Early Life and Education of Amal Clooney: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Amal Clooney. A timeline of key moments.

Amal Clooney is a highly respected British international human rights lawyer known for her dedication to advocating for victims of human rights abuses. She has represented numerous high-profile clients, including political figures like former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed and former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Furthermore, she has championed the rights of journalists and activists, such as Julian Assange, Maria Ressa, Khadija Ismayilova, Mohamed Fahmy, and Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad. Her work has made a significant impact on international law and human rights advocacy.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

February 1978: Amal Alamuddin born in Beirut

In February 1978, Amal Alamuddin was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to a Lebanese Druze father and a Sunni Muslim mother.

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February 1978: Amal Clooney Born

In February 1978, Amal Clooney, née Alamuddin, was born. She would become a British international human rights lawyer known for representing high-profile clients.

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1991: Ramzi Alamuddin returns to Lebanon

In 1991, Ramzi Alamuddin, Amal Clooney's father, returned to Lebanon one year after the Lebanese Civil War ended, having received his MBA degree at the American University of Beirut.

2000: Graduation from St Hugh's College

In 2000, Amal Clooney graduated from St Hugh's College, Oxford with a BA degree in Jurisprudence. During her time there, she received an exhibition grant and the Shrigley Award.

July 2013: First met George Clooney

In July 2013, Amal Clooney first met American actor George Clooney through a mutual friend.

April 2014: Engaged to George Clooney

On April 28, 2014, Amal Clooney became engaged to American actor George Clooney.

August 2014: Obtained Marriage Licenses

On August 7, 2014, Amal Clooney and George Clooney obtained marriage licenses in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London.

September 2014: Married George Clooney in Venice

On September 27, 2014, Amal Clooney and George Clooney were married at Ca' Farsetti in Venice, Italy, in a ceremony officiated by Walter Veltroni.

October 2014: Bought Mill House in Sonning Eye

In October 2014, Amal and George Clooney bought the Mill House on an island of the River Thames at Sonning Eye for around £10 million.

2015: Visiting Faculty Member at Columbia Law School

Starting in 2015, Amal Clooney became a visiting faculty member and senior fellow at Columbia Law School's Human Rights Institute. There, she co-taught the Human Rights Course with Professor Sarah H. Cleveland.

2016: Clooney Foundation for Justice Co-founded

In 2016, Amal Clooney and her husband, George Clooney, co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice. The organization aims to advance justice through accountability for human rights abuses around the world.

2016: Co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice

In 2016, Amal Clooney co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) with her husband, George Clooney. The Foundation provides free legal aid in defense of free speech and women’s rights in over 40 countries. CFJ focuses on two initiatives: TrialWatch and Waging Justice for Women.

February 2017: Pregnancy Reported

In February 2017, it was reported on the American television talk show The Talk that Amal Clooney was pregnant with twins.

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June 2017: Birth of Twins

In June 2017, Amal Clooney gave birth to fraternal twins: a girl named Ella and a boy named Alexander.

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September 2017: Murders of Rohingya Men by Buddhist Villagers

In September 2017, ten Rohingya men were murdered by Buddhist villagers and Myanmar paramilitary police in the village of Inn Din.

2017: $1 Million Grant to Southern Poverty Law Center

In 2017, the Clooneys awarded a $1 million grant to the Southern Poverty Law Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, aimed at combating hate groups in America.

2018: Donations Following Stoneman Douglas Shooting

In 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, the Clooneys pledged $500,000 to the March for Our Lives and said they would be in attendance. They also donated $100,000 to the Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights.

2020: Donation to Lebanese Charities After Beirut Explosion

In 2020, Amal and George Clooney donated $100,000 to three Lebanese charities, the Lebanese Red Cross, Impact Lebanon, and Baytna Baytak, to help provide aid to those affected by the explosion in Beirut.

2020: $1 Million Donation to Coronavirus Relief Efforts

In 2020, the Clooneys donated $1 million to coronavirus relief efforts, including donations to the NHS, The Lebanese Food Bank, and The Mill at Sonning Theatre to help them through the pandemic.

2022: Launched the 'Get Her There' Campaign

In 2022, Amal Clooney, along with Michelle Obama and Melinda French Gates, launched the 'Get Her There' campaign that seeks to catalyse educating and empowering teenage females.

2022: Partnership with Obama Foundation and Melinda French Gates

In 2022, the Clooney Foundation for Justice partnered with the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance and Melinda French Gates to advance gender equality and reduce levels of child marriage worldwide.

2023: Clooney Commented on St Hugh's

In 2023, Amal Clooney made a public statement expressing her gratitude to St Hugh's College for the opportunities and education she received, emphasizing the impact it had on her legal career.

2025: Visiting Faculty Member at Columbia Law School

From 2015 to 2025, Amal Clooney was a visiting faculty member and senior fellow at Columbia Law School's Human Rights Institute. There, she co-taught the Human Rights Course with Professor Sarah H. Cleveland.