Jurist in Residence Judge Robert W. Pratt
From September 16 to 27, 2024, The Honorable Robert W. Pratt joined Boston University School of Law as its first ever Jurist in Residence. Judge Pratt, an inactive United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa, served on the bench for over 26 years after being nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1997.
Building on a Tradition of Excellence: Empowering Every BU Law Student for Success
Whenever I meet individually with alumni across the country, I hear two consistent themes from them, regardless of when they graduated from BU Law.
BU Law Celebrates Retiring and Departing Faculty
Professors Daniela Caruso, Kent Coit, David Seipp, and Gary Lawson have made immeasurable contributions during their tenure at BU Law.
Reflecting on 2023
While this year presented its fair share of challenges, it also offered opportunities for learning, growth, and connection. The BU Law community repeatedly demonstrated its resilience and proved how the law may work in support of our values.
New Frontiers in Legal Education
When ChatGPT, a sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, reached an estimated 100 million users just two months after its launch in November 2022, the world—and especially the world of higher education—took notice. ChatGPT and other large language models.
BU Law’s Commitment to a Diverse Student Body
Today, the US Supreme Court issued an opinion that holds that Harvard College and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill violated the Equal Protection Clause in their use of race in their admissions processes. To say that we are disappointed by this decision is an understatement.
Helping Others Reach Their Potential
When Paul Gowder was just beginning his career as a legal scholar, he interviewed for an associate professorship at the University of Iowa. Angela Onwuachi-Willig, then a member of Iowa Law’s faculty and now dean of Boston University School of Law, was the first person to call him, even before he was hired.
Models for Modern Law
Boston University was chartered in 1869 and the law school opened its doors in the fall of 1872, helping usher in a new era in legal education. BU School of Law—or the Boston Law School, as it was known at the time—was the first law school in the country to propose a three-year curriculum, encourage a bachelor’s degree for admission, and require exams at the end of every course.
After Roe, After Dobbs
Being able to control reproductive choices—having the ability to decide if and when to give birth and become a parent—is central to determining how one may build a life and future.
Looking Back, Looking Forward
One hundred and fifty years ago, our founders put forth a bold vision that would transform the future of legal education.