Editor’s Note: Nirav Bhatt is the incoming President of the Boston College Law Students Association. Much like his predecessor, Nirav embodies the very best qualities that BC Law students have to offer. As his classmate, LSA colleague, and intramural basketball teammate, I can personally attest to the ways he pushes those around him to better both themselves and the BC community as a whole. In keeping with the Drake theme of this post’s title, he is and has been Steph Curry with the shot in all conceivable situations. Without further ado or musical references, I am very pleased to present… 

If You’re Reading This You Should Commit to Boston College Law School

by Nirav Bhatt, President, Boston College Law Students Association 2015-16

Recently a Boston College football recruit received this letter from the school, which is written in the same font as and in reference to If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, Drake’s latest album. I hope that after you read this you make the commitment to BC Law. It’s always a great day to be an Eagle!

Congratulations on your acceptance, and welcome to Boston College Law School!

Over these next three years you will embark on a legal journey that will be challenging, exciting, and intellectually stimulating. I am confident that your experience here will be most rewarding.

What makes BC Law unique, above all else, is our community. Every year Boston College Law assembles a diverse student body consisting of different backgrounds, world views, and walks of life.

At the same time, each individual here is committed to building one community. A professional and collegial community created by all of us, for all of us. A community where your fellow classmates don’t have to lose for you to win at BC Law. Indeed, like every other law school, Boston College Law is competitive; however, not to a fault. There is a sense of healthy competition and a willingness to help each other out when the going gets tough.

If you happen to miss a class, a classmate in your section will send you his or her notes — even if you didn’t ask for it. If you’re stuck on a cold call by a professor, the person sitting to your left and right will be whispering the right answer to save the day. If you’re looking for an outline for a class, your 2L/3L mentor will scorch the earth to find you the perfect one.

And if you’re going to a Bar Review (monthly social outings during which libations are served), chances are that you will be sharing a drink with those very people who gave you the notes, told you the right answers during class, and found an outline for you. Whether in class or off campus, your fellow BC Law peers will be there to support you through the roller coaster that is law school.

BC Law is a community where you can also find your niche and professional identity through personal experience. We have over forty student organizations that allow students with different interests to make a change at BC Law and beyond. My involvement with the Law Students Association and South Asian Law Students Association has been wonderful, and through such platforms I’ve had the opportunity to plan and attend cultural events and academic panels, learn from fellow classmates through their life experiences within and beyond the legal realm, and build a network with legal practitioners around the country.

Through involvement I’ve also been able to appreciate Boston College Law’s school spirit, whether by participating in the Public Interest Law Foundation’s Beantown Basketball Shootout against that “other school” (BU Law), or by bidding for a brunch with my favorite professors at the annual Public Interest Law Foundation Auction, with proceeds funding stipends for students working in public interest positions over the summer.

Boston College Law has seriously invested in initiatives that enable students to gain real, practical experience in the legal community as well. For instance, BC Law’s recent partnership with the prestigious Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy, which provides educational programs, career mentoring, and financial support to BC law students interested in government and public policy, is proof that the institution is constantly looking to enhance the student experience.

In addition, the newly established Center for Experiential Learning provides services ranging from civil litigation to externships at major law firms, courthouses, businesses, and non-profits, to participation in oral advocacy programs. I participated in the Judge and Community Courts clinic, where I had an opportunity to observe and work for a judge in the Boston Municipal Court as a clerk for a semester. As a student who never stepped inside the courtroom before, my experience and relationship with the Judge was invaluable and insightful.

Law school can be daunting. Students fear not only for their ability to succeed while in school, but for their prospects and legal future after law school. There will be times when you are on the treadmill of law school life — running fast just to stand still. BC Law will prepare you to be a well-rounded, poised individual ready to face these obstacles – one who is properly educated, personable, and professional.

I ask that you trust in your fellow classmates, professors, and the institution that is Boston College Law School. I did, and as a result I’ve had two amazing, memorable years to show for it. That’s what makes BC Law different, and that’s what makes BC Law special.

Nirav Bhatt is a 2L at Boston College Law School and the incoming President of the Boston College Law Students Association. He is currently an LSA Representative for the 2L class, the President of the Boston College South Asian Law Students Association, and a Teaching Assistant for Professor Brodin’s Civil Procedure class. Last year he served as an LSA Representative for his 1L section. To contact him, email him at bhattn@bc.edu or leave him a message in the comments below.