Class of 2025: JD Grad Josh Roubik’s Law School Journey Rooted in People, Policy, and Purpose

From environmental engineering to environmental law, Class of 2025 JD graduate Josh Roubik has followed a path defined by curiosity, purpose and people. After earning his undergraduate degree in environmental engineering from Northern Arizona University, Roubik’s was inspired to pursue a law degree.  

“I am a nerd,” he says. “I became interested in policy and law through my volunteer experience with Citizens Climate Lobby, a nonprofit that lobbies Congress to pass climate change legislation. Then, I began listening to legal podcasts and fell in love with the law. I saw how the law impacted people’s lives through my volunteer work and saw the law as a way to make a difference. But candidly, I was also motivated by the idea that I could nerd out for three years.”   

At Arizona Law, he found the perfect environment to do just that.  

“I chose University of Arizona because the small class sizes allow you to know your professors and peers better than the bigger schools,” Roubik says. “Some of my best friends are the people I have shared classes with, and every class you walk into is filled with conversation and laughter before class.”  

It was that same close-knit community that supported Roubik through one of the most difficult times of his life—losing his mother just before the start of his second year.  

“The people at this school stepped up to care for me,” he recalls. “They made me dinner, took notes for me, were a shoulder to cry on, and generally did more for me than I ever could have asked. On the day of the funeral, they drove to Phoenix to be there and back for class in the afternoon. People I had known for less than a year dropped everything to be there for me. I will forever be grateful they were there for me in my lowest moments.” 

He’s also carried unforgettable memories of moments in the classroom, including being part of the final courses taught by legendary faculty members Professor Tom Mauet and Dean Emerita Toni Massaro. 

“On the last day of their classes, students organized celebrations for them. The fact that students, on two separate occasions, were willing to put in the work to show their professors how much they cared showed the kind of people at Arizona Law. They took the time to thank their professors in their wildly busy lives,” he says. “Looking at the crowd of people and seeing former students, family members, and current staff joining the celebrations was really special.” 

Among his favorite courses was Leadership and Judgment, taught by Associate Dean Teresa Miguel-Stearns and Professor of Practice Chris Gast. 

“Legal careers often require leadership, but there is no conversation about how to fill those roles well,” says Roubik. “This class got deep into the conversation and felt meaningful and important for our careers as attorneys.”   

He has learned that being a good and kind person can take you a long way in the legal profession.  

“Everyone who has gotten into law school is smart, and everyone can do the job you are applying for. The differentiating factor is how you make people feel,” he says.  

Outside the classroom, Roubik found that law school changed his approach to learning and connecting with others.  

“Law school has taught me to be curious and ask for help,” he says. “Everyone here has their niche, and there will always be topics I do not understand. Law school taught me to find the people who get it and ask for help.”  

As he prepares for graduation, Roubik offers thoughtful advice to incoming law students: “Pick one day of the week and take it off every week: no emails, reading (for school), or essays. I know this sounds impossible, but you can and should make it happen. Life does not stop because you are in law school.” 

After completing the bar exam, Roubik plans to celebrate with a snowboarding trip to Chile and then will clerk for Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer at the Arizona Supreme Court.  

Looking ahead, Roubik hopes to work for the Arizona Attorney General in environmental law—a field that brings together his love of nature, science, and administrative law. 

“I hope my work will help protect the natural spaces I love for my future kids and their kids to enjoy,” he says. “But I also hope that, in doing so, I can remind people to stop working and enjoy those spaces.”