The Conservative Legal Movement and the Importance of Intellectual Diversity in Law

/ baraschj / 1 Comment

“I have never known any distress that an hour’s reading did not relieve.”

-Charles de Montesquieu

I’m James Barasch, a 1L and I’m pleased to be joining Impact! I used to run a book review column and blog during my time at Tufts University, and I thought I’d continue that tradition here at BC Law.

Over Winter Break, in between holiday celebrations and summer job ponderings, I relaxed by reading “The Rise of the Conservative Legal Movement: The Battle for Control of the Law” by Steven M. Teles. Starting in the 1970s, Conservatives sought to reverse the growth of legal liberalism by focusing on creating their own corps of professionals in law schools, public interest groups, and in the judiciary. Teles relates the story of political experimentation and individual innovators who organized and led this countermovement to significant successes and the prominent place many of its organizations, such as the Federalist Society, the Center for Individual Rights, and the Institute for Justice now hold in modern American legal culture.

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Thinking About Running for Office? BC Law Alums Tell it Like it is

/ Marx P. Calderon / 1 Comment

Is the West Wing your favorite show? Do you have a favorite debate watching drinking game? Is Leslie Knope your hero? More importantly, have you ever imagined yourself running for Office? If the answer to any of these questions is “Yes” then you were probably at the Rappaport Center’s panel discussion about running for Office. If not, I’ve got you covered.

The panel featured five notable BC Law Alums including State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg as moderator, and panelists State Senator Jamie Eldridge; Register of Probate for Plymouth County, Matt McDonough; former Boston City Councilor and 2013 City of Boston mayoral candidate John Connolly; and Newton Charter Commissioner, Bryan Barash. The panelists offered real insight into the nuts and bolts about running for office and the difficult realities that come along with being a public figure. The following are some of the topics that were discussed:

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A Mutual Respect: The Glue that Binds Us

/ Maria Colella / Leave a comment

Hello everyone! This week, I’m hosting a guest blog from Margie Palladino ’85, the outgoing Alumni Board Chair for Reunions. I’m thrilled that she’s agreed to write about her BC Law experience for Impact.

Margie was the recipient of the Boston College Law School’s Outstanding Reunion Volunteer Award for generating record attendance for her class’s 25th reunion. Margie is principal of Reunions Reinvented LLC, a business that generates momentum for professional school reunions. She is a former partner at the Boston law firm of Sherburne, Powers and Needham, now known as Holland and Knight. 

Nearly 600 people came together in November to celebrate the BC Law School reunions. It was wonderful to witness so many alumni—young and old—reconnecting with classmates and professors and rekindling memories of their law school days. There were BC Law alumni from all walks of life: the judiciary, private firms, corporations, public service, academia, and government (including a state governor, US senator, and several congressional representatives). Equally impressive was the number of alumni present who had stepped out of the legal profession temporarily or permanently to take care of their families or pursue entrepreneurial, volunteer, and other valued interests.

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