Things You Wish You Had Gone To: The John and Abigail Adams Benefit

/ Charlene Ochogo / Leave a comment

I have the honor of hosting a guest blog from Caroline Reilly, a 1L in the class of 2018 at BC. Caroline is a former journalism major who plans to go into public interest work/human rights/womens rights, and is one of the many 1Ls this year that made the awesome decision to attend the John and Abigail Adams “Night at the Museum” event sponsored by the Boston Bar this past weekend. For more information about Caroline’s experience at the event, as a BC Law student, or just in general, you can get in touch with her at reillycw@bc.edu. 

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The “Night at the Museum” movies are some of my favorite feel-good flicks. I love the idea of sleuthing around the museum (easily one of my favorite places any time of day) after-hours when the general public has retreated and the art is in a more rarely- and exclusively-seen state. So, when one of my friends forwarded the email promoting the John & Abigail Adams Benefit to members of our little “law school family,” I jumped on the opportunity, despite my habitual insistence on indulging my homebody inclinations on weekends.

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Opening Act II: A Twenty-Year Reunion

/ Ryan Murphy / Leave a comment

Hello everyone! This week, I’m hosting a guest blog from Tom Burton ‘96, the new Alumni Association President. I’m thrilled that he has agreed to write about his BC Law experience for Impact.

Tom chairs Mintz Levin’s Energy Technology Practice, which he founded over 12 years ago. His global practice focuses on complex corporate finance matters including mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, private equity, and securities transactions for energy and clean technology companies. He is ranked by Best Lawyers in America in the Corporate Law section, and he has been recognized by The Legal 500 United States as “rising to the fore” in energy technology for Venture Capital and Emerging Companies. In the community, Tom serves as President of the Boston College Law School Alumni Association, Chairman of the Board of Overseers and Trustee of the New England Aquarium and an Advisory Committee Member of the Flutie Spectrum Enterprises, LLC. Tom is also a member of the firm’s Policy Committee, its Board of Directors equivalent.

Twenty years. For quite a few of you reading this post, twenty years is nearly a lifetime. For me, and for my classmates from ’96, it marks the halfway point in our careers. Our upcoming twenty-year reunion in November has given me pause to reflect on that slightly sobering fact, and to think about my BC Law friends and classmates. What strikes me the most are their tremendous professional successes across the board.

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I’m a Published Author in the Boston College Law Review

/ Rob Rossi / Leave a comment

The most intense commitment I have made at BC Law is still my decision to join the Boston College Law Review during the summer after my 1L year. Estimating conservatively, I have devoted more time to BCLR than to the other classes I have taken over the past four semesters… combined.

By the time I graduate in May, I’ll have been involved with the publication of seven books’ worth of legal scholarship authored by professors from all over the country. I’ll have received a total of eight academic credits for the work I’ve done since my 2L year. But today is probably the most exciting day of my entire time on BCLR.

My Note is finally published! 

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A Seed of Passion, Planted in Law School

/ Venus Chui / Leave a comment

Many of us have probably read a number of articles or heard various talks on immigration issues. However, it’s not every day that we hear from the man who oversees our nation’s immigration procedures and policies.

Two weeks ago, the director of the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), Leon Rodriguez, came to BC Law to deliver the annual Owen M. Kupferschmid Holocaust/ Human Rights Project (HHRP) lecture. Rodriguez is a BC Law alum (Class of ‘88) and was involved in the HHRP himself when he was a student. Rodriguez attributed his passion for immigration work to his experiences at BC Law. He was particularly inspired by the HHRP and by fellow classmates who were passionate about human rights. Rodriguez has since dedicated his entire career to public service, working in various capacities such as assistant district attorney and assistant attorney general before joining the USCIS. His story is a reminder that our current law school experiences and relationships play a significant role in shaping our future career paths.

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All Majors Welcome

/ Maria Colella / Leave a comment

A common question law school applicants ask is “which college major should you choose if you want to go to law school?” In reality, it does not matter which major you choose; all majors are welcome in law school.

When I was an undergraduate, I studied applied math. After taking a few Constitutional Law classes, I grew to love legal analysis. This substantially influenced my decision to go to law school. I remember telling friends about my decision to apply to law school. Some were very supportive, but others would ask: “Why did you bother studying math, then?” or “I guess your math degree is now kind of a waste, huh?” or “why don’t you use your math degree and do something like banking or consulting.” It was honestly hard to come up with a response. I truly felt more passionate about the law than math. But I was also certain that the logic and problem solving skills I had spent four years developing would be helpful.

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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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