Niece May For President

/ Caroline Reilly / Leave a comment

I am thrilled and honored to be hosting this guest blog today from 2L Mousa Al-Mosawy on the impact of this incredibly important election.

My niece, May, is a witty six-year-old girl who just entered the first grade of elementary at the American Community School in Jordan. Even though she lives in the Middle East, May is an American citizen. Usually, I get to see May on Skype or over her summer holiday when she comes to the United States. We talk about everything from her school activities to new Disney releases to questions about my disability and wheelchair. Watching a child grow and communicate, in different ways, is a true wonder. May is curious yet cautious, she opens topics by asking pointed questions and forms an opinion based on the responses. In our last Skype session, my sister, Nour, told me about a conversation she had with May. It went something like this:

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Crime Documentaries: Are They Really Helping?

/ Ryan Murphy / 1 Comment

I’m happy to be able to host a guest blog today from first-year student Christina Sonageri.

Technology has changed the way we do a lot of things—including the way we stream content. With the advent of platforms like Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime and Hulu, society has access to movies and shows at the click of a button. The change in how we are able to watch has helped to facilitate a more efficient way for producers and writers to share their stories.

One genre that I think has really flourished as a result is the crime documentary. Now, even when I hear the word “documentary,” my mind begins to swirl with mug shots of Steven Avery, the subject of Netflix’s Making a Murderer series, and images of the countless other subjects whose faces define the genre. Every time a new crime story is released, it seems it’s the only thing that anyone can talk about.

However, growing up the daughter of two lawyers initially made me skeptical of anyone who was trying to fit a whole case into just a few hours of television or film. So I decided to sit down and explore whether these types of documentaries are helpful or detrimental to the people involved in the crime—and what their impact on society’s faith in the justice system might be.

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Dream Big: The Forbes’ Under 30 Summit

/ Venus Chui / Leave a comment

I’m pleased to be able to host a guest blog today by second-year student Leah Herscovici, who attended the recent Under 30 Summit event in Boston.

Boston is known for many things: it’s the city that helped spark a revolution, that holds the sound of Paul Revere’s mighty cry, that is the birth place of political upheaval. It is also the home of thousands upon thousands of Millennials (otherwise known as those who will one day take over the world).

Currently populating colleges and businesses across the nation, Millennials are the people who are holding the latest iPhone, know the difference between Uber and Lyft, and can sometimes repeat stories in 120 characters or less. These people are the driving force behind new ideas and innovations that are constantly appearing online, offline, and on platforms we have yet to even imagine.

For a weekend and one day, I was able to submerge myself among these amazing professionals during Forbes’ Under 30 Summit held in the tech-savvy center of Boston from October 16-19. More than 5,000 young professionals flocked to the massive event to join the many panels and discussions revolving around new media, professionalism in the 21st century, and how to make the next coolest gadget.

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These Shows May Not Have Been Written For You, But It’d Be Super Cool If You Watched Anyway

/ Charlene Ochogo / Leave a comment

We’re coming up on the 60th anniversary of the television becoming a staple in American homes. And I can’t be the only one who’s noticed the spectacularly colorful fall line-up of shows this year.

Marvel’s Luke Cage (Netflix). Insecure (HBO). Atlanta (FX).

But I’m already fearful for these shows’ longevity. Because there are some who feel uncomfortable by their very existence.

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History in the Making

/ Charlene Ochogo / Leave a comment

I’m very excited to host a guest blog from a go-getter BC Law 1L, Brianna Marshall. She is originally from central Pennsylvania, and graduated from Bucknell University in 2015 with a degree in Animal Behavior and a French minor. During her gap year, Brianna lived in New York City, working for several nonprofits dedicated to food policy and global hunger. At BC Law, Brianna is now a 1L Section Representative for the Art Law Society and a Staff Writer for the Intellectual Property and Technology Forum (IPTF) Journal. Have questions about life as a 1L? Contact Brianna at brianna.marshall@bc.edu. 

Election season is fully upon us and, as expected, BC Law is abuzz with many of the same tensions, fears, and frustrations felt throughout the country given the current political climate. Continue reading →

A Reflection on Race and Policing in America

/ Venus Chui / Leave a comment

As an Asian-American, I admit that I often feel distanced from the recent events arising between the black community and the police. However, I’m becoming increasingly aware that these issues of race, policing, and discrimination should be a priority for me too. As a Christian, I’m called to seek justice, to be a peacemaker, to love my neighbor – and I know part of that calling is identifying with and advocating alongside my black friends and neighbors in these troubling times.

Although I don’t always know what my role looks like, attending last month’s panel on race and policing reminded me that it starts with compassion – to listen to and understand the stories of those who are hurting.

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Regulation and Moderation: Lessons from the Subprime Disaster

/ baraschj / Leave a comment

I’m James Barasch, a 2L and I’m pleased to writing for Impact again this year! I used to run a book and movie review blog during my time at Tufts University, and I thought I’d continue that tradition here at BC Law.

The great financial crisis of 2007-2009 was an economic Pearl Harbor for many of us at BC Law School. As the Crash of 1929 and the Stagflation of the ‘70s did in previous generations, the failure and instability of many seemingly unbreakable banks, financial institutions, and large corporations caused large ripples of financial insecurity and uncertainty that are taking years to work through the economy.

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The Cases We Read: Pennoyer v. Neff

/ Charlene Ochogo / Leave a comment

What comes to mind when you hear the words, “personal jurisdiction”?

Fear? Loathing? Confusion because you’re a 1L or prospective student who has no idea what this is?

One of the things that fascinated me most when I came to law school was the fact that here we are in the 21st century and we’re still studying cases from close to 200 years ago. Frankly, I was rather annoyed when I realized this—was I supposed to have come into law school with the word “forsooth” as part of my working lexicon?  Continue reading →

What To Watch on Your Precious Study Breaks

/ Caroline Reilly / Leave a comment

In law school, our free time is precious, so how we spend it matters. Wasting time on a show you’re unsure you’ll like is just too risky. Never fear though, because I’m here.

I watch a lot of TV — admittedly too much. Everyone has their vice. Some people like a night out on the town, others treat themselves to a nice bottle of wine and some fancy cheese. I watch TV.

Here are my top suggestions for what to watch, whether you need some comfort, some time away from the law, or some inspiration.

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Yes, We Go to School Sponsored Athletic (Social) Events: Softball

/ Maria Colella / Leave a comment

The summer before my 1L year, I drove to Boston for the housing fair. It was the middle of the summer and I had no idea where to live (or who to live with). After the housing fair, there was a bar review at Cityside. I met some of my future classmates and some rising 2Ls that were kind enough to attend.

Andrea Clavijo, the former LSA Vice President, was one of those 2Ls. She told me that she made a lot of friends during 1L year by playing softball. “You have to play,” she said. “It’s really fun and you’ll meet so many of your friends.”

I have been a swimmer my entire life. I usually get a chuckle when I tell people that I’m not so great at land sports. I had never lifted a softball bat in my life. I couldn’t even remember the last time that I had played backyard whiffle ball.

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