Graduate School Channel

Boston College

Many schools claim a commitment to the principles of equality and nondiscrimination. At Boston College, we follow through.

We are a Catholic law school in the Jesuit tradition, a tradition of equal justice and educational excellence that goes back hundreds of years. We are passionately committed to fostering a supportive learning environment where diversity is celebrated.

Here at BC Law we have nearly 30 active student groups. Students of color make up more than 20% of our total enrollment—and over 25% of the class of 2007. Our faculty include African-American, Asian-American, and Latino members. We also have important programs in place to help make the transition to law school easier.

We recognize our responsibility to teach our students about the importance of diversity within the law and our society. We offer a variety of courses intended to do just that, including Civil Rights Litigation, Corporate Responsibility, Employment Discrimination, African Law & Development, Race Seminar, and Advanced Immigration Law Seminar, among others.

We understand that today’s law students are bright and motivated scholars who come from all backgrounds and areas of the world. It is our duty to encourage a dedication for service to others and a respect for each individual. As you search for the most appropriate law school for you, we urge you to visit our campus, speak to our students, and experience what it is like to be a part of the BC Law community. We’re sure that you will be pleased with what you find here—a group of individuals united in their love of the law, their concern for each other, and their pursuit of educational excellence.

Faculty and Student Support

Our faculty are widely published and respected experts in their fields—and they are always available to their students. BC Law prides itself on a diverse and dynamic faculty. Nine of our 47 full-time faculty members are persons of color.

BC Law seeks to ensure every student’s success in pursuing a legal education. Prior to orientation, entering students of color are invited to a weekend retreat, and also participate in our special orientation events, where they get to know members of APALSA, BLSA, and LALSA as well as other available resources.

All law students are assigned faculty advisors. The Director of Academic Services is also available to answer students’ questions, as is the Dean for Students. BC Law also provides an Academic Support Program (asp), which offers selected students assistance with legal problem-solving, analytical and test-taking skills through small group sessions and meetings with student tutors. Students can also choose to meet with asp tutors during drop-in appointment hours, which are open to the entire first-year class.

Students of color also have the option of being mentored by a second- or third-year student of color who will be a general and academic resource. These relationships are meant to form meaningful connections within our student body, and to make all students understand that they are an important part of our community. BC Law’s Black Alumni Network also sponsors programs and provides mentors to support African-American students. Asian-American and Latino alumni are assisting students developing similar networks.

Student groups sponsor programs individually and in coordination with one another. Among their combined efforts is the Law School’s annual Diversity Month, featuring exciting events and colloquia that span a variety of cultures and ideas. Students have many opportunities to explore a range of interests by joining other student groups. Some provide service to the outside community, address the spiritual dimensions of student and professional life, and provide research opportunities. Other organizations explore arts and media law, alternative dispute resolution, legal concerns of the homeless and women’s roles in the law.

Facilities and the Community

New facilities at BC Law encourage use of the latest technology to improve students’ educational experiences. The East Wing provides wired and wireless data access from every classroom seat. Students also have wired and wireless data access from all areas of the Law Library.

BC Law is only six miles from downtown Boston and offers fast access to the city by car or public transit. As a state capital, Boston is a center for federal and state courts, international and boutique law firms, and government agencies. The home of many colleges and universities, Boston’s student population has a noticeable influence on its atmosphere and activities.

Placement

BC Law students are in high demand. Over the past four years, an average of 98% were employed within nine months of graduation. Through an intensive on-campus interviewing program and off-campus programs held in major cities throughout the United States, nearly 500 law firms, corporations and public sector organizations actively recruited our students last year.

Students of color may participate in additional interviewing programs sponsored by external groups. BC Law also works closely with The Boston Lawyers Group, which consists of 37 private and public sector legal employers in Boston. In addition to an annual job fair, The Boston Lawyers Group coordinates a mentor program to pair students of color with practicing attorneys in Boston, and runs a mock interview program to assist students in the interviewing process.

The Black Alumni Network (BAN) is a dynamic group of more than 475 black graduates who support their alma mater’s efforts to include black students in all aspects of the law school community and who seek to further students’ development as members of the legal profession. In service to both the law school and legal communities, the Network hosts public policy debates focusing on issues affecting communities of color.  BAN has helped sponsor events and programs such as the Efficacy Institute’s Efficacy Workshop for BLSA students, which helps them define goals and gain problem-solving skills.

Important Contacts

Admissions...........................................................617–552–4351

Email: bclawadm@bc.edu

Alumni and Development.................................…617–552–4378
Career Services.....................................................617–552–4345
Financial Aid Office, BC Law.........................…..617–552–4243
Financial Aid Office, Main Campus...............…...800–294–0294
Off-Campus Housing...........................................617–552–3075
Asian Pacific American Law Students Assoc...….617–552–4418
Black Law Students Association...........................617–552–4411
Latino Law Students Association.....................….617–552–4307
Law School Website...................................….…www.bc.edu/law
Law Students Association.........................……...www.bc.edu/lsa