Diversity Brochure 2012

from the day we opened our doors:

a commitment to diversity since 1872

a continuing commitment bu law’s legacy of inclusion underpins our continuing commitment to diversity: Members of the entering class include 23 percent students of color, 52 percent women and people ranging in age from 20 to 35 (average age: 24).

In 2012, The Princeton Review ranked BU Law #1 among all law schools for “Best Professors.”

We offer the Be Yourself Orientation for students of color and those who identify as LGBTQ, followed by an orientation for all entering students and comprehensive advising and support programs through the first year and beyond.

Our staff includes an associate director for academic and multicultural affairs, whose role is to continue the tradition of diversity and inclusivity that BU Law has fostered since its inception, and to cultivate a community that welcomes not only diverse individuals, but also a wide range of beliefs, ideas and opinions.

Because BU Law admitted women and students of color long before other law schools did, many of our alumni have been “firsts in their field,” including the first African-American woman to be the editor of a law review.

Among BU Law’s 30+ students organizations are six affinity groups: Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA), Black Law Students Association (BLSA), Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA), Middle Eastern and South Asian Law Students Association (MESALSA), Native American Law Students Association (NALSA & Peoples) and OutLaw (LGBTQ student organization).

Our clinical programs give students the opportunity to engage in real cases with a wide range of actual clients in matters ranging from criminal law to immigration, housing, employment and human rights.

BU Law is at the center of Boston University, a premier research university with more than 33,000 students, including more than 6,000 international students from 140 countries.

an historic legacy boston university school of law was founded to offer legal education to all qualified students. since 1872, we have welcomed j.d. candidates without regard to matters of race, gender or religion. this fundamental commitment has become one of our greatest strengths, from which all of our students benefit. those from traditionally under-represented groups have flourished with the opportunity to study law in a rigorous environment with an open, respectful culture. everyone gains in an inclusive setting, which brings together students with wide-ranging perspectives that enhance learning. and as the frontiers of diversity have expanded, more and more exceptional individuals are drawn to our community.

to learn more about bu law's history, visit bu.edu/law/timeline

u 

“Diversity is more than a buzzword here —it’s a real commitment on the part of faculty, administration and alumni. Fostering multiple perspectives is the right thing to do, and it’s also something the legal profession prizes.”

frank ren class of 2014

career goal: “to be a good lawyer,” probably a litigator bu law highlights: law review, bu welcomers, be yourself, asian pacific american law students association (apalsa) summer position: massachusetts attorney general’s office hometown: lexington, massachusetts undergraduate: boston university ’11; double major in economics and political science

cristina ramirez class of 2013

“The different outlooks and backgrounds at BU Law are good for the classroom. We can help educate our fellow students this way.

My hope is that our differences will make us better lawyers.”

career goal: public defender bu law highlights: criminal law clinic, new england innocence project, cdo peer adviser, external vice president of latin american law student association (lalsa), co-director of be yourself, president of student government association summer positions: dallas county public defender (1l); public defender service for the district of columbia (2l) hometown: austin, texas undergraduate: university of texas at austin ’07; public relations major

2 3

brandon greene class of 2013

“It is imperative for me to guarantee that the voices of the poor and marginalized are heard in legal, political and policy arenas where they are underrepresented, so I dedicate my time to organizations similarly driven.”

career goal: combining interests in social justice, education and creative expression bu law highlights: public interest scholar, martin luther king social justice fellow, student blogger, civil litigation clinic, pro bono trip to kansas city with death penalty litigation clinic, vice president of education law association, regional representative for black student law association (2l), attorney general for the northeastern region for the national black law students association (3l) summer positions: suffolk county district attorney’s office (1l); education pioneers (2l) hometown: las vegas, nevada undergraduate: university of nevada, las vegas ’07; film major

margot gendreau class of 2013

“BU Law was so welcoming and supportive that I wanted to step up and give back to the LGBTQ community. Here diversity goes way beyond cultural lines, encompassing many viewpoints in an atmosphere of respect.”

career goal: criminal prosecution bu law highlights: criminal law clinic, co-chair of outlaw (2l), managing editor of american journal of law and medicine

summer positions: new york county district attorney’s office (1l); u.s. attorney’s office for the eastern district of new york (2l) hometown: new rochelle, new york undergraduate: indiana university bloomington ’07; double major in history and musical theatre

joining the bu law community

others who share your interests with more than 30 student organizations to join, you will quickly discover others who share your professional, personal and cultural interests. you might attend the lunar new year dinner hosted by apalsa, mingle with africanamerican graduates of bu law at the annual blsa awards ceremony, or listen to one of outlaw’s “defining equality” lectures on a topic that impacts the rights of lgbtq people in massachusetts.

a supportive community We are a supportive community where students, faculty and administrators get to know each other well. The process begins during the summer, when you’ll be connected with an upper-class student who will answer questions and share ideas even before you arrive on campus. The academic year kicks off with a comprehensive orientation program—or two, if you participate in Be Yourself, designed especially for students from diverse backgrounds. Some faculty host “welcome back” dinners in their homes for student affinity groups at the start of the school year.

4 5

As you begin and progress in your program, you can call on your designated faculty contact for academic advice, turn to your student adviser to learn about social activities at BU Law, ask your alumni mentor for career advice, talk to the associate director for academic and multicultural affairs about cultural resources at the School and across the University, participate in Live Well/Learn Well activities to boost your physical and emotional well-being, and attend academic enhancement workshops to improve your time management and exam preparation skills.

alumni who understand your experiences Like our faculty and staff, BU Law’s alumni want you to succeed. In addition to serving as mentors, our graduates return to campus to share their insights about the world of legal practice and to meet you. Alumni and students of Asian Pacific descent hold an annual conference, SALSA organizes a “chat over chaat” mentorship program and LALSA offers networking opportunities through its “Latinos in the Legal Profession” series.

Dean Maureen O'Rourke presents Myron Dean Quon (’93) BU Law's 2012 Silver Shingle Award for Service to the Community. Quon, executive director of National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse, has devoted his career to Asian American and LGBTQ advocacy.

u

Building Bridges is an annual reception that brings law students of color together with established professionals in an informal networking setting. Students can also gain exposure to influential professionals through a half-dozen Boston and state-wide professional groups, including the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys, LGBTQ Bar Association and Black Lawyers Association.

a diverse faculty

among bu law’s points of pride is the diversity of its faculty, some of whose members are listed here. for complete profiles of these individuals and the entire faculty, see: www.bu.edu/law/faculty/profiles.

david breen

Clinical Associate Professor of Law A.B., Georgetown University; M.P.A., Harvard Kennedy School; J.D., Boston University Teaches: criminal law, trial advocacy, civil litigation Supervises students in the Prosecutor Program in Quincy District Court

6 7

khiara m. bridges

Associate Professor of Law and Associate Professor of Anthropology B.A., Spelman College; J.D., Columbia Law School; Ph.D., Columbia University Teaches: critical race theory, criminal law, reproductive rights, equal protection, fundamental rights analysis under the due process clause

constance a. browne Clinical Associate Professor of Law B.A., University of Maine; J.D., Boston College Law School Teaches: civil litigation, trial advocacy, legal writing

maria o’brien hylton Professor of Law A.B., Harvard University; J.D., Yale Law School Teaches: labor law, employee benefits, law and economics

tracey maclin

Joseph Lipsitt Faculty Research Scholar; Professor of Law B.A., Tufts University; J.D., Columbia Law School Teaches: criminal procedure, constitutional law, constitutional theory

keith n. hylton The Honorable Paul J. Liacos Professor of Law A.B., Harvard University; J.D., Harvard Law School; Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology Teaches: law and economics, litigation theory, antitrust, labor and employment, corporate law

karen pita loor

Clinical Associate Professor of Law B.S., Barry University; J.D., Washington College of Law, American University Teaches: criminal law, immigration law, trial advocacy Supervises students in the Defender Program in the Boston Municipal Court

frederick tung

Howard Zhang Faculty Research Scholar; Professor of Law A.B., Cornell University; J.D., Harvard Law School Teaches: corporations, securities regulation and bankruptcy

Director, First-Year Writing Program; Associate Professor of Legal Writing B.A., Lake Forest College; J.D., Boston University School of Law Teaches: Legal writing, gay and lesbian legal rights Faculty adviser to OutLaw, BU Law’s LGBTQ student group

robert volk

“I teach a class that focuses on the legal rights of gay, lesbian and transgendered individuals. I’ve had student papers on the treatment of gays in Singapore, issues involving gay people in India, and domestic partnership rights in Switzerland.”

boston: a multicultural city

boston is an ethnically diverse city with 52 percent of the population identifying as people of color, according to the u.s. census bureau. boston hosts countless cultural festivals throughout the year, a few of which are: • Annual Dragon Boat Festival on the Charles • Cambridge Carnival International • Roxbury International Film Festival • The Puerto Rican Festival of Massachusetts • Boston Latino International Film Festival

8 9

• Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival • The Onset Cape Verdean Festival • IAGB India Day Celebration • Haitian-American Unity Parade • City of Boston’s GospelFest • Chinatown Main Street’s August Moon Festival

did you know?

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino regularly welcomes new U.S. citizens at large-scale naturalization ceremonies — including a memorable occasion in 2008 when 3,082 people became citizens at Fenway Park.

Boston’s Museum of African American History is New England’s largest museum dedicated to preserving, conserving and interpreting the contributions of African Americans. The Museum has preserved four historic sites and two Black Heritage Trails that tell the story of organized black communities from the Colonial Period through the 19th century.

Centro Latino serves 8,000 people annually with multiservice, community-based community services aimed at helping Latinos and immigrants to improve their lives.

A Boston landmark, the African Meeting House is the oldest of its kind in America.

Located in what once was the heart of Boston’s 19th-century African-American community, the meeting house remains a showcase of black community organization and an enduring testimony to black craftsmanship.

The North American Indian Center of Boston, one of the first organizations of its kind on the East Coast, provides training and services to indigenous people, including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, members of state-recognized tribes and members of First Nations tribes recognized by Canada.

Boston’s Chinatown is one of the oldest residential Chinese neighborhoods in the nation, dating to the 1880s, when the first immigrants from China pitched tents in this downtown area.

In 1989, Massachusetts became the second state in the nation to pass a gay and lesbian civil rights bill; in 2012, it passed legislation to protect the rights of transgendered people.

For nearly 25 years, the Asian Community Development Corporation has been engaged in building community. Its programs now span real estate development, housing counseling and assistance, youth programs and community organizing and planning.

design kor group, Boston

In 1968, community activists in Boston’s South End neighborhood, most of them Puerto Rican, organized to fight urban renewal and displacement. They established Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBC) and developed Villa Victoria, a 435-unit affordable housing community. Today IBC is a community building agency offering a broad array of programming in education, economic development, technology and arts.

Massachusetts led the nation in 2004 as the first state to grant same-sex couples the legal right to marry.

Boston is a “city connected by murals.”

Every summer four “Mural Crews” of young Boston artists paint murals that reflect the neighborhood where a wall is located. The program has given hundreds of Boston’s youth the opportunity to be active participants in linking art and community.

admissions: early decision option

If BU Law is your first choice, apply through early decision. Accepted early decision candidates will receive three-year, full-tuition scholarships. For a complete list of deadlines and application instructions for both early and regular decision: bu.edu/law/prospective/apply/

financial aid For information on our robust financial aid program: bu.edu/law/prospective/financial_aid/

visiting bu law We encourage you to visit us. For more information on how to schedule a tour or class visit: bu.edu/law/prospective/apply/jd/visits/

nondiscrimination policy Boston University prohibits discrimination against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. This policy extends to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities, including admissions, financial assistance, educational and athletic programs, housing, employment, compensation, employee benefits, and the providing of, or access to, University services or facilities. Boston University recognizes that non-discrimination does not ensure that equal opportunity is a reality. Accordingly, the University will continue to take affirmative action to achieve equal opportunity through recruitment, outreach, and internal reviews of policies and practices.

Boston University provides reasonable accommodations to eligible individuals with disabilities in conformance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Requests for disability accommodations must be made in a timely fashion to Disability Services, 19 Deerfield Street, Boston, MA 02215; 617-353-3658. Students seeking accommodations must submit appropriate medical documentation and comply with the policies and procedures of Disability Services. www.bu.edu/disability

Boston University School of Law 765 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02215 www.bu.edu/law

key contacts Admissions Office 617.353.3100 bulawadm@bu.edu Financial Aid Office 617.353.3160 bulawaid@bu.edu