Who Is Amal Alamuddin? George Clooney Marries British Attorney In Star-Studded Wedding

Ever since George Clooney, 53, and Amal Alamuddin, 36, announced their engagement in April, fans have been wondering what it is about Alamuddin that turned the actor from Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor into the marrying kind. The two were first romantically linked in October 2013 when they were spotted out together in London. In March, Clooney went to Dubai to visit Alamuddin’s family, and “they felt at ease with him immediately,” People reported.

Clooney proposed to Alamuddin on April 22, though it was not confirmed until six days later. On Saturday, they wed in front of celebrity friends and family members in Venice, Italy. Alamuddin wore a custom-made Oscar de la Renta lace wedding dress that was hand-embroidered with pearls and featured a large circular train, while Clooney wore a custom-made Giorgio Armani tuxedo.

So who is Alamuddin?

Family and Hometown

Alamuddin was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Ramzi Alauddin and Bariaa Alamuddin. Her father is a retired professor of business studies at the American University of Beirut, and her mother is a foreign editor of the Pan-Arab newspaper al-Hayat. Alamuddin has three other siblings, and the family moved to London when she was 2.

Education

Alamuddin attended an all-girls grammar school in Little Chalfont, Buckinhanshire, before studying at St. Hugh’s College. In 2000, she graduated with a B.A. in Jurisprudence. By 2001, she was at the New York University School of Law pursuing her Master of Law degree.

Career

After working in New York City for three years at Sullivan & Cromwell, Alamuddin returned to the U.K., and by 2010, she became a British attorney at Doughty Street Chambers, specializing in international law, criminal law, human rights and extradition. While she and Clooney tried to keep their engagement a secret, her law firm issued a statement about it to Reuters in April. “The barristers and staff of Doughty Street Chambers offer their best wishes and congratulations to Ms. Amal Alamuddin, a member of Chambers, and Mr. George Clooney on their engagement to be married.”

She's not only a lawyer but also a published author. Alamuddin was the co-editor of a book titled “The Law and Practice of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.” She also wrote several articles on international criminal law published by Oxford University Press, according to ABC.

Languages

Amaluddin is fluent in English, Arabic and French.