John E. LaPlante

Biography

John LaPlante is OGIP’s trusted academic advisor, moot court coordinator and admissions lead.  John has an extensive background in legal practice, academia and international education.  He has lived and worked extensively abroad and is a loyal and talented advocate for our students.

Having studied and worked outside of the United States, John appreciates both the rewards and challenges of being an international student.  After graduating from high school, John attended Haileybury Imperial College in England for one year as an English Speaking Union Scholar, where he sat for A level exams and traveled throughout the UK.  A magna cum laude graduate of Princeton University, John majored in English literature and worked with Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison as his senior thesis advisor. Following Princeton, John worked for a number of years as an instructor at a  private school in Switzerland before returning to the U.S. to pursue a law degree. After earning a JD and an LLM in Public International Law from Cornell Law School, he moved to Boston with his new family to start a legal career. 

John first worked in the commercial litigation department of a large Boston firm, and later moved to smaller firms, eventually finishing his fifteen year legal career in the legal department of a Fortune 100 company. While practicing law, John also served as an adjunct professor of legal research and writing in the law school of another university in Boston, which led him back to a career in academia. Upon arriving at BU Law, John initially served as the Associate Director of Executive, Online and Special Programs, working with established attorneys from across the United States and around the world to continue their legal education. He has now transitioned to the role of Associate Director of Non-JD International Programs, serving as an advisor to students in the American Law and Two-Year LLM programs, while also coordinating BU Law’s extensive study abroad / exchange program.

When not in the office, John may be found walking his Bernese mountain dog, Bina, on the beach or enjoying all the delights that Boston has to offer with his wife and three daughters. John looks forward each day to meeting and supporting students from all corners of the world, and hopes that one day he will have visited every continent (he has 3 to go).