Chicago's Bright Lights Shine on BU Law Alumni Safeguarding ...

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Two Years After the Storm… BU Students Aid in Legal Cleanup While some students spent spring break sunning themselves on the beaches of Mexico, one group of BU Law students chose to travel to a different Gulf Coast destination: New Orleans. The group of 25 spent their break doing pro bono work for Hurricane Katrina victims through the Student Hurricane Network (SHN), a national law school association created to fill gaps in the justice systems in communities affected by Katrina. During their stay, the SHN BU Law chapter—led by Kendra Kinscherf (’07) and Jon Anderman (’08)— addressed legal issues including housing discrimination and environmental issues. “It is impossible to even begin to describe the amount of work that still needs to be done in New Orleans,” said Anderman. Kinscherf added, “Law students have the skills to help people not only with legal work, but also to help bring more awareness to the current situation.” Anderman and Kinscherf surveyed residents of FEMA trailers in the worst hit areas of New Orleans, including the Ninth Ward, to understand their pressing legal needs. The students said residents were grateful they had not been forgotten. “I think it was incredibly important to show the victims of the storm that we still have them in our hearts and minds, we are willing to listen to all their concerns and we are actively pursuing their issues in order to enact some sort of change,” said Anderman. 14 | The Record | Fall 2007
CONFERENCES After seeing the destruction still present in New Orleans after 19 months, the students realized how much help was truly needed. “Many people are still waiting to receive the funds promised to them in order to rebuild their homes,” said Kinscherf. Most issues facing residents have been unaddressed because so few lawyers remain. “Since the storm, many attorneys have not moved back to the city. There is such a backlog of cases that the attorneys still in the city have little hope of resolving many of them,” she added. Despite hearing negative accounts of the aftermath, the students felt empowered by the indomitable spirits of those affected by the disaster. Kinscherf recalled a woman she met who was living in a trailer in unhealthy conditions with 11 people. Although she worked full-time, she was unable to afford an apartment, which is the case for many renters in the area. “Landlords either are no longer rebuilding or have raised rents to levels at least three times more than before the hurricane,” said Kinscherf. The woman also suffered health issues but was unable to find her doctor. In spite of her hardships, she remained hopeful that the spirit of New Orleans would be restored. “People can only hit so many walls before they finally give up,” added Anderman. “The resiliency of the residents of New Orleans to continue trying now, after countless failures, is nothing short of amazing and a testament to human will.” The philanthropic students of SHN did not stop their efforts after returning to Boston. One segment of their program is Matchmakers for Justice (M4J), which pairs hurricane victims with law students across the country. The four students at BU Law involved in M4J met with their clients in New Orleans and continue to address their legal issues. The students believe that efforts to reach out to victims are more relevant than ever; and several planned to return this summer to continue helping. “[This experience] was life-changing for many of the students. And I am certain that all of these terrifically talented students will incorporate public service into their legal careers, ensuring that compassion and justice remain central tenets of our profession,” said Maura Kelly, the director of the Career Development Office who helped organize the BU Law chapter of SHN and accompanied the students to New Orleans. Although Anderman does not underestimate the scope of the Katrina crisis, he thinks student efforts are a good way to start: “I have high expectations for what BU Law can accomplish,” he said. National Health Law Professors Conference Conceived over 25 years ago at BU Law, the NHLP Conference is intended for professionals who teach law or bioethics and law, medicine, public health, health care administration, pharmacy, nursing and dentistry. Co-sponsored each year by a host law school and the American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics, the conference draws professors from around the country to listen to presentations, report on works-in-progress and exchange ideas about medical and legal issues. This year’s conference, held on May 31st- June 2nd, co-sponsored by BU Law, included sessions on: Health Care Reform, Teaching Health Law, Global Health Law and Innovation Meets Patient Rights. The forum included breakout sessions such as Patient Safety, Quality of Care, Malpractice, Regulating the Health Care Industry and Technology Development and Regulation. Pike Conference In March, the annual Pike Conference was held, titled “The Nuremberg Doctors’ Trial: 60 Years Later.” The conference examined the impact of the Nuremberg Code on international and U.S. law regarding human experimentation and the role of physicians in euthanasia of people with disabilities. The role of military physicians in the “global war on terror,” particularly in prison settings, was also examined. Edmund Pellegrino, Chairman of the President’s Council on Bioethics, delivered the keynote speech, “On Human Dignity.” For more information on BU Law’s upcoming lectures, conferences and events, visit www.bu.edu/law/events/ Fall 2007 | The Record | 15
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