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 distinguished British-Lebanese international human rights lawyer known for her representation of high-profile clients like Julian Assange, Nadia Murad, and Maria Ressa. Her work extends to serving as an adjunct law professor at Columbia Law School and holding appointments with the United Nations and the UK government. In 2016, she co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice with her husband, George Clooney. Her career highlights her commitment to advocating for human rights and justice on a global scale.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

February 1978: Born in Beirut, Lebanon

On February 3, 1978, Amal Alamuddin, now Amal Clooney, was born in Beirut, Lebanon.

Others born on this day/year

1991: Father returned to Lebanon

In 1991, one year after the Lebanese Civil War ended, Amal Clooney's father, Ramzi Alamuddin, returned to Lebanon after receiving his MBA degree.

2000: Graduated from St Hugh's College, Oxford

In 2000, Amal Clooney graduated with a BA degree in Jurisprudence from St Hugh's College, Oxford, where she was awarded an exhibition grant and the Shrigley Award.

2002: Admitted to the New York bar

In 2002, Amal Clooney was admitted to the bar in New York, qualifying her to practice law in the United States.

2004: Completed judicial clerkship

In 2004, Amal Clooney completed a judicial clerkship at the International Court of Justice, serving under Judge Vladlen S. Vereshchetin from Russia, Judge Nabil Elaraby from Egypt, and ad hoc Judge Sir Franklin Berman from the United Kingdom.

2010: Called to the Bar of England and Wales

In 2010, Amal Clooney was called to the Bar of England and Wales, Inner Temple, solidifying her qualification to practice law in the UK.

July 2013: First meeting with George Clooney

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

April 2014: Engagement to George Clooney

On April 28, 2014, Amal Clooney became engaged to American actor George Clooney, whom she had first met in July 2013.

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 married George Clooney at Ca' Farsetti in Venice, in a ceremony officiated by Walter Veltroni.

October 2014: Bought the Mill House

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

2015: Visiting faculty member at Columbia Law School

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

2016: Co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice

In 2016, Amal Clooney and her husband, George Clooney, co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) to protect human rights globally, providing free legal support to victims of human rights abuses.

February 2017: Reported pregnancy

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

June 2017: Birth of twins

In June 2017, Amal Clooney gave birth to fraternal twins, Ella and Alexander.

September 2017: Reporting on the murders of ten Rohingya men

In September 2017, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Burmese journalists for Reuters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, reported on the murders of ten Rohingya men by the Buddhist villagers and Myanmar paramilitary police in the village of Inn Din.

2017: Awarded grant to Southern Poverty Law Center

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

2018: Pledged funds to March for Our Lives and donated to Young Center

In 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, the Clooneys pledged $500,000 to the March for Our Lives and donated $100,000 to the Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights.

2020: Donated to Lebanese charities

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

2020: Donated to coronavirus relief efforts

In 2020, the Clooneys donated $1 million to coronavirus relief efforts, supporting the NHS, The Lebanese Food Bank, and The Mill at Sonning Theatre.

2022: Launched '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.