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HLS News 2008

In dispatches from Iraq, Erik Swabb '09 describes dramatic changes in security situation
Sunstein advocates for further disclosure in credit industry

The following article, "Disclosure Is the Best Kind of Credit Regulation," co-written by Harvard Law School Professor Cass Sunstein '78 and University of Chicago Professor Richard Thaler, was published in the Wall Street Journal on August 13, 2008.
Professor Noah Feldman discusses the possibility of a war with Iran

The following article, Buildup to the next war, written by Harvard Law School Professor Noah Feldman, was published in the New York Times Magazine on August 8, 2008.
John Goldberg to join HLS faculty

Vanderbilt University Law School Professor John Goldberg, an expert in tort law, tort theory, and political philosophy, will join the Harvard Law School faculty as a tenured professor this fall.
Kagan is honored for her work to encourage public service

Dean Elena Kagan ’86 has been awarded the 2008 John R. Kramer Outstanding Law Dean Award from Equal Justice Works for her extensive efforts to promote and support public service.
Sunstein studies partisanship on the Supreme Court

The following article, "Judicial Partisanship Awards," written by Harvard Law School Professor Cass Sunstein '78, was published in the Washington Independent on July 31, 2008.
An op-ed by Professor Laurence Tribe: The Supreme Court is Wrong on the Death Penalty

The following op-ed, The Supreme Court is Wrong on the Death Penalty, written by Harvard Law School Professor Laurence Tribe '66, was published in the Wall Street Journal on July 31, 2008.
Two HLS grads the focus of vice presidential speculation

As presidential candidates Barack Obama '91 and John McCain prepare for their parties' nominating conventions, rumors are swirling around two Harvard Law graduates as likely vice presidential candidates.
Bartholet testifies before Congress about arbitration laws

Harvard Law School Professor Elizabeth Bartholet '65 testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee today about mandatory pre-dispute arbitration, a practice often used in workplaces and by credit card companies to ensure that employees and consumers agree to resolve all conflicts through arbitration instead of through the court system.
HLS grad nominated to top UN Human Rights post

Navanethem Pillay LL.M. ’82 S.J.D. ’88 is expected to become the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will announce Pillay’s nomination, which requires the approval of the General Assembly, early this week.
HLS alumni play prominent role in presidential nominating conventions

As the campaign season heats up, Democrats and Republicans are giving their party leaders the spotlight at the presidential nominating conventions. Several Harvard Law School alumni are playing key roles in the Democratic convention, which is taking place this week, and at least one HLS alum will be at the forefront of the Republican convention next week.
New students arrive from all over the world

Harvard Law School welcomed 629 new students to Cambridge this week. They hail from Alaska to Zimbabwe, and from Fenway Park to Wimbledon.
Sunstein makes a case for Obama as 'visionary minimalist'

The following article, “The Empiricist Strikes Back,” by Harvard Law School Professor Cass Sunstein ’78, was published in the September 10, 2008 issue of The New Republic.
Adriaan Lanni examines Sarah Palin's working-class appeal

The following article, “Working-class hero,” co-written by Harvard Law School Assistant Professor Adriaan Lanni and Wesley Kelman, was published on September 2, 2008, in Slate.
Henry E. Smith to join HLS faculty in 2009

Yale Law Professor Henry E. Smith, an expert in property, intellectual property, natural resources, and taxation, will join the Harvard Law School faculty in January 2009, Dean Elena Kagan '86 announced today.
HLS program convenes U.S. and Chinese leaders to discuss international financial issues

This weekend, leaders from the United States and China will gather in Shanghai to examine challenges facing the financial sectors of the two countries. The "Symposium on Building the Financial System of the 21st Century: An Agenda for China and the United States," is organized by Harvard Law School's Program on International Financial Systems (PIFS) and the China Development Research Foundation (CDRF).
Students participate in historic apartheid litigation
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a case that nearly 20 Harvard Law School Human Rights Program clinical students have worked on over the last three years. The students assisted with the case on behalf of a group of South African apartheid victims, who brought claims against over 50 top multinational corporations for doing buisiness with the apartheid regime.
Berkman Center celebrates 10th anniversary with conference exploring the future of the Internet
The Berkman Center for Internet and Society is celebrating its 10th anniversary this week at its Berkman at 10 Conference entitled "The Future of the Internet." The two-day event features discussions celebrating the work the Berkman Center has done over the past decade, as well as looking ahead to what it hopes to accomplish in the future.
Four young HLS faculty members selected to participate in Junior Faculty Forum
Assistant Professors I. Glenn Cohen '03, Adriaan Lanni, Jed Shugerman, and Matthew Stephenson '03 each had papers selected for the ninth annual Stanford-Yale Junior Faculty Forum, which will take place at Yale Law School in June.
Malone and Jacobs appointed clinical professors of law
Phil Malone and Wendy Jacobs '81 have been appointed clinical professors of law, Dean Elena Kagan '86 announced today. Both currently lecturers on law, Malone is a co-director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society's clinical program and Jacobs is director of the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic.
HLS crew team wins graduate student regatta
On April 26, the Harvard Law School crew team took home a first place finish in the International Graduate School Regatta. The regatta featured graduate school crews from Boston College, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, MIT, Yale, and Harvard.
Harvard Law faculty votes for 'open access' to scholarly articles
In a move that will disseminate faculty research and scholarship as broadly as possible, the Harvard Law School faculty unanimously voted last week to make each faculty member’s scholarly articles available online for free, making HLS the first law school to commit to open access.
David Kessler '09 publishes article in criminal law journal
David Kessler '09 will have an article published in the January 2009 edition of the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. Though students regularly publish "notes" in law reviews and journals, it is more unusual for them to have articles published.
HLS clinical instructors write guide to help tenants stay in their homes
At a time when increased home foreclosures are forcing many renters out of their homes, two HLS clinical instructors at the WilmerHale Legal Services Center have written a comprehensive guide on tenants' rights after foreclosure. The guide, written by instructors Esme Caramello '99 and Rafael Mares '99, will be featured in the forthcoming edition of Legal Tactics, published by the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute.
Palfrey appointed as new head of Harvard Law School Library
John G. Palfrey '01 has been appointed associate dean of library and information resources and a tenured professor of law, Dean Elena Kagan '86 announced today.
Stuntz and Warren elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Harvard Law School Professors William J. Stuntz and Elizabeth Warren are amongst the new class of members elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious scholarly societies. Members are chosen on the basis of "preeminent contributions to their disciplines and to society at large."
Zoellick, World Bank president, at HLS for alumni award
Robert B. Zoellick '81, president of the World Bank Group, was recently on the law school campus to receive the HLS Association Award in recognition of his leadership and dedication to public service.
HLS students help keep local family in home
An effort to block the eviction of a family from its rental home turned into a celebration Wednesday, when, after months of effort by HLS students, the bank instead agreed to discuss selling the Dorchester house to them so the family could stay in place.
William T. Coleman shares stories from his 60-year legal career
William T. Coleman Jr. '46--the former secretary of transportation and one of the lead strategists and co-authors of the legal brief for the appellants in Brown v. Board of Education--was the guest speaker Friday afternoon for a lecture series, sponsored by the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice.
HLS students win national ABA moot court competition
Phil Telfeyan ’08 and Elizabeth Barchas ’08 recently won the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, finishing in first place as national champions.
Harvard Negotiators take first place in Leipzig
Last weekend, a team of students representing Harvard Law School took first place in The Negotiation Challenge in Leipzig, Germany. This year's Harvard Negotiators team was represented by Rene A. Pfromm LL.M. '08, Stefan Neata '08 and Jessica Price '08. Their win marks the second year in a row HLS has won the competition.
Harvard's BLSA chapter selected as national chapter of the year
On March 30, the Harvard Law School chapter of the Black Law Students Association (HBLSA) received the Chapter of the Year award from the National Black Law Students Association.
Oliveira Appointed Associate Dean and Dean for Development and Alumni Relations
Steven Oliveira, an accomplished university advancement professional with over 23 years of experience, has joined Harvard Law School as associate dean and dean for development and alumni relations.
Cory Booker to be 2008 Class Day speaker
Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, New Jersey, will be the 2008 Class Day speaker at Harvard Law School. Booker will address graduating students and their families on Wednesday, June 4, as part of Class Day exercises.
Three young scholars join HLS faculty as assistant professors
Dean Elena Kagan ’86 announced today that I. Glenn Cohen ’03, Benjamin Roin ’05, and Benjamin Sachs have accepted offers to join the Harvard Law School faculty as assistant professors.
Professor Noah Feldman: Why elections can be a sign of failure
The following op-ed piece, Indecisive Moments, written by Harvard Law School Professor Noah Feldman, was published in the New York Times Magazine on April 6, 2008.
Steiker, taking Aibel chair, explores the quality of mercy
Professor Carol Steiker '86 formally took the Howard J. and Katherine W. Aibel Professorship of Law in a Langdell Hall ceremony yesterday, and celebrated the occasion with a lecture exploring the role of mercy in the criminal justice system.
HLS lecturer David Poole nominated to Boston Municipal Court
Harvard Lecturer on Law David Poole '86 was nominated by Governor Deval Patrick '82 to serve as an associate justice to the Boston Municipal Court.
Six recent HLS graduates awarded national writing prizes
Six out of the seven honored recipients of the H. Thomas Austern Memorial Writing Competition were Harvard Law School graduates, the Food and Drug Law Institute announced last week.
Warren, Levitin, and Porter testify before Congress about Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights
Earlier this month, Harvard Law School Professor Elizabeth Warren testified along with two former students - Adam Levitin '06 and Katie Porter '01 - before the House Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit regarding a proposed Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights.
Anne Alstott, expert on tax law and social welfare, will join HLS faculty
Anne Alstott, an expert on federal income taxation, corporate taxation and tax policy as well as on social welfare policy, family policy, and feminism and economic justice, will join the Harvard Law School faculty as a tenured professor, Dean Elena Kagan '86 announced today.
An op-ed by Heymann and Falco: Fighting the online drug corner
The following op-ed, Fighting the online drug corner, co-written by Harvard Law School Professor Philip Heymann '60 and Mathea Falco, president of Drug Strategies, was published in the Washington Post on March 15, 2008.
Bebchuk, Roe, and Subramanian honored for top corporate law articles
Writings by Professors Lucian Bebchuk LL.M. '80 S.J.D. '84, Mark Roe '75, and Guhan Subramanian '98 were included on this year's list of 10 Best Corporate and Securities Articles, published in the legal journal "Corporate Practice Commentator."
Sitkoff to represent Massachusetts on the Uniform Law Commission
Harvard Law School Professor Robert Sitkoff was recently appointed to serve on the Uniform Law Commission by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. Sitkoff is one of three commissioners representing the state.
Kennedy discusses new book, "Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal"
In a March 5 event sponsored by the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Harvard Law School Professor Randall Kennedy discussed his new book, entitled "Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal."
An op-ed by Professors John Palfrey and Jonathan Zittrain: Choices for Turkey in the digital age
The following op-ed, Choices for Turkey in a digital age, written by Harvard Law School Clinical Professor John Palfrey '01 and Visiting Professor Jonathan Zittrain '95, was published in the Turkish Daily News on March 5, 2008.
Breyer comes to HLS for examination of Elhauge's book on statutory interpretation
How should judges interpret ambiguous statutes? Fourteen leading legal scholars -- including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer '64 -- took up that question in a conference at HLS yesterday, occasioned by the publication of a new book, "Statutory Default Rules: How to Interpret Unclear Legislation" (Harvard University Press, 2008) by Professor Einer Elhauge '86.
An op-ed by Professor Tribe: Why the Supreme Court should take a minimalist approach to gun rights
The following op-ed, Sanity and the Second Amendment, written by Harvard Law School Professor Laurence Tribe '66, was published in the Wall Street Journal on March 4, 2008.
An op-ed by Professor Alan Dershowitz: Worshippers of death
The following op-ed, Worshippers of death, written by Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz, was published in the Wall Street Journal on March 3, 2008.
Triantis, taking Goldston chair, looks at emerging threats to transactional legal practice
Law firms that have built practices providing transactional work for business clients must "innovate or die." That was the message delivered by Professor George Triantis yesterday in a lecture marking his appointment to the Eli Goldston Professorship of Law.
FCC hears testimony at HLS about Internet openness
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission was on the Harvard Law School campus today to hear testimony about whether or not Comcast deliberately blocked Internet users from sharing files online. In a packed Ames Courtroom, the five commissions heard from representatives of Comcast and Verizon about their network management practices, as well as from academics and small business owners who urged more freedom on the Internet.
Harvard Law Review launches online version of The Bluebook
Editors of the Harvard Law Review announced the launch of an online version of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation on February 15. The standard citation guide for American legal writing, The Bluebook is widely used throughout legal practice, by paralegals, attorneys, professors, and students.
An op-ed by Professor Kenneth Mack: Even at Harvard, Obama had a knack for bonding
The following op-ed, Even at Harvard, Obama had a knack for bonding with diverse people, written by Harvard Law School Professor Kenneth Mack '91 , was published in the Harrisburg Patriot-News on February 17, 2008.
Sunstein to join Harvard Law School faculty
Renowned legal scholar and political theorist Cass R. Sunstein '78 has accepted an offer to join the Harvard Law School faculty, Dean Elena Kagan '86 announced today. Sunstein, currently a tenured professor at the University of Chicago Law School, will begin teaching at HLS in the fall. He will also become director of the new Program on Risk Regulation.
Glendon takes oath as U.S. envoy to the Vatican
Surrounded by family members, friends and colleagues, Professor Mary Ann Glendon was sworn in as the new U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See today in a brief ceremony held in the Caspersen Room of Harvard Law School's Langdell Hall.
Panel examines how neuroscience can help judges determine what is in the best interests of the child
At a February 12 event, Harvard Law School faculty members joined juvenile court judges and experts in child development to discuss how neuroscience can be better used in the courtroom to break the cycle of child maltreatment.
Professor William J. Stuntz: Four things the party loyalists won't want to hear
The following article, The inconvenient truths of 2008, written by Harvard Law School Professor William J. Stuntz, was published in The Weekly Standard on February 18, 2008.
Panel looks at the "shifting borders" of U.S. immigration law
The distinction between citizen and non-citizen lies at the heart of immigration law, and is often drawn at the border. But where precisely does the “border” lie in U.S. immigration law and practice?
Professor Noah Feldman: liberal values and Islam can be complementary
The West doesn't know quite what to think of Turkey's Islamic-oriented ruling party: does it envision a liberal, European future for Turkey or an Islamist one? A vote this week on the seemingly minor issue of whether head scarves should be allowed at universities will help us begin to answer that question.
Mission to Istanbul: Palfrey urges Internet freedom in Turkey
John Palfrey '01, clinical professor of law and executive director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, made a whirlwind visit to Turkey this week to urge authorities not to filter or censor content on the internet.
Harvard Law Review elects Robert Allen as president
The Harvard Law Review has elected Robert Allen '09 as its 122nd president. Allen has excelled at HLS, winning last year's prestigious Sears Prize, which is awarded to the student with the highest grades in the 1L class each year.
HLS professor appointed to Supreme Judicial Court advisory committee
Harvard Law School Professor Andrew Kaufman '54 has been appointed to an ad hoc committee that will advise the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts on whether to adopt changes to ethical rules disfavoring public comment by judges.
HLS Professors among country's 'leading lawyers'
Three Harvard Law School professors are featured among a group of 500 "leading lawyers," according to a new a list published in Law Dragon Magazine. Professors Lucian Bebchuk LL.M. '80 S.J.D. '84, Jack Goldsmith, and Elizabeth Warren join five additional law professors from other law schools on the list.
Goldsmith receives honorable mention for book
Harvard Law School Professor Jack Goldsmith’s book, “Who Controls the Internet? Illusions of a Borderless World,” received an honorable mention from Scribes, The American Society of Legal Writers. Goldsmith and co-author Tim Wu were one of two honorable mentions for 2007.
Kerry at HLS: U.S. must act now on global climate change
In a Harvard Law School classroom today, Senator John Kerry (D - Mass.) stressed the urgency of the climate change problem, arguing that the federal government needs to take action immediately to combat global warming.
Swabb says the Iraq war is improving U.S. military capabilities
Erik Swabb '09 wrote the following op-ed, "The lessons of Iraq," which appeared in the Wall Street Journal on January 14, 2008. Swabb served in Iraq as a Marine infantry officer.
Iraq is a vanishing issue in the presidential election, Professor Noah Feldman says
The following article, Vanishing Act , written by Harvard Law School Professor Noah Feldman, was published in the New York Times Magazine on January 13, 2007.
Bebchuk ranks first among law professors on SSRN
Statistics released by the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) show that, as of the end of 2007, the works of Harvard Law School Professor Lucian Bebchuk LL.M. '80 S.J.D. '84 have been downloaded more than the work of any other law professor.
Glendon becomes U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See
Harvard Law School Professor Mary Ann Glendon's nomination to become the new U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See was confirmed by the Senate late last month, after President Bush announced the nomination on November 5.
Professor Noah Feldman examines Mormonism and presidential politics
The following article, What is it about Mormonism?, written by Harvard Law School Professor Noah Feldman, was published in the New York Times Magazine on January 6, 2007.
An op-ed by Professor Robert Bordone: Slow healing in the Catholic Church
The following op-ed, Slow healing in the Catholic Church, co-written by Harvard Law School Professor Robert Bordone '97 and Reverend Robert J. Bowers, was published in the Boston Globe on January 1, 2007.
Taking aim at sentencing guidelines, Steiker says courts need to 'exercise mercy'

The following op-ed by Professor Carol Steiker '86, "Passing the buck on mercy," was published in the September 7, 2008, edition of the Washington Post.
Dershowitz says indictments should not be politicized

The following op-ed, "Indictments are not the best revenge," written by Professor Alan Dershowitz was published in the September 12, 2008, edition of the Wall Street Journal.
Despite criticisms of Roe v. Wade, the right to choose is a part of our culture, Sunstein says

The following op-ed by Professor Cass Sunstein '78, "The fate of Roe v. Wade and choice," was published in the September 14, 2008, Boston Globe.
Randall Kennedy explores how the Black community will react if Barack Obama loses the Presidential race

The following op-ed written by Professor Randall Kennedy, "The big 'what if,' was published in the September 14, 2008, edition of the Washington Post.
Semester in Washington, D.C., launches this spring

Beginning this spring, Harvard Law School students will be able to participate in Government Lawyering -- Policy and Practice: Semester in Washington, the the school’s first-ever semester-away program for academic and clinical credit.
Reflecting on the state of the economy, Warren asks, "Who will bail out American families?"

The following oped by Professor Elizabeth Warren, "Who will bail out American families?" was published in the September 22, 2008, edition of the Chicago Tribune.
Expansion of executive power is likely in upcoming Supreme Court term, Goldstein says

In a panel discussion on how the Supreme Court will handle issues in the upcoming term last week, Harvard Law School Lecturer Tom Goldstein predicted that future decisions will continue to support increased executive power.
HLS well represented among the most influential corporate governance players

Four members of the Harvard Law School community were recently named to Directorship Magazine's second annual Directorship 100 list for their influence on corporate governance.
Scott urges Administration to think carefully about bank bailout plan

The following op-ed, "Let's get the bank rescue right," was co-authored by Harvard Law School Professor Hal Scott, Dean of Columbia Business School R. Glenn Hubbard, and University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Professor Luigi Zingales. It appeared in the September 24, 2008 edition of the Wall Street Journal.
Debating the debates

Four days before the first 2008 presidential debate takes place in Mississippi, a panel discussion at HLS looked at past, present and future presidential debates.
Jackson says the Treasury's bailout plan should target bad loans, not burned investors

The following op-ed by Professor Howell Jackson '82, "Build a better bailout," was published in the September 25, 2008, edition of the Christian Science Monitor.
Bebchuk discusses how to fix the Treasury's emergency plan
In New York Times, Feldman explores the role of the Supreme Court in making foreign policy

The following article by Professor Noah Feldman, "When judges make foreign policy," was the cover article for the September 28, 2008, New York Times Magazine.
Negotiating modern art

Christo and Jeanne-Claude—the artists whose notable projects include “The Gates” in New York City’s Central Park—received the Great Negotiator Award from HLS’s Program on Negotiation.
Scalia to give inaugural Herbert W. Vaughan Lecture to the Harvard Community

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia ’60 will give the inaugural Herbert W. Vaughan lecture tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 p.m. The event will be open to members of the Harvard community.
Harvard Law professor, alums top Esquire list of most influential people

Four individuals with Harvard Law School connections have been named to Esquire Magazine’s list of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century: Professor Noah Feldman, Samantha Power ’99, Barack Obama ’91, and Supreme court Justice John Roberts ’79.
Hanson warns that bailout plans do not go far enough

The following op-ed written by Professor Jon Hanson, "In crisis, beware illusion of reform," was published in the October 2, 2008, edition of the Providence Journal.
Clinical students, staff take part in U.S. Conference on AIDS

Staff and students from the WilmerHale Legal Services Center’s Health Law Clinic attended this year’s United States Conference on AIDS last month, where they introduced and described their new program to educate the public about the current state of health care law.
Steiker honored for death penalty scholarship

On October 2, Harvard Law School Professor Carol Steiker ’86 was presented with the Hugo A. Bedau Award by Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty for her contributions to death penalty scholarship.
3L publishes NYT op-ed on mortgage crisis

In an op- ed “Fight for the Family Home” published in the October 10, 2008 edition of The New York Times, Eric Nguyen ’09 argues for reform of bankruptcy laws.
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Archbishop Desmond Tutu honored at Houston Institute conference this weekend

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa were honored this weekend at a conference at Harvard Law School sponsored by the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice.
Cautionary tales: ethics panel features former federal prosecutors and white-collar defendants

HLS Assistant Clinical Professor of Law Alex Whiting moderates a HLS special event: How a CEO and a Lawyer Became Felons: Two Inside Stories of White Collar Crime; A Talk with Former Prosecutors and Offenders.
HLS Crew breaks team record at 44th Head of the Charles Regatta

On Saturday, October 18th, the Harvard Law School crew raced in the 44th Head of the Charles Regatta, competing against over 60 club eights from around the country.
HLS and Stanford Law host international junior faculty forum

Harvard Law School and Stanford Law School jointly hosted the inaugural Harvard-Stanford International Junior Faculty Forum on October 17 and 18. Held on the Stanford campus this year, the annual conference seeks to bring together leading younger scholars from throughout the world beyond the US.
Goldstone receives MacArthur Award for contributions to international justice

Justice Richard J. Goldstone, the Learned Hand Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard Law School this semester, was honored with the prestigious MacArthur Award for International Justice yesterday. Goldstone is a former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
Warren and Tyagi urge the adoption of a Financial Products Safety Commission

The following essay, “Protect Financial Consumers,” was co-written by Professor Elizabeth Warren and her daughter Amelia Warren Tyagi. It will appear in the November 7, 2008, edition of Harper’s Magazine and is part of a special forum in the magazine entitled, “How to save capitalism.”
Harvard Law School Celebrates Record-setting Capital Campaign

Harvard Law School’s “Setting the Standard” campaign has raised $476,475,707, making it the most successful fund-raising drive in the history of legal education.
HLS program gathers U.S. and Japanese leaders to discuss international financial issues
Caspersen and Krause honored at celebration weekend

Finn M.W. Caspersen ’66 and Peter Krause ’74 were honored for their service to Harvard Law School at this year’s annual fall reunions, which took place on October 24-26 at HLS.
Ken Burns visits Harvard Law School in panel on race and filmmaking

Celebrated filmmaker Ken Burns was joined by writer and collaborator Geoffrey C. Ward, cultural critic Stanley Crouch and Harvard Kennedy School professor Edward Schumacher-Matos in a panel discussion on the role of race in Burns’ documentaries.
Professor Laurence Tribe reflects on Obama's victory

The following op-ed, “Morning-after pride,” was written by Professor Laurence Tribe '66. It appeared in the November 5, 2008, edition of Forbes Magazine.
HLS grads celebrate victories on election night

On an election day that saw record voter turnout numbers in states across the country, Harvard Law School graduates awaited their electoral fates. Aside from Barack Obama’s ’91 historic victory in the Presidential election, six HLS alumni are currently headed to the Senate and 12 to the House, with a few elections still too close to call.
Obama names HLS alumni to transition team posts

Two days after winning the election, the Obama team has quickly set to work putting together a transition team which will coordinate the move to the White House in January. Yesterday, Obama appointed three of his HLS classmates and one former HLS professor and alumnus to top transition team posts.
HLS faculty reacts to Obama victory

Several members of the Harvard Law School faculty knew both Barack and Michelle Obama during their time as students, and have stayed in touch with them over the years. Here, some of them react to the election.
Andrew Klaber joins gathering of Asia-Pacific young leaders in Tokyo

Andrew Klaber JD/MBA ’10 has been selected as one of 160 emerging leaders from 30 countries in the Asia-Pacific region for the Asia Society’s Third Annual Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit.
Louis Stokes, veteran of Congress and the civil rights movement, visits HLS

Former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes, who represented Ohio’s 21st district in Congress from 1969 to 1999, spoke at HLS on November 12, at the invitation of Harvard Law School’s Charles Hamilton Institute for Race and Justice.
HLS, Sander honored for increasing number of minority students in law schools

During its 40th anniversary celebration, the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) recognized Professor Emeritus Frank E.A. Sander ’52, and Harvard Law School as a whole, for historic efforts to increase the numbers of minority students in law schools.
HLS to co-host conference marking 60th anniversary of United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights

To mark the 60th anniversary of the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Facing History and Ourselves and Harvard Law School convened some of the world’s leading human rights scholars, practitioners, and educators for an international conference entitled, “Universal Rights in Societies of Difference."
Craig Newmark, social activist and founder of Craigslist, visits HLS

Craig Newmark, noted philanthropist and founder of the wildly successful no-frills website Craigslist, visited HLS in a Berkman Center-sponsored informal discussion on November 14.
Immigrants’ Rights Group Honors Deborah Anker

Deborah Anker, director of the HLS Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program and a clinical professor of law, has received an award from the Central American Refugee Center (CARECEN) in New York recognizing her pioneering work in humanitarian protection for immigrants fleeing protection.
Warren appointed to Congressional panel overseeing Treasury’s economic bailout plan

On Friday November 14, Harvard Law School Professor Elizabeth Warren was appointed to a five-member congressional oversight panel that will monitor the Treasury’s economic rescue plan and report back to Congress. Warren was one of three experts nominated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to the bi-partisan panel.
Annette Gordon-Reed ’84 wins National Book Award for nonfiction

Annette Gordon-Reed ’84 won this year’s National Book Award for nonfiction for “The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family,” which examines three generations of a slave family owned by Thomas Jefferson.
Amalia Amaya LL.M. ’00 S.J.D. ’07 wins European award for best dissertation in legal theory

Amalia Amaya LL.M. ’00 S.J.D. ’07 has been awarded the European Award for the Best Doctoral Dissertation in Legal Theory. The award is given every three years by the European Academy of Legal Theory in Brussels.
Goldsmith, Posner: Europe’s commitment to international law is ‘largely rhetorical’

HLS Professor Jack Goldsmith and University of Chicago Law Professor Eric Posner ‘91 wrote “Does Europe Believe in International Law?” an op-ed published in the Nov. 25, 2008, edition of The Wall Street Journal.
Panel discusses what to expect from Obama

After an election that mobilized legions of diverse voters, what can be expected from the 44th president? Three weeks after the victory of Barack Obama ’91, panelists considered the question at an event moderated by Professor Charles Ogletree ’78, director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice.
Additional investigations of interrogations are a bad idea, says Goldsmith

There has been much speculation about how the Obama administration will deal with what many view as the Bush administration's harsh, abusive and illegal interrogation program.
Faculty members weigh-in on 2007-2008 Supreme Court term

Four authors of articles in the November Supreme Court issue of the Harvard Law Review offered an in-depth look at the Court’s 2007-8 term in a panel discussion on November 18.
Minow, Heymann: International Criminal Court should decide on genocide in Darfur

IS THERE a legal basis for the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan for genocide?
Feldman in NYT: Fighting the last war?

The following article written by HLS Professor Noah Feldman, “Fighting the last war,” was published in the Nov. 30, 2008, edition of The New York Times Magazine. He is a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Economist magazine: Books by Feldman, Sunstein among year’s best

The Economist magazine has included the books of two Harvard Law Professors on its list of 2008 “Books of the Year.”
Ogletree honored by ABA for contributions to racial equality

Harvard Law School Professor Charles Ogletree ’78 will be awarded the 2009 Spirit of Excellence Award from the American Bar Association Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession.
Politico.com: Obama's HLS network his "most enduring"

Poltico.com, a website with a devoted following of leading politicians and those who watch them, offers a revealing look at the role played by President-elect Obama's network of Harvard Law School friends during the campaign and now the transition.
Zittrain: The Internet is Closing

The following article by HLS Professor Jonathan Zittrain ’95, “The Internet is Closing,” was published in the Dec. 8, 2008, edition of Newsweek. The author of “The Future of the Internet—And How to Stop It” (Yale University Press, 2008), he is the founder and faculty co-director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at HLS.
Barkow: Sentencing laws needn’t drain us

The following op-ed co-written by HLS Visiting Professor Rachel Barkow’96 and Joshua Libling, “Sentencing laws needn’t drain us,” was published in the Dec. 6, 2008, edition of the Boston Herald.
Oliver Oldman, expert in international tax, 1920-2008

Oliver Oldman ‘53, Learned Hand Professor of Law Emeritus, died on December 5, 2008, at the age of 88. Educated at Harvard College (S.B. 1942) and the Harvard Law School (LL.B. 1953), Oldman taught at the Law School from 1959 to 1993.
Warren testifies before Congressional Committee

As part of her work on a Congressional panel overseeing the Treasury Department’s economic bailout plan, Harvard Law School Professor Elizabeth Warren is testifying before the House Financial Services Committee today. Staff members predict that Warren will testify after noon today.
Vermeule looks at limits of reason, implications for lawmaking

Harvard Law School Professor Adrian Vermeule has published a new book entitled “Law and the Limits of Reason,” describing how limitations on human reasoning affect governing bodies.
Lloyd E. Ohlin, expert in criminal justice, 1918-2008

Professor Emeritus Lloyd E. Ohlin, an expert in criminal justice who was widely known for his academic work and public service, died on December 6, 2008, at the age of 90.
Lawrence Lessig named professor of law at HLS, director of Harvard’s Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics

Renowned legal scholar Lawrence Lessig has been appointed to the faculty of Harvard Law School, and as the faculty director of Harvard University’s Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics.
Mark Lanier visits Professor Jon Hanson’s Tort Class (web cast)

W. Mark Lanier, the plaintiffs attorney who won a $253 million judgment against pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. over the fatal effects of its painkiller Vioxx, spoke to Professor Jon Hanson’s Torts class on November 19 at the law school.
FBI General Counsel Presents New Guidelines at HLS Forum Lecture (web cast)

On Tuesday, December 2, the Harvard Law School Forum sponsored a lecture by Valerie Caproni, General Counsel to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Antony Loewenstein, author and journalist, discusses blogging and political change

Antony Loewenstein, author of the bestselling book “My Israel Question” and more recently “The Blogging Revolution,” visited the Berkman Center to discuss political transformation, internet censorship and the role of dissident bloggers around the world.
HLS student wins international award for film

Harvard Law School student Clara J. K. Long ’11 and her Boston-based film crew won a new international media award for their documentary series “Border Stories,” which strives to show the “human face” of the U.S.-Mexico border region.
Six From HLS Win Prestigious Skadden Fellowships

For the second straight year, six Harvard Law School students and recent graduates have been chosen to receive Skadden Fellowships to support their work in public service. This marks the seventh consecutive year that HLS students and recent graduates have won more of the prestigious Skadden fellowships than their competitors from other law schools.
Sunstein named a top public intellectual by Prospect magazine

Harvard Law School Professor Cass Sunstein ’78 is featured amongst the top three public intellectuals for 2008 in the Christmas/January issue of Prospect magazine. Sunstein earned the “bronze” placement on the list, along with Nudge co-author Richard Thaler.
Feldman's essay selected for anthology

Harvard Law School Professor Noah Feldman’s essay, “Orthodox Paradox,” was selected for inclusion in this year’s anthology, The Best American Spiritual Writing.
Bebchuk: How to give banks confidence to lend to businesses

The following op-ed, “How to give banks confidence to lend to businesses,” was co-written by Harvard Law School Professor Lucian Bebchuk LL.M. ’80, S.J.D. ’84 and Italy Goldstein, a professor at the Wharton School of Business. It appeared in the December 19, 2008, edition of the Financial Times.
Five HLS faculty authors honored for exemplary legal writing

The Green Bag, a quarterly journal dedicated to good writing about the law, has announced its annual list of outstanding legal writing from the past year. Five Harvard Law School faculty members are among this year’s honorees.
Newsweek recognizes Sunstein for the power of his ideas

Harvard Law School Professor Cass Sunstein ’78 is highlighted in the Jan. 5, 2009, issue of Newsweek magazine as one of four thinkers “whose philosophies seem to have captured the intellectual moment.”
Vermeule says many minds are not necessarily better than one

During a recent conference on collective wisdom organized by Professor Jon Elster of the College de France in Paris, Harvard Law School Professor Adrian Vermeule ’93 presented a working paper debunking the idea that several minds are always better than one in legal decision-making.