Professor Emeritus Roger Abrams, who served as dean of Northeastern Law from 1999 to 2002, passed away on November 12, 2023, in University Park, Florida, after a long battle with cancer. A prolific author and leading authority on sports law, labor law and legal education, Professor Abrams retired from Northeastern in 2018. Professor Emerita Mary O’Connell ’75 reflects on Professor Abrams’ contributions and camaraderie.

Roger Abrams joined the Northeastern University School of Law faculty in 1999 as dean. I know I saw Roger’s presentation to the faculty and I probably spoke with him, but at the time I was driving all over the Northeast so that my daughter could look at colleges. I’m sure I should have paid more attention to the important process of choosing a new dean, but …. My first real meeting with Roger came in the fall of 1999. I walked into Roger’s office expecting him to say, “Hello, Mary. Have a seat.” Nope. Roger stood up, flashed what has to have been one of the most wonderful smiles ever and said, “Hiya, Mare.” I decided at that moment that I really liked this new dean!

Roger and I would go on to spend time together, particularly after his deanship, when he was able to devote himself to his wonderful scholarship and getting to know our faculty in a different way. Roger moved down from the dean’s suite to a small office on the lower level of Cargill Hall right by the copy machine. I never asked Roger if he chose that spot on purpose, but I strongly suspect he did. Needing the copy machine was, of course, the perfect excuse for stopping to say hello to Roger. Or to ask his advice, as I did many, many times.

When I served as associate dean — a great-sounding title, but it really means, among other things, assigning professors to their courses — Roger told me he wanted to teach sports law in addition to torts. I remember thinking — and probably saying — there was no such thing. Roger then proceeded to explain patiently that not only was there “such a thing” but also that in a short time, it would be one of the most lucrative and interesting of all law practices. Roger, of course, was 100 percent right and I Remembering Roger Abrams was wrong (luckily, I knew Roger and his love of teaching well enough to let the course proceed despite my qualms). In fact, Roger’s first book, Baseball and the Law, came out before he joined the Northeastern Law faculty, and many more followed. Roger was also an author of the leading law text on sports law, now in its seventh edition. So much for my sense of where the legal profession might be going!

Roger was everything a law professor should be: a great teacher; a leader in his field of scholarship; a kind, positive influence on his students, his colleagues and the staff. When I first learned that he had passed away I went to my bookshelf to take down my favorite of his many books, The First World Series and the Baseball Fanatics of 1903. Even if I didn’t love baseball (full disclosure: I do), I would love this book. At the moment, it’s still sitting on my desk. And if I close my eyes I can see Roger’s smile and hear his resounding “Hiya, Mare” as we head off for our favorite lunch spot across The Fens. The memories are special. Roger was special. We at Northeastern were so, so lucky to have him on our team.

— Professor Emerita Mary O’Connell ’75