You have to skip to the second page of Google search to find the first non-fashion related article about Amal Alamuddin-Clooney. And in almost every piece involving her (including this one, ironically), you are bound to find her marriage to George Clooney within the first couple of sentences.
But while she might have been brought to the public eye through the American celebrity, the Lebanese lawyer earned international acclaim long before she put a ring on her finger.
The public rarely looks beyond her marital status and her total-fashion-queen status, forgetting that Clooney is an accomplished woman who has directly impacted the lives of many people all over the world.
1. She graduated with honors from two of the most prestigious law schools
Clooney attended St. Hugh’s College in Oxford on scholarship and graduated with a Shrigley Award . She then received a Masters degree from New York University, earning an award for excellence in entertainment law.
2. She worked at one of the top-ranked law firms in the world
3. She has represented many high-profile personalities
Including the founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange, a former prime minister of Ukraine, a former President of the Maldives and Egyptian journalist Mohamed Fahmy .
4. She represents entire countries
Apart from individual clients, Clooney has legally represented countries like Armenia and Greece .
5. She is a notable scholar
Clooney is the co-editor of a book called "The Law and Practice of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon". She has also written many book chapters and articles on international criminal law published by Oxford University Press.
Additionally, she has lectured on criminal law at many academic institutions and is currently a visiting faculty member at Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute.
6. She serves at the UN
Clooney has served as an adviser to former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, a joint special envoy of the UN and the Arab League on Syria and a counsel to the UN's inquiry into the use of drones. She is also a legal adviser to the head of a UN commission investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and other terrorist attacks in Lebanon.
7. She is a champion of human rights
Her most recent case was that of an ISIS sex-slavery survivor from Iraq, who she legally represents. Clooney has partaken in philanthropic initiatives like sending one female student from Lebanon to Armenia's United World College each year and educating Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Additionally, she has stood up for minorities and demanded that ISIS and Turkey's genocides against Yazidis in Iraq and Armenians, respectively, be officially acknowledged.
8. She isn't afraid to call out silly reporters
When asked about her outfit before a trial last year, Clooney replied, “I’m wearing Ede & Ravenscroft,” referring to a famous English company that makes legal robes.