BC Law Magazine Winter 2018

Boston College Law School Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School Boston College Law School Magazine Winter 1-1-2018 BC Law Magazine Winter 2018 Boston College Law School Follow this and additional works at: https://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/bclsm Part of the Legal Education Commons Recommended Citation Boston College Law School, "BC Law Magazine Winter 2018" (2018). Boston College Law School Magazine. 51. https://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/bclsm/51 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School. It has been accepted for inclusion in Boston College Law School Magazine by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PLUS SUPREME COURT Party BOSTON COLLEGE LAW SCHOOL MAGAZINE Favors WINTER 2018 Litigator Walks BC.EDU/BCLAWMAGAZINE a Fine Line in Gerrymandering Case GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT Democracy in Doubt Scholarly Crusader Mounts Campaign to Protect Freedoms BUSINESS LAW Start-Up Pitfalls Growing Up Is Hard to Do in Unicorn SMALL Culture ENOUGH TO JAIL VERA ’90 and CHANTERELLE SUNG ’04, subjects of an Oscar-nominated documentary about big government’s attack on their small family bank, ABACUS, after the 2008 financial crisis, recount the thrashing they endured. BC Law Magazine THE WRITE WAY The eloquent admission essays of five new 1Ls—from left, Danielle Richmond, Samuel Tincher, Jaegun Lee, Erika Craven, and Jorge Toledo. Page 28 Photograph by DIANA LEVINE Contents WINTER 2018 VOLUME 26 / NUMBER 1 Clockwise, from top left, Features Attorney Paul M. Smith; Talyor Green ’18; the Creedon family; and wrongful convictions. 20 16 Scapegoats Just what lay behind the New York DA’s aggressive targeting of a small China- town bank in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis? Abacus Federal Savings, a family-run community institution, became the sole bank in America indicted 18 for practices that brought the mortgage industry—and the economy—to its knees. The giant culprits were deemed too big to fail. But Abacus was seen as just right: small enough to jail. Or so it seemed. Alumnae 10 Vera and Chanterelle Sung relive their family’s saga. 42 By Jeri Zeder 28 Foremost 8 Policy BC Law launches Esquire Getting In 2 In Limine From the Editor. new initiatives; Carmen 42 Generations Five 1Ls share the essays Ortiz provides insight into The Creedon family. that earned them entrance 3 For the Record life as a US Attorney. into law school. Updates and contributors. 43 Class Notes 10 Candid Taylor Green ’18 . 4 Behind the Columns 48 Alumni News 36 Members of an immigrant 12 Faculty Scholarship The Freedom Fighter community keep faith in Professor Daniel Lyons 50 Click Raised in the crucible the rule of law. argues zero-rated plans are Reunion Weekend 2017. Communist Romania, By Dean Vincent Rougeau good for consumers. scholar Vlad Perju 52 Advancing Excellence mounts an inspired global 14 In the Field Xiomara Corral The special relationship campaign against the Docket ’87, Tom Dale ’82, and four between donors and their foes of constitutional 6 In Brief Senator Edward other alumni on the job. named professors. democracy. By Jeri Zeder Markey ’72 vows to go down fighting to help consum- 16 Brainstorm Dean Vincent 55 The 2016-2017 On the Cover Vera ’90 and ers; Federal committee Rougeau and SCOTUS Giving Report Chanterelle Sung ’04 are photo- convenes to establish litigator Paul M. Smith. graphed in the Chinatown standards for expert testi- 68 In Closing For start-ups, community where their small bank, Abacus, is located. mony; plus news and events 18 Evidence Examining maturity is spelled ‘IPO.’ Photograph by Tony Luong around the academy. wrongful convictions. By Professor Renee M. Jones Photographs, from top, DANA SMITH; DIANA LEVINE; BRIAN STAUFFER; CAITLIN CUNNINGHMAM Winter 2018 BC LAW MAGAZINE 1 IN LIMINE Foremost Network, we don’t have to take this anymore. authors’ contemplation as well as that of the Student Essays Offer Hope that there is a way to modulate the admission officers deciding their fate. The best Better Tomorrows din and rehumanize the national dialog lies, personal statements create a silent dialog be- not surprisingly, with the young, in particu- tween the two parties that avoids the rhetori- This is a time when words are being lar with the kind of men and women who cal, eliminates the hubris, and summons the twisted into all sorts of horrible comprise BC Law’s newest cohort, the Class best in human nature—the truth. uses—political propaganda, “fake” of 2020. A review of the admission essays “Getting In” is BC Law Magazine’s third news, racist screeds…the list goes on. Not that submitted by the 250 1Ls now enrolled, was, time presenting the writings of an entering such literary and verbal barbarism is anything in its way, a revelation. class. The five voices heard in this issue new; history shows these methods to be lethal The students have committed to three belong to Jaegun Lee, Danielle Richmond, across the ages. But this is our age, and to para- years of hard labor in the study of the law, an Jorge Toledo, Samuel Tincher, and Erika phrase Howard Beale’s speech in the movie arduous task by any measure. These are not Craven. Their paths to law school could young people looking for the easy way out of not be more different, neither could their anything. Rather, as the personal statements histories, personalities, or dreams. They’ve of the majority of them demonstrate—and BC been insiders and outsiders, they’ve suffered Law alumni know intuitively—they are charac- indignities and received admiration, they’ve teristically inclined to make the world a better been outspoken and quietly effective, they’ve place, to find common ground, to root out the experienced injustices and championed bad and replace it with the good. causes. As Jaegun Lee says, quoting a Korean It is a sweet irony that perhaps the most proverb: “You turn dark in a dark place; telling requirement of their law school ap- white in a white place.” plication is a one-thousand-word narrative. Clearly, these essayists’ brains work over- Amid the quantifiable metrics of LSAT and time, and so do their hearts. They deserve the GPA scores, the essay clears a space for the last word. See page 28. qualifiable, forwords , thoughtfully considered VICKI SANDERS, Editor and forged into a narrative that requires the [email protected] CONNECT Update your contact information look up alumni in an online directory, volunteers serve on their Reunion Judging Oral Advocacy Competi- fund provide immediate financial to continue to receive news find career resources, register for Committee. Committees begin tions Hundreds of students partici- support for many of BC Law’s most from BC Law and so that your events, submit class notes, update forming the winter prior to the re- pate in four in-house competitions: important needs. Key funding priorities classmates and other alumni can your contact information, and main- union weekend, and members spend Negotiations (early autumn), Mock have included financial aid, public inter- reach you. To learn more about tain an @bc.edu forwarding address. approximately two hours per month Trial (late autumn), Client Counseling est summer stipends, post graduate any of the ways that you can help Register at bc.edu/lawnet. on committee work. (late winter), and Moot Court (spring). fellowships, and faculty research grants. build our community, volunteer, Alumni from all career areas are or support the school, please Regional Chapters & Affinity Ambassador Program Law firm needed to judge these competitions. Dean’s Council Giving Societies contact the Boston College Law Groups Alumni gather to socialize, ambassadors promote engagement In appreciation for leadership-level School advancement office: network, and stay connected. Our with and giving to BC Law among gifts, members receive invitations to newest group, Graduates Of the Last alumni at law firms with a BC Law INVEST IN OUR FUTURE special receptions and events and Email: [email protected] Decade (GOLD), fosters community presence. These volunteers provide enjoy membership in comparable Call: 617-552-3935 among our most recently graduated the Law School with perspective Advancing Excellence When you University-wide societies. To learn Visit: bc.edu/law/lawalumni alumni. Contact us if you would like on the legal industry, mentor and give to BC Law, you have a meaning- more, visit bc.edu/lawgivingsocieties. to start or join a chapter or affinity recruit students, and partner with the ful impact on our entire community. group, or to help organize an event. advancement office to strengthen Your gifts sustain everything from Drinan Society This society rec- BUILD OUR ALUMNI COMMUNITY the alumni community. scholarships that attract and retain ognizes loyal donors. Drinan Society Class Agents Our class agents nur- talented students to faculty research members have given to BC Law for BC Law Magazine The alumni ture alumni connections in between grants that keep BC Law at the two or more consecutive years, and magazine is published twice a year, reunion years. They are kept up to CONNECT WITH STUDENTS forefront of scholarship. sustaining members have given for in January and June. Contact editor date on developments at BC Law five or more consecutive years. The Vicki Sanders at [email protected] and partner with the school to keep Mentoring Program The 1L Mentor Named Scholarships Student society is named for Robert F. Drinan, or 617-552-2873 for printed editions classmates informed, engaged, and Program matches first-year students scholars are selected each academic SJ, who served as dean of BC Law, or to share news items, press releases, invested in BC Law’s future success.

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