Hometown: Boston, MA

Why BC Law? Reputation and location. As a Boston native, I was ready to be back in my hometown and I knew BC Law had a renowned program. I was especially excited about the land and environmental law courses. 

Something you didn’t expect when you got here? I thought it would be difficult returning to school after taking time to work following undergrad. I initially saw law school as a hurdle to get over in order to reach my career goals. To my surprise, I've loved being here. The students, faculty, and opportunities have been incredible.

What do you hope to do when you graduate? I plan to remain in Boston and hope I can make a positive impact on the community that shaped me through my work, pro bono, and mentorship. I know that I will continue learning and growing from the foundation that BC Law has provided me.

Advice for law school applicants? In your application materials, try to tell a story that illustrates both your talent and your humanity. Don't overlook transferable skills you possess that may seem unrelated to law school, they are just as important as your major and test scores. Lastly, keep careful track of the many deadlines for test dates, applications, financial aid, etc. Missing even one can be detrimental.

Hometown: Bayside, NY (originally from South Korea)

Why BC Law? BC Law is known for its collaborative and friendly environment, and I wanted to be in a place where I would feel comfortable showing up to class knowing that I was surrounded by good people. I knew that BC Law had a good reputation for employment, and that it also had renowned professors teaching courses I was interested in taking. I also really wanted to experience living in another major city other than New York or DC before I settled down, and Boston seemed like a great choice!

Something I didn't expect: I truly did not expect to make so many amazing friends here. They help keep me accountable and also motivate me to be the best version of myself. In law school, a big part of what keeps you going are the friends you make along the way. BC's collegial environment lends way to incredible bonds that I hope will last beyond law school. 

What do you hope to do after graduation? Ultimately I want to be able to use my legal education to help people who come from similar backgrounds like my mother. Growing up as immigrants, it was hard for her and my late father to find proper legal help due to their language barriers and financial hardship, and watching their struggles with the law inspired me to become a lawyer who could help people like them. I want to equalize the legal field so people from all backgrounds can afford the help they need.

Advice for law school applicants: Trust the process and believe in yourself--you'll end up where you need to end up. You belong in law school because you've worked hard and you deserve to be here!

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Why BC Law? 

Boston is my canvas. Boston is ripe for opportunity. This city is changing right before our eyes, and I want to be part of the brush that paints the future of this city. I would love to continue building upon Boston’s legacy of Black excellence.

Professional opportunities through BC Law?

1L Legal Intern at Fidelity Investments, 1L Legal Intern at NASDAQ, alternative spring break at Disability Rights Louisiana, 2L Summer Associate at Kirkland & Ellis, 3L Legal Extern at The Carlyle Group, BLSA External Vice President (2020-21), Member of NEBLSA and LAHANAS.

How will you apply your education toward the greater good?

My responsibility is to be a gate opener, not a gatekeeper. I don’t want to just reap the benefits of my foremothers and forefathers. I want to take what I’ve learned from them, pay it forward, and use it. That’s our purpose. Once you attain the knowledge, skills, and opportunities, you shouldn’t hoard it. Let it go so it can do its own work.  

Hometown: Albany, NY

Favorite course?

Civil Procedure—I saw how the rules of litigation can have a heavy influence on the outcome of a case, arguably more of an influence than the substantive law.  

Best BC Law experience? 

I went on the BC Law pro bono trip to Arizona, explored the state, and worked for the Navajo Nation. I formed lifelong bonds with my team, learned about the political struggles and injustices facing the Navajo Nation, and witnessed life on a reservation. 

Professional opportunities through BC Law?

I worked with a burgeoning cannabis company. I never imagined that I’d get to help a new business get off the ground with my own legal research and predictions. It’s incredible to get this hands-on experience in a booming industry that’s taking the country by storm.  

What’s the best thing about practicing law?

Law touches everything. No matter what you do in the world, the law will be involved in some way. As lawyers, we can use the law to shape society and the future of our species. 

Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio

Best BC Law experience?

The LAHANAS (Diversity) retreat, which gives students from diverse backgrounds the ability to form meaningful connections with classmates, faculty, and alumni before classes even start. It really helped prime me for 1L year and helped prepare me with workshops and networking opportunities.

Something you didn’t expect?

After missing more than a week of 1L classes due to pneumonia, many concerned classmates texted and called me to see if what was wrong and if I needed class notes. With all the talk of hyper-competitiveness in law school, I was surprised to see such collaborative and helpful sentiment from my classmates.

Advice for law school applicants?

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t know what you want to do yet. The majority of 1Ls don’t. Keep an open mind during law school, and your passion becomes evident through your experience.

Undergrad: Georgetown University

Why BC Law? As a Boston native and a person with strong community ties in Boston, attending a law school in or relatively close to Boston was a priority. Additionally, whenever I’d ask around, law students or legal professionals,
people would rave about the community at BC Law. I didn’t believe them but now as an aspiring legal eagle, the BC Law community is fantastic. I thought students would be very competitive, I wouldn’t make any friends, and end up ultimately regretting my decision to pursue law school: I was wrong. I’m loving my time at BC Law and very glad I listened to everyone that raved about the BC Law community. Also, the professors are great! They are easy to reach out to and LOVE talking to students. Long story short: I chose BC Law because I wanted to have a great time. This process is so stressful and daunting, but to do that in a space that supports you is priceless.

Experiences Between College and Law School: After graduation, I went to the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. I received a Master of Science in Education focusing on education in Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center, a prison located in Philadelphia. I served as a tutor and instructor, working closely with students pursuing their GED and mathematical interests. Additionally, during that time and upon graduating from UPenn, my brothers and I secured a patent that helped us start Light After Death Monuments (LAD). At LAD, we manufacture solar powered illuminated headstones, in addition to selling traditional headstones and flat markers.

Activities at BC Law: Law Student Association President, Black Law Student Association (BLSA), First-Generation Professionals (FGP), Negotiations Competition, Client Counseling, Law Review, & Criminal Law Society

Summer Employment: Todd & Weld LLP (2023), Ropes & Gray (2024)

Favorite Class: Contracts with Professor Hillinger

Undergrad: Boston College, Carroll School of Management

Why BC Law? On top of being one of the top law schools in the nation, I have always heard the Law School prides itself on building an inclusive community to help each student thrive in their journey through law school. My 1L year lived up to that expectation. The professors are the best in their respective fields, my classmates are always willing to lend a helping hand, and the alumni network is present and involved in ensuring a successful launch of your legal career. As a proud triple Eagle, I couldn’t be happier to have chosen BC Law.

Experiences Between College and Law School: I kick-started my career in tax
accounting at PwC in New York before going back home to Puerto Rico (PR) to work on the government’s financial restructuring and bankruptcy process at the PR Financial Oversight and Management Board.

Activities at BC Law: LALSA, Co-President; IPTF Journal, Staff Writer; Negotiations Competition, Semifinalist; LSA, 1L Section Representative 

Summer Employment: The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of
Massachusetts.

Favorite Class: Law Practice with Professor Cohen.

Undergrad: University of Southern California

Why BC Law? BC Law has the perfect balance of academic rigor and a vibrant
community. There are so many opportunities to learn inside and outside of the
classroom, and BC Law fosters a supportive environment for student growth. 

Experiences Between College and Law School:  I went straight through to law
school. During undergrad, I interned at USAID and U.S. Cyber Command.

Activities at BC Law: President of BC Law Impact Blog, VP of South Asian Law Students Association (1L Rep), Business Law Society

Summer Employment: Judicial Intern at U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts

Favorite Class: Property with Professor Lyons

Ray is the Chief Legal Officer at TAIT, a global leader in live event experiences, with a footprint of 20+ offices worldwide. He is responsible for advising the Board, executive team, and company in key legal and business matters including, among other things, material transactions/acquisitions, global corporate organization and governance, complex commercial transactions, global corporate compliance and risk management, intellectual property advancement and protection, as well as policy and regulatory matters.

Before joining TAIT, Ray was the General Counsel at Sidewalk Labs, an Alphabet-backed urban innovation company dedicated to making cities more sustainable and affordable for all. And prior to Sidewalk, Ray was the Deputy General Counsel and Chief of Staff of the Legal & Corporate Affairs Department at Univision Communications Inc., where he served as the head corporate lawyer responsible for the legal and governance work necessary to support senior management, the Board of Directors, and its committees.

Why BC Law? "It's a no-brainer. It's a phenominal school with a great alumni network, and you have folks (like me) that are really engaged and will help you along the way."

Why BC Law? I came up [to visit BC]...I just noticed the vibe there was very different than I'd experienced in my undergrad. There was a real collegial relationship between the African-American students and the white students, and the Hispanic students.

What does diversity mean to you? The more information you get about the experiences of others who may be of a different race, difference physical ability, different sexual preference...the more you understand how complex this world is, the more you understand how thoughtful you need to be about decisions you make in your workplace, your community.

What do you hope to see in the world? What you truly aspire to have is something that's consistent with what this country expouses to create, which is an environment where everyone is welcome, where everyone feels included, where there's an experience that everyone is having of an equitable level of treatment because you're a human being.

Cristina's Big Win As a JD, Cristina Manzano not only won a case before she even graduated, but she made a lasting mark on the American legal system. Cristina's victory reversed an illegal deportation while also setting a new legal precedent.

Today, Cristina is a Supervising Attorney at Lawyers for Children.

9th Appellate Circuit Project BC Law emphasizes experientil learning, and that means real trial experience. The 9th Circuit Appellate Project provides students with the chance to try cases in one of the country's eminent courtrooms. 

Learn More

Yang’s profound intelligence and work ethic have been her hallmarks, as well as her heritage. This cuts across all phases of her career, from her stellar private practice, to California state judge, to being named the first female Asian American US Attorney in history.

What was your BC expereince? “There were all these thoughtful discussions about politics, the world, the environment. I really grew up at BC. It was such an instrumental place for me.” 

“Through my family, I was exposed to many aspects of running a business. I found it fascinating at the time and still do. In my practice now, I like diving into my clients’ businesses and seeing what drives them and makes them successful.”

Something you didn’t expect? I went to BC Law thinking I’d go back home and be a trial lawyer, but then I got an opportunity to work on the Ninth Circuit Appellate Program through the school’s Center for Experiential Learning. I realized how rich and diverse the practice of law can really be. 

Why BC Law? Opportunity. BC Law is such a well–established institution, connected to all the top areas of law—big firms, private sector, public sector, judges.

What’s next? I’ve gone to Houston to join Susman Godfrey, where I'm learning as much as I can about being a good trial lawyer.

Zain's NASA Externship As a JD student, Zain was decompressing by binging Cosmos when it occured to him that he might have a longshot chance of finding an internship at NASA. BC Law works hard to find inspiring externships for its students, so when Zain walked in with his idea, everyone was all in.

Zain aced his interview at NASA and landed his dream externship. Since then, he has been an Associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP, Policy Advisor at Day One Project, Business & Legal Affairs Counsel at Marvel Studios, and an actor. Today, he is Legal Counsel at ActBlue.

Islam and the Law As a muslim American, 9/11 ignited a philosophical journey for Zain. His heritage was Pakistani, but he himself was the product of New Jersey. Watching his identities run against each other, at least on the surface, his questions of identity soon elevated to a systemic level. "Is Islam compatible with Democracy? Does the law really protecting minorities?"

Zain's inquiry eventually led him to BC Law.

Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Why BC Law? I didn’t want to be tied down regionally. BC has alumni literally everywhere. Wherever I went, I’d have a support network through the school.

Something you didn’t expect? I didn’t expect to fall in love with my classmates and their personalities. The community of people here is amazing. We take care of each other, and I didn’t expect to find that in a law school.

Favorite course? Telecommunications Law with Daniel Lyons. Despite having a bachelor’s in telecom, I knew next to nothing about how the Internet actually works. Prof. Lyons knows everything about it, and explains it very well.