As many of you know, I am an avid yoga practitioner. So, given what has gone on with the Supreme Court in recent months (and the last year), I’ve found myself increasingly intent on gathering energy through focused breathing. Our law school is also collectively taking deep breaths as we continue to find our center in the core values that drive our community. As we march forward, we are providing our students with the skills they will need to join our tenacious graduates who are advocating for diversity in higher education and equity in society, the rights of our LGBTQ+ community and other groups targeted by hatred and prejudice, and, of course, a woman’s right to make choices about her body, among other significant rights under siege.

Our values are evident in the wide range of events we provide to our community, including a recent panel discussion about affirmative action hosted by our Center for Law, Equity and Race; a program on human rights treaty obligations organized by our Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy; and trainings for judges and lawyers across the country held by our Center for Health Policy and Law’s Salus Populi project, which focuses on educating judges about how the social determinants of health impact issues that come before the courts. In our classrooms and in the corridors of power, members of the Northeastern Law community are strategizing about how best to advocate for issues imperative to our nation’s future.

As always, we rely on our faculty and staff to fulfill our mission and to guide our students. This summer, we welcomed seven outstanding faculty members to our community. You will read about them in this magazine — they are all experts in their fields, including reproductive rights, criminal justice reform, environmental law and digital regulation, and deeply committed to mentoring our students. You will also find stories about the most critical issues facing our society, from how lawyers will grapple with AI to how our graduates in environmental law and climate justice are leading the charge to make our world a better place. The work of our Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project, in partnership with our Center for Law, Equity and Race, is on the cutting edge of the reparations movement, helping to resolve the thorny questions of what, how, who and why. We welcome your thoughts and comments on all that we explore in these pages.

Finally, I must express our deep sense of loss regarding the death of Dean Emeritus Dan Givelber. Dan was beloved in our community for so many reasons: he was a brilliant teacher, a deft strategist, a respected colleague and a dear friend. He was a true leader in shaping this law school, and we deeply mourn his loss, while extending our condolences to his wife, Fran, and their family. We will hold a celebration of Dan’s life on November 8; information will be shared in our monthly e-newsletter and website. As Dan often said, Northeastern Law “is a special place.” I would add: Dan is one of the main reasons we can claim
that mantle.

Best,
James Hackney
Dean and Professor of Law