The Boston College Law School community never, ever ceases to amaze. When the world seems like it’s coming untethered, and norms and traditions—good and bad—are coming undone, there is always the comfort of a place that hews to the moral high ground.
No single issue of BC Law Magazine can offer more than a glimpse at the breadth of accomplishment that manifests in the lives and work of the men and women of BC Law. But cumulatively, the view broadens to reveal a reliable, consistent striving for good, a commitment to the rule of law and its potential to right many of humanity’s hardships and wrongs.
That thrum can be heard in every story on these pages. For starters, we celebrate the dignity, warmth, and insightful leadership of Dean Vincent Rougeau. There was never any doubt that his moral compass pointed in the right direction, and he inspired those around him to find a parallel path. One vivid manifestation is our cover subject, new graduate Chinyere Okogeri, who understood the value of mentors she found at law school and now goes forth to make her own mark on the profession.
Curiosity about what BC Law might have to contribute to today’s pressing national conversation on environmental justice revealed a history full of firsts and a longstanding pattern of advocacy for both the planet and its most vulnerable inhabitants. From Professor Zygmunt Plater to the hundreds he taught to “walk the land,” a strong, living legacy has taken root.
As the crimes of the past have returned with a vengeance to haunt today’s courtrooms, BC Law alumni are on the right side of history, seeing that victims receive their due. One such lawyer, Nicholas O’Donnell ’03, is representing heirs to the Guelph Treasure of relics stolen from art dealers by the Nazis. He recently took the heirs’ case to the highest court in the land, seeking restitution.
As government picks itself up and looks to heal the injuries done to it in recent years, BC Law Professor Ray Madoff is a leader among reformers trying to change a philanthropic mechanism that can delay or interrupt the flow of funds to charities. Thanks in part to her determination, a bipartisan bill to fix the problem is now making its way through Congress.
Within these walls and in the professional halls that alumni tread, there is no end to the good that is being done.
Vicki Sanders, Editor
vicki.sanders@bc.edu