Legal Listening: More Perfect

My first introduction to podcasts was in my AP Biology class years ago. The science podcast, Radiolab, was full of wonder and fed my curiosity. It felt personal, like telling a story. And I could tune in wherever I was, while I did whatever I was doing.  

Many years later, I’ve listened to podcasts about all sorts of things: fashion, foreign policy, even wellness. But now, in my first year of law school, I’ve been using podcasts as a way to explore the legal landscape beyond the dense casebooks. And there is no better full-circle moment for me than a Radiolab spin-off, More Perfect.

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A Note to Public Interest-Minded Students

Entering law school with a focus on public interest can be a daunting process, especially at a school where the majority of students end up going into Big Law. You may have started school with the conviction that public interest was your calling – but what does it mean to engage in that kind of work? 

The diversity of paths within the public interest field can provide some comfort, but it can be overwhelming to navigate law school without a clear understanding of what this work really entails. It’s challenging to stay steadfast in your public interest passions when the first year of law school emphasizes concrete doctrinal teachings and does not elaborate on the abstract idea of what it is to be a lawyer. If you’ve found yourself questioning your goals or feeling lost on how to explore the broad field of public interest work, I want to offer some advice. 

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Get to Know the CSO: Jill Hwang

A career services advisor can be an amazing resource in law school as you navigate OCI, externships, clerkship applications, and more. However, it’s important that you find the advisor who can best help you reach your personal goals! To do so, follow along with this new series to learn about each CSO advisor at Boston College Law School. Here is our interview with Jill Hwang.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in law school, and how did you overcome it?

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Memo Week’s Secret Memo

Memo week came and went with the grace of a Vanderbilt train crash. While all LP students are told at the beginning of the semester what they can expect, memo week still manages to derail our priorities. Nevertheless, if we heed the lessons learned from this short period, we might be able to build healthy habits to avoid future pains.

Memo week tends to bring the first symptoms of stress to the forefront, and its showing is magnificently diverse. 

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Killers of the Flower Moon

The air is crisp. The leaves are brown. The days ever shorter. Amidst it all, the paperchase rumbles on. 

At this point in the semester, with the crucible of case readings, legal research, and memo writing taking its toll, I found myself delving into the core of why I chose a legal career. What about the law drives us law students to put up with such demands? I needed a reminder, and a recent screening of the “Killers of the Flower Moon,” the new movie by Martin Scorsese starring Leonardo DiCaprio, helped answer the question.

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Halloween is Here: The Best Law School Costumes

The Law Student Association is selling Halloween wristbands, so Spooky Season is officially upon us. If you’re scrambling for last-minute costume ideas, have no fear. These are classroom and bar crawl appropriate outfits that will set you apart from everyone else who decides to be Elle Woods or a Supreme Court Justice. 

Lexis Nexis Representative

Needs:

  1. Large Red Lexis Nexis Tumblr
  2. 1 Lexis Nexis highlighter in their pocket 
  3. 1 handful of assorted snacks 
  4. 1 Pocket Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (by Lexis, of course)

Stand outside the Law Library with a folding table for maximum costume authenticity. Since you’ll likely have most of these costume materials in your backpack, this costume can be assembled in less than five minutes on your way to class. 

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Embracing the Process

As 1L year advances, I find myself asking this question more and more: “What type of lawyer do I want to be?” Speaking to many of my peers, I am relieved to know that I am not alone in experiencing this repetitive self-inquiry—they too ask themselves this question almost daily. Though to be clear, by “type of lawyer,” I am not merely referring to a specific area of practice, but also to the values that I see myself striving to uphold as a practicing attorney. In attempting to answer this question, I tend to reflect on the emphasis that my professors place on applying a critical perspective to the cases and issues we explore both in class and in everyday life. Our job as lawyers in training, so it seems, is not just to understand the letter of the law, but also to understand the motivating forces behind the law, the law’s impact on the judicial process, and the law’s impact on society at large. Why did the court rule the way it did? What are the societal implications of the court’s ruling? Does the ruling complement or negate public policy? How should the court have ruled? 

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When Fall Comes to New England, Law School Can Wait (ish)

Before attending BC Law, I had spent next to zero time in New England. Years ago, I remembered listening to the song When Fall Comes to New England by Cheryl Wheeler on car rides with my dad. Once I came to Boston, I was determined to ensure that I could sing along after graduating without feeling like a fraud. As I finish my final semester here, I want to have no regrets about enjoying New England’s fall.

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LAHANAS: Welcome Back to Campus

Welcome back, BC Law students! We, the student directors of LAHANAS, wanted to re-introduce ourselves. 

LAHANAS is the student-led umbrella organization, open to all, with a particular focus on supporting BC Law’s affinity student groups, including:

  • Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA)
  • Black Law Students Association (BLSA)
  • Disability Law Students Association (DLSA)
  • Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA)
  • Lambda Law Students Association
  • Middle Eastern Law Students Association (MELSA)
  • Native American Law Students Association (NALSA)
  • South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA)

We are committed to addressing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging issues on campus and we work closely with Lisa Brathwaite, Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, all of the student affinity groups, the Career Services Office, the Academic Success Program and Academic & Student Services to ensure that BC Law is and feels like an inclusive and supportive community.

We want all BC Law students to feel comfortable and safe being their full selves, and we recognize the importance of having an intersectional and supportive network to rely on. Please do not hesitate to be in touch with us directly via email should you have any questions about who we are and how we can support you. Welcome back again, and we look forward to an exciting year ahead. 


Ali Shafi (3L), Jasmine Lee (3L), and Kristie-Valerie Hoang
LAHANAS Student Directors