Law School Commencement Speakers

2024 Commencement Speaker
Shari Redstone (JD’78, LLM’81)

On May 19, 2024, Boston University School of Law will hold its Commencement Ceremony to commemorate the Class of 2024.

Shari Redstone (JD’78, LLM’81)

Boston University School of Law is pleased to announce that Shari Redstone (JD’78, LLM’81) will deliver the 2024 Commencement address.

Shari Redstone is a media executive with wide-ranging experience in the entertainment industry and related ventures. This includes serving as chair of the board of directors of Paramount Global, a leading global media and entertainment company. Redstone also serves as chair, CEO, and president of National Amusements, a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry. In addition, Redstone is cofounder and managing partner of Advancit Capital, an investment firm that focuses on early-stage companies.

Redstone is a dedicated humanitarian and philanthropist who leads and is actively involved with a range of charitable, civic, and educational organizations focused on fighting antisemitism, racism, and hate. Working with educational leaders and other highly experienced partners, Redstone is creating programs that teach children, teens, and others about the importance of fighting antisemitism, championing diversity, and the role of civics in society to address the world’s most pressing issues. Her work supports cross-cultural education for children, youth, families, and the broader community through curriculum and content development; policy initiatives; and youth forums, family events, and symposiums designed to spark learning and conversation and drive positive change.

Redstone was recently recognized on Forbes’ 2023 “The Most Powerful Women” list and was named one of TIME’s “Most Influential People” in 2020.

Redstone earned a BS from Tufts University. She earned a JD and an LLM in Taxation from Boston University School of Law and practiced law in the Boston area before joining National Amusements.

Student Speakers

Nour Ouardani
LLM Student Speaker

Nour Ouardani is an L.L.M Candidate in American Law at Boston University School of Law. Prior to pursuing her exchange in the United States, she obtained a Masters degree in Human Rights and International Criminal Justice from the University Paris Panthéon Assas. She was a Student Attorney in the BU International Human Rights Clinic, and the Assas International Law Clinic. Nour interned for several criminal law firms in France as well as for a Defense team at the International Criminal Court. Passionate about human rights, Nour is a contributor to the French NGO “L’Observatoire des Camps de Réfugiés”. She is sitting for the Paris Bar in 2024.

Marcus Christian
JD Student Speaker

Marcus Christian II was raised in Miami, FL. Marcus left the sun and warmth of South Florida to attend Williams College in Williamstown, MA. At Williams, Marcus served as the student government President, played on the Men’s Soccer team, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Following his graduation from Williams, Marcus taught high school English for five years and served as the Assistant Director of Faculty Recruitment and Retention working to expand the number of underrepresented teachers in the classroom. While teaching, he earned a Masters of Science degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. Marcus’s Masters work focused on the identification and development of grit within high school students.

During his time at BU Law, Marcus represented student priorities on the JD Curriculum Committee, served in leadership roles with the Black Law Student Association and Education Law Club, and served as an assistant coach on the BU Women’s Soccer team. Marcus completed his coursework in the Risk Management and Compliance Concentration with a specialization in Privacy and Data Security. Away from campus, Marcus proudly served as a tutor and mentor with Boston Partners in Education