From Advocacy to Action: Hannah Romoff ’28 Begins Her Legal Journey

Hannah Romoff’s journey to William & Mary Law School is one defined by purpose, compassion, and vision. Before law school, she attended Carnegie Mellon University, where she earned a degree in decision science and minored in politics and public policy. This unique combination of disciplines taught her to think critically about the ways people make decisions and how institutions shape them. It also sparked her curiosity about the connections between law, policy, and human behavior.

Hannah’s passion for making a difference sparked early. At just 18, she began working with individuals with disabilities as a direct support professional at Allegiant Human Services in Pittsburgh. She helped clients find jobs, gain independence, and engage with their communities. Since then, she has woven her passion for helping others into a variety of professional roles. In Washington, D.C., she interned at a national disability advocacy organization, where she focused on educating people and spreading awareness of disability issues. In another role, Hannah aided in drafting disability policy within the Washington, D.C. government. These opportunities strengthened her belief that lasting change begins with both understanding and action.

Hannah’s academic journey culminated in a senior honors thesis that merged her interest in law with her passion for disability justice. Titled “The Intersection Between Intellectual Disability and Capital Punishment from a Constitutional Lens,” her research explored the vulnerabilities faced by individuals with intellectual disabilities in the justice system and highlighted the importance of constitutional protections like the Eighth Amendment.

“The goal of my thesis was to better understand and raise awareness for the vulnerabilities of those with intellectual disabilities as applied to the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution so that those gaps may hopefully be addressed over time,” she explains.

Now a first-year law student at William & Mary, Hannah is eager to continue building on these experiences. Though the path ahead is still unfolding, one thing remains certain: Hannah’s dedication to advancing disability justice will guide her wherever her career takes her — and her story is only just beginning.