Boston College Law School Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School Boston College Law School Magazine Summer 7-1-2015 BC Law Magazine Summer 2015 Boston College Law School Follow this and additional works at: http://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/bclsm Part of the Legal Education Commons Recommended Citation Boston College Law School, "BC Law Magazine Summer 2015" (2015). Boston College Law School Magazine. 46. http://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/bclsm/46 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]. NEWSMAKER Justice in Baltimore How Marilyn Mosby ’05 Stunned the Nation POLITICS BOSTON COLLEGE LAW SCHOOL MAGAZINE The Citizen SUMMER 2015 Leon Rodriguez ’88 BC.EDU/BCLAWMAGAZINE Safeguards the American Dream PROFILE Lost and Found The Remarkable Journey of Taisha Sturdivant ’16 THE ODD COUPLE PAUL CALLAN ’75 AND MEL ROBBINS ’94 ARE THE UNLIKELIEST OF PAIRINGS AS TWO OF CNN’S TOP LEGAL ANALYSTS. BUT THEIR ON-AIR FUSION YIELDS SHREWD INSIGHT, CHARISMATIC COMMENTARY, AND TURBO-CHARGED DEBATE BC Law Magazine AGAINST THE ODDS HOW TAISHA STURDIVANT ’16 USED HER WITS TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE. PAGE 38 Photograph by DANA SMITH Contents SUMMER 2015 VOLUME 23 / NUMBER 2 Features 24 It Takes Two Paul Callan ’75 and Mel Robbins ’94 are the unlike- liest of pairings as two of 32 CNN’s top legal analysts but their on-air fusion 68 yields shrewd insight, commentary, and debate. By Chad Konecky 32 The Go-To Guy Appellate lawyer Daniel Polsenberg ’82 thought he’d seen it all until he got in- volved in a series of medical malpractice cases so com- plex that they threatened to overwhelm Nevada’s judicial system. By Jeri Zeder 24 38 “God Bless the Child That’s Got Her Own” 12 Taisha Sturdivant ’16 faced poverty, danger, and near-homelessness, but she’s defied the odds. Foremost 14 In the Field Kate Barton ’87, Esquire By Charles B. Fancher Jr. 2 In Limine From the Editor. Alex Hood ’10, and six other 52 Generations Richard P. ’74 alumni on the job. and Richard L. Campbell ’05. 3 Correspondence 44 Letters and contributors. 16 Global Engagement 53 Class Notes Guardian of the Melting Pot Professor Kohler offers Himself a Jewish, Turkish, 4 Behind the Columns insight into differences in 58 Alumni News Polish, Cuban American, Technology seems poised to how Americans and Euro- León Rodriguez ’88 guides help more lawyers deliver peans think. 60 Click Law Day and the top US citizenship and affordable legal assistance. Commencement 2015. immigration agency with a By Dean Vincent Rougeau 18 Brainstorm Dean Vincent knowing hand. By Peter Perl Rougeau and the Urban 62 Light the World League’s Darnell Williams. A campaign to remember. From top, Appellate lawyer Daniel Docket Polsenberg ’82; CNN’s Paul Callan ’75 and Mel Robbins ’94; the First Amendment 6 In Brief Baltimore’s state’s 20 Faculty Scholarship Profes- 64 The 2014 Reunion and hate speech; Andrew Haile ’15. attorney Marilyn Mosby sor McCoy’s role in righting Giving Report ’05; campus news and the mortgage market. events of note. 68 In Closing Is the First On the Cover CNN legal experts Paul Callan ’75 and Mel Robbins ’94. 22 Evidence 2014 graduates Amendment Working? PHOTOGRAPHS, FROM TOP: JACOB KEPLER; KATE WOLKOFF; ADAM DETOUR; ILLUSTRATION: ISTVAN BANYAI ISTVAN ILLUSTRATION: DETOUR; ADAM WOLKOFF; KEPLER; KATE JACOB TOP: FROM PHOTOGRAPHS, Photograph by Kate Wolkoff 12 Candid Andrew Haile ’15. score on the jobs front. By Kent Greenfield Summer 2015 BC LAW MAGAZINE 1 IN LIMINE Foremost remarkable things happen. Lots of them. recent graduates in expressing the value of the A Pipeline to Just ask alumni. In this issue, BC Law Semester-in-Practice program or a first Tax a Better World Magazine offers feature articles about success- class or Professor Robert Bloom’s Criminal Pro- ful graduates Paul Callan ’75 and Mel Robbins cedure course (“2014 Grads Score on the Jobs What better place than the Law ’94, a legal tag team at CNN (page 24); Daniel Front,” page 22). Carl Takei ’07 (page 57) applies School to witness how a pipeline Polsenberg ’82, a respected appellate lawyer in knowledge acquired from BC Law’s criminal works. At its entrance every fall Nevada (page 32); and León Rodriguez ’88, chief justice clinic when authoring American Civil stands a cluster of nervous, aspiring lawyers; of US Citizenship and Immigration Services Liberties Union reports on abuses in immigra- from its egress every spring emerges a group (page 44). To a person, these alumni talk about tion detention facilities. of accomplished, idealistic attorneys ready how the formative lessons of the Law School Articles about students Andrew Haile ’15 to take on the world. During the three years endure in heir lives and careers. Rodriguez, for (page 12) and Taisha Sturdivant ’16 (page 38) that students labor to learn along this passage, one, says his legal training helped prepare him provide another perspective: What it’s like in for the toughest job interview of his career, the the pipeline today. Before graduating in May, withering questioning last year during congres- Haile speed-walked through law school, earning sional oversight hearings for his current post. public interest fellowships, internships, and a And they are not alone. In another story, we top law school student honor, the St. Thomas learn how BC Law School gave Baltimore State’s More Award. Sturdivant is another quick study, Attorney Marilyn Mosby ’05 the legal backbone busily running for student office, organizing to bring charges against six police officers in the panel discussions, and doing community work, death of Freddie Gray, a stunning decision after all in the service of giving back. a spate of unrequited deaths at the hands of law Every law school is its own pipeline, of enforcement in black communities across the course, but there is something refreshingly wor- country. “The foundation of everything I learned thy in the pursuits of those who travel Boston was at BC, especially about being a prosecutor,” College Law School’s. she says in the article about her on page 6. VICKI SANDERS, Editor Elsewhere, Alexander Chai joins other [email protected] CONNECT Don’t forget to update your informa- place. The BC Law Alumni Portal Participating firms and volunteer SUPPORT/GIVE Law School Fund Gifts to BC Law’s tion so the Law School and other gives you access to BC LawNet, the representatives provide perspective annual fund provide immediate alumni can reach you. Contact us at website where you can look up alumni on the changing legal industry, men- Light the World Campaign BC Law financial support for many of the Law [email protected], call 617-552- in an online directory, take advantage tor and recruit students, and partner is conducting an ambitious campaign School’s most important needs. It has 4378, or visit www.bc.edu/lawalumni. of career resources, register for events, with the Office of Advancement to to raise $50 million to directly support been used to fund financial aid for submit class notes, update your contact strengthen the alumni community. Law School priorities, notably endowed students, loan repayment assistance information, and maintain an @bc.edu Contact Amanda Angel, director professorships, scholarships, loan for alumni in public interest positions, forwarding address. Register now at of annual giving, at amanda.angel@ repayment assistance, faculty research, and faculty research grants. Contact ALUMNI RESOURCES www.bc.edu/lawnet. bc.edu or 617-552-8696. and Law School centers of excellence. Amanda Angel, director of annual The fundraising initiative is part of giving, at [email protected] or BC Law Magazine BC Law’s alumni Mentoring Program The 1L Mentor the University’s $1.5 billion campaign. 617-552-8696. magazine is published twice a year, in Program matches first-year students Contact Jessica Cashdan, executive January and June. To request a copy of VOLUNTEER with alumni volunteers in the city where director of advancement and associate Dean’s Council Giving Societies the latest printed edition or share news they want to practice and in the prac- dean, at [email protected] or call Members receive invitations to special items, press releases, letters to the edi- Reunion Committee The most tice area they are considering. Mentors 617-552-3536. receptions and events as well as enjoy tor, class notes, or photos, contact editor successful reunion celebrations are serve as informal advisors between stu- membership in comparable University- Vicki Sanders at [email protected] those that have engaged volunteers dents’ first- and second-year summers. Named Scholarships A number of wide giving societies. The Dean’s or call 617-552-2873. on our Reunion Committees. Com- Contact Christine Kelly ’97, director of scholars are selected each academic Council recognizes leadership gifts in mittees are formed the year before alumni relations, at christine.kelly.3@ year based on their demonstrated societies based on giving levels starting Alumni Chapters Chapters of the the reunion weekend, and participants bc.edu or call 617- 552-4703. leadership, financial need, academic at $1,500. Contact Amanda Angel, Alumni Association meet in locations can contribute as little as two hours excellence, or public service achieve- director of annual giving, at amanda. around the country and beyond to per month. Contact Amanda Angel, Judging Oral Advocacy Competi- ments, in accordance with donors’ [email protected] or call 617-552-8696. socialize, network, and share memories. director of annual giving, at amanda.