BPLA Blog
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“DUE Process” Newsletter - Volume 4, issue 1
"Due process” newsletter - Volume 3, issue 2
"Due process” newsletter - volume 3, issue 1
"Due process” newsletter - volume 2, issue 2
"Due process” newsletter - volume 2, issue 1
"Due process” newsletter - volume 1, issue 2
"Due process” newsletter - volume 1, issue 1
“Due Process” is the Harvard Undergraduate Black Pre-Law Association's semesterly newsletter. This newsletter serves to update our membership, sponsors, and the greater public on BPLA's recent programming and accomplishments, in addition to our plans for the upcoming months.
BPLA’s Highlights of 2018-2019
Black Legal Brilliance Brunch - April 20, 2019
A GATHERING OF GREAT MINDS
On April 20th, BPLA held its signature year-end event: the Black Legal Brilliance Brunch. We were proud to invite four prominent legal professionals from a variety of fields to discuss their experiences in the law amongst our membership and members of the Harvard Black Law Students association from Harvard Law School.
We honored David Brown, partner at Paul, Weiss LLP, for the award in Private Legal Practice. Dehlia Umunna, Professor at Harvard Law School and Faculty Deputy Director of Harvard’s Criminal Justice Institute, received the award for Activism and Reform. Kenneth Mack, also a professor at Harvard Law School, was awarded for Scholarship. Judge Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson of the United States First Circuit Court of Appeals won the award for Jurisprudence. She was appointed to that role by President Barack Obama as only the second African-American and first African-American woman to hold the post. Ultimately, the brunch was a great success and we look forward to building upon the wonderful relationships that were started!
Corporate Law & Diversity Panel - February 19, 2019
A CONVERSATION ON DIVERSITY IN THE LAW
In collaboration with a variety of different law firms, BPLA held a candid discussion on the topics of diversity, career advancement, and networking in the legal field. Students from across campus came out to discuss the implications of being a minority in a less diverse field and the implications of being a black lawyer in general. The conversation dug deep into the lives of our panelist to help students understand the benefits and drawbacks of being a corporate lawyer. We thank the law firms of Baker Botts, Cleary Gottlieb, Goodwin Procter, Mintz, Ropes and Gray, Sullivan and Cromwell, Sidley Austin, and White & Case for participating in such a stellar event!
A Conversation with Dehlia Umunna - November 14, 2018
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: THERE’S WORK TO BE DONE
Harvard Law School professor and the Faculty Deputy Director of Harvard’s Criminal Justice Institute Dehlia Umunna joined us for our November general meeting. Dr. Umunna represents some of the most marginalized adult and juvenile clients in the state of Massachusetts.
Professor Umunna provided potent insight into our criminal justice system and how it can be reformed, mass incarceration, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Professor Umunna shared with us her thoughts and beliefs about the effect of biased policing on private prisons and how the rise of the prison industrial complex has crippled a large segment of our society.
Discussing Diversity - October 31, 2018
A CONVERSATION ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
In collaboration with Harvard Law School’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA), BPLA held a discussion on the implications of Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court. Many people came out to assess these effects as they relate to women’s productive rights, the Harvard affirmative action lawsuit, and the context of belonging within the black community at large. The law school’s BLSA provided valuable insight into the ongoing affirmative action lawsuit, as they have been heavily involved in its proceedings and closely tracking its events as they unfold.
