“As you go forth as lawyers … your social justice core must be strong and your commitment concrete. You must employ the critical thinking and advocacy skills you have mastered here at Northeastern to defend those who face what may seem like insurmountable and egregious odds,” Dean James Hackney told the more than 200 JD, LLM and MLS students who graduated on May 2, 2025, in Matthews Arena.

Ralph C. Martin II ’78, who has served as a visionary leader in both the private and public sectors, delivered the keynote address, reflecting on the turbulence of the 1960s, during which he witnessed both the horrors of Bloody Sunday and the hope sparked by the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts. Martin emphasized the power of optimism. “Today, if we are on our knees, we need to rise up and resist regressive efforts,” said Martin, who served as Suffolk County DA and as Northeastern University’s senior vice president and general counsel and is now a partner at Prince Lobel Tye. “And optimism serves as the fuel for a continued and successful campaign to recruit others to join in. As you enter the profession, I hope that you will find ways to join in this effort, even if it is in small ways.”