation for our legal system.  I also loved having the opportunity to ask Judge Mott both about his opinion on the legal issues at stake and on the performance and tactics of the different attorneys in the case.”

After graduation, Alex hopes to attend law school before pursuing a career as a prosecutor and public servant.