Why Amal Alamuddin Was Named The 'Most Fascinating Person' of 2014 By Barbara Walters; Lawyer Is Much More Than Just George Clooney's Wife

Every year journalist Barbara Walters names her “10 Most Fascinating People of the Year” in an annual ABC television special. The 2014 event aired Sunday and the number one spot on the list was someone most people had never even heard of until this year – George Clooney’s new wife, Amal Alamuddin. However, Amal Alamuddin has a lot more going for her than just a marriage to a famous actor.

Amal Alamuddin, or now known as Amal Clooney, is a high profile barrister in London who attended Oxford University for undergrad as well as New York University for Law School She currently works at Doughty Street Chambers in London where, according to her company profile page, she specializes in international law, human rights, extradition and criminal law. The lawyer has worked on many high profile cases, including representing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in extradition proceedings in Sweden. Clooney is also fluent in Arabic and French.

Hopefully, her impressive professional resume contributed to her title as “Most Fascinating Person” of 2014 and not just her tabloid-fodder marriage to George Clooney. However, snagging the popular leading man was somewhat of a coup in itself. Clooney had famously been a self-proclaimed lifelong bachelor, ironically telling Barbara Waters in a 1995 interview that he would never marry again after a failed marriage in the early 1990s. Obviously, Alamuddin changed his mind. The couple were married in September.

George Clooney may be an Oscar-winning filmmaker and philanthropist, but he may have met his match with his new wife, whose resume looks a lot more like “Most Fascinating Person of the Year” alum Hillary Clinton than the profile of a Hollywood starlet. Amal Clooney earns the title this year not by marrying George Clooney, but by outshining him – the smitten husband would probably agree.

Why do you think Amal Clooney was named the “Most Fascinating Person” of 2014? Tweet your thoughts to @Ja9GarofaloTV.