17 minutes. That is how long the prosecution claimed it took our client, an engineering student visiting the U.S. from a war-torn country, to attempt a homicide and flee. When I mapped the cell-tower pings, calculated the distances, and cross-referenced the surveillance timestamps, their argument collapsed. Physics, it turned out, would be our best defense.
Continue readingperspectives
Why I Came to Law School: Health Care Through a Legal Lens
As a Black woman, I’m cognizant of the structural racism and sexism implanted within the U.S. healthcare system. As a pregnant-capable person, of the growing limitations surrounding reproductive health. And as a close relative of a recovering alcoholic, of the stigma and inaccessibility of care shrouding some patients, particularly harm reductive care. Life experience and professional engagement have deepened my investment in healthcare justice. As such, I’m focalizing my desire to practice through a bioethics lens with the hope of improving patient safety, health outcomes, and patient autonomy through health law and policy.
Continue readingThe Redline Realization: Finding My Footing in Big Law
I was asked to write about my summer at a law firm—specifically for incoming 1Ls who may have anxieties, questions, or simply have no idea what “Big Law” actually is.
I was in that last category.
Unfortunately, user experience may vary, so take mine with a grain of salt. I am enthusiastic, curious, and, at times, awkward. Your cool, calm, and collected nature may produce entirely different results for different people.
So, we’ll start there.
Continue readingThe Accidental Advocate
This guest post was written by Margie Palladino ’85, Executive Director of Mass Family Advocacy Coalition (MFAC) and candidate to serve on the Governor’s Council for Massachusetts.
Boston College Law School teaches the practice of law in the Jesuit tradition of service to others. Of all the lessons I learned there, one has stayed with me throughout my life: our legal system does not affect everyone equally.
As a law student, I was taught that people who are marginalized or lack resources can experience our justice system very differently. When you don’t have the money, the support, or even the “right-color” skin, justice can be much harder to reach.
That lesson planted a seed. I just didn’t pay much attention to it at the time.
Continue readingSo You’re an Incoming 1L? Here’s What to Expect, Month by Month
Hi, future 1Ls.
I hope you’re well, considering you’re only about a month away from starting law school.
Some of you are excited beyond measure, trying to consume every Reddit recommendation you can find. Some of you are stressed and already drafting warning notes to your loved ones about the person you’re about to become over the next three years.
Consider this my own warning note—one intended to level out both camps.
Continue readingA Law Student’s Guide to Best Boston Restaurants
Summertime is here in Boston! Now that we are past the festivities of the Fourth of July, everyone is going to fall into the dog days and complain there’s no good food in the city. Much like my stance regarding there’s nothing to do in Boston, I vehemently disagree. With two years of life here now under my belt, I’ve compiled my favorites. I will preface most of these for fun, i.e. budget isn’t a heavy criterion in my evaluation.
Continue readingWhat You Have to Do the Summer Before Law School
You got into law school! Congratulations!
Now what?
It’s a fair question. After all, law school has a reputation for being, well… law school. So it makes sense to wonder if there’s a book you should read, a skill you should master, or some secret summer assignment everyone else somehow knows about.
Continue readingThree Tips to Make Time for Yourself During School
Now that the school year is over, I feel less guilty sharing all the things I do to entertain myself during the fall and spring semesters. Law school takes over our lives in ways we may not even recognize or feel, so giving yourself a break doing something you enjoy is so important. I hope one of my ideas will speak to you. Disclaimer: I would not recommend doing this in 1L unless you have amazing time management skills.
Continue reading“Our Job Is Not to Simply Observe the Fire, but to Bring Warmth”
The following is a lightly edited version of BC’s Law Student Association President Commencement speech, delivered on May 22 by Mike Jean-Louis ’26.
Good morning to our faculty, our staff, our families, our friends, and most importantly, the extraordinary Class of 2026. Forgive me, if my voice is a little wobbly, I’m a little nervous. You would think after three years of cold calls this wouldn’t phase me. But this feels a little different.
Continue readingHow to Become a Genius!
With the last set of exams of my law school career approaching, I recall overhearing a conversation by two students stating that they wish they were geniuses. I completely agree. It would be nice to have a mind that reads a fact pattern once and spots every issue instantly while simultaneously drafting a well written IRAC (preferably IRAHNC) argument. Who wouldn’t want to join the Order of Coif without breaking a sweat? If this thought has creeped into your mind while you are outlining at 2 AM, don’t worry. I’ve done the research into becoming a genius and put it into practice for both of us. The answer lies in a three-step process that requires isolation, introspection, and creation.
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BC Law: Impact 