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

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