Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Lynne Boomgaarden
Chief Justice Lynne Boomgaarden of the Wyoming Supreme Court will deliver this year’s
commencement address for the University of Wyoming College of Law Saturday, May 16,
at 10 a.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts.
Seventy-eight students are scheduled to receive their law degrees during the ceremony.
Boomgaarden began her legal journey as a student at UW’s College of Law, earning her
juris doctor degree with honors in 1991. Since then, her distinguished career -- including
private practice, academia, public service and the judiciary -- has demonstrated her
commitment to excellence in the legal profession.
Following graduation, Boomgaarden clerked for Judge Wade Brorby of the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the 10th Circuit before practicing law at Holland & Hart LLP and Crowley
Fleck LLP. She also served as an assistant professor at UW’s College of Law.
From 2003-2010, Boomgaarden was the director of the Wyoming Office of State Lands
and Investments, overseeing about 4 million acres of state trust land and chairing
the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
She was appointed to the Wyoming Supreme Court in 2018 and became chief justice in
2025.
Boomgaarden passionately supports the rule of law, access to justice, the UW College of Law and all things related to rodeo and the outdoors.
