Spring forward - Harvard Law Today - Harvard University

Harvard Law students bring unique experiences to law school and all have tailored their academic careers to explore their individual interests, while contributing to the greater community in a myriad of ways. As they prepare to graduate, several members of the Harvard Law School Class of 2022 reflect on the interests they brought to — and the experiences and lessons they will take from — their time at Harvard Law.

‘I felt so strongly that this was the right place’

Jackson Beard ’22 has known she wanted to be a lawyer since she was 14 — and she can recall the exact moment that set her on her path to Harvard Law School and her future career.

It was during a high school history class, when Beard’s teacher was giving a lesson on international war crimes and the International Criminal Court. “I remember being shocked and horrified by what had happened in the past, and what was continuing to happen,” she says. “I approached my teacher asking, ‘Well, what do we do about this? We know who is responsible for so much of what has happened, so what are the consequences?’”

Beard, who will graduate on May 26, says her teacher told her that the courts were one avenue used to hold war criminals accountable — but that justice could still sometimes be elusive. For Beard, that was not good enough. “That’s when I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. I thought it would put me on a track to do something about it.” Read Jackson’s story

Inspired by aiga and community

For J.V. Langkilde ’22, it’s all about community.

“Growing up in American Samoa, I lived near a lot of family,” he says. “We had a plot of land where my mother and her children, her brother and his children, and their sister and their children, all lived. That’s pretty typical for Samoan families — we not only live near one another, but sometimes even have intergenerational, inter-familial households.”

Born in Hawaii and raised in American Samoa, Langkilde says his background, coupled with the Samoan emphasis on aiga — family — have instilled in him a deep appreciation for connection across people. It is this passion for building and fostering relationships that Langkilde says has defined much of his life — including his time as a student at Harvard Law School, from which he will graduate on May 26.

“It’s such an important element of Samoan culture, the importance of community, of helping others,” he says. “It shapes me to this day.” Read J.V.’s story

A focus on empowerment

Four years ago, Jesselina Rana LL.M. ’22 was studying for the bar in Nepal and looking for a job after earning a law degree from National Law University, Delhi, in India, where she concentrated in women’s rights and human rights. Her then acquaintance Shubhangi Rana, a civil engineer, was also job-hunting, and as they sat over coffee in Katmandu, they hit upon an idea.

In India, universities and some other public places had vending machines that sold sanitary napkins, but there was nothing similar in Nepal. The two friends decided to establish a social business that would generate income, but also have an important social impact by providing women with a much-needed service. They decided to start with a small project by importing ten vending machines into Nepal, and very quickly, their business, Pad2Go, was born.

“We were not just selling a product but creating a market for a product that never existed,” said Rana, who during her graduate studies at Harvard Law School this year has continued her focus on women’s and human rights. “In Hindu culture, at least in Nepal, menstruation is seen as something impure.” During their menstrual cycles, women are often expected to sleep separately from their husbands, or even, in rural areas, to sleep outside of the house in a cow shed. “We thought it would be a big challenge to create a market within a taboo concept like that of menstruation.” Read Jesselina’s story

Engaging in good faith discussion

Graduating Harvard Law School student Jacob Richards ’22 says he’s been pleased with how well his conservative perspective has been accepted by colleagues across campus over the past three years.

“I came into law school wondering if I’d get shunned for voicing conservative views,” said Richards, president of the Harvard Federalist Society. “Instead, I’ve found that most of my peers are eager and willing to engage in good faith discussion of hard issues. And the size and strength of the conservative network at HLS means that right-of-center students don’t feel socially isolated here like they might at smaller schools.”

The first law student in his family, Richards was raised in Phoenix and grew up admiring Arizona Republicans like former Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, who fell somewhat outside the conservative mainstream. And he learned at an early age to appreciate a bit of spirited political discourse. Read Jacob’s story

source: https://today.law.harvard.edu/feature/spring-forward/

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