CCAS and GW Law alumnus Jeffrey Gorsky, B.A. ‘74, J.D. ‘77, reflects on his 36-year career with the State Department and shares how his roots in the GW area shaped his professional and post-retirement pursuits. Jeffrey now dedicates his time to teaching and writing and has served as a mentor for Law students.
'At law school, I learned that one of the most important factors in law is equity. Both in law and diplomacy, it is important to reach a result that is not just supported by precedent but is the fairest path available, and to also focus on narrative–justifying decisions by telling a clear and sympathetic story.'
Jeffrey Gorsky
B.A. ‘74, J.D. ‘77
Where did you grow up, and how has your background influenced you today?
I spent much of my life in the GW area. I was born in Columbia Hospital on 25th and L St, went to high school in Silver Spring, got my B.A. and J.D. at GW, then spent 36 years working in Foggy Bottom at the State Department (although as a foreign service officer I also served in Medellin and Bogota, Colombia during the Pablo Escobar years, as well as Bilbao, Spain, and Havana, Cuba).
Did you receive a scholarship at GW? How did it help you succeed?
I had an almost full undergraduate scholarship. I was the first generation in my family to attend college. My grandparents were immigrants from Ukraine–one was a sweat shop sewer and the other a delivery truck driver. My father's only criteria for what school to choose was that it had to cost the same as the University of Maryland, and with my scholarship, GW met that standard.
Tell us about your current professional role and how it excites you.
After 36 years in the State Department and five years as Senior Counsel for the immigration law firm BAL, I’m now officially a retiree. I love that I can now focus on teaching and writing. I wrote a history of the Jews of Spain, titled Exiles in Sepharad: The Jewish Millenium in Spain, and I teach that history. I’ve also written a sci-fi novel titled The Dark Forever, a space opera about dark matter and the Kabbalah, which is scheduled for a July 2026 release.
What accomplishment are you most proud of personally or professionally and why?
At the State Department, I was an expert on immigration law and even received a Superior Honor award for writing a regulation that allowed diplomats to bring in their same-sex partners, working around the legal prohibition at the time against recognizing same-sex marriages. I also got the President's Award from the International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigator's Association for writing a rule that allowed for visa restrictions on members of criminal bike gangs.
What is your only-at-GW moment? In other words, what is an experience/opportunity you believe GW provided you access to?
I was always a big film buff, and GW's location was great for a film education. It was walking distance from the AFI–then located in the Kennedy Center–and from theaters that specialized in repertory and art films, such as the Circle Theater, which was owned by the Pedas brothers who would produce the Coen Brother movies, the Biograph and the Key. Alex Trebek once told me that my wife let me watch too many movies!
What is a piece of advice you would offer to students seeking to pursue your field of work?
At law school, I learned that one of the most important factors in law is equity. Both in law and diplomacy, it is important to reach a result that is not just supported by precedent but is the fairest path available, and to also focus on narrative–justifying decisions by telling a clear and sympathetic story.
Was there a standout course, professor, or organization from your time as a student that inspired your career path?
I was an English Major and my favorite teacher was Judith Plotz, who gave me a great background on 19th century literature. While it had no direct influence on my career as an immigration lawyer, both with the State Department and private practice, or as a diplomat and foreign service officer, it did help when I turned to writing history and fiction.
Is there anything you’d like to share with the GW community?
I'm married to a Brazilian and have two daughters with advanced degrees (but not from GW–they grew up in Arlington and GW was too close to home for them). I also speak Spanish and Portuguese.
How do you give back to the GW community?
I mentored several GW law students.
What is a fun fact about you that you'd like to share?
I was a winner on the Kennedy High School It's Academic team, and went on in the mid-90s to win on Jeopardy.