Text
Volume XVIII No. 1
Dicta
Docket Information and
Court Filings
March 22
March 22
March 22
March 24
April 4
April 4
April 5
April 6
Black Market Gold:
Medical & Transplant Tourism
Suffolk University Law School
(1st Floor @ 11:30am – 5pm)
Latin American Law Student Assoc.
“Cafecito Time” Roundtable
Suffolk University Law School
(7th Floor @ 3pm – 5pm)
Surging Opportunities in
Environmental & Energy Law
Suffolk University Law School
(1st Floor @ 5:45pm – 7pm)
Operation Thank A Veteran
Brighton Marine Health Center
(9:30am – Close)
Red Cross Blood Drive
Suffolk University Law School
(1st Floor @ 1pm – 6pm)
Women On The Bench
Suffolk University Law School
(5th Floor @ 5pm – 7:30pm)
Immigration/Gov’t Career Panel
JFK Federal Building
(Room 900 @ 5pm – 7pm)
Sports & Entertainment Law Assoc.
Networking Event
Scholars American Bistro & Cocktail Bar
(2nd Floor @ 6pm – 9pm )
THE SUFFOLK LAW PAPER
What in the (Cyber) World is Bitcoin?
Student Contributor, Rachel Seed
As law students, we work long, hard, stressful
hours towards careers we hope will one day allow
us to find financial stability -- or perhaps more.
At the same time, it’s frustrating, for example, to
learn about a 22 year old person who is already
living a cushy lifestyle. “From what?” you ask.
Bitcoins. After meeting one of these fortunate
souls, I had to wonder: (1) what exactly is a bitcoin, (2) why are they making so much money,
and (3) what’s the catch? For anyone unaware or
curious about this currency phenomena, here is
your cheat sheet.
What exactly is a Bitcoin?
According to a recent CNN Money article, bitcoin is a currency that was created in 2009 by an
unknown person using the alias Satoshi Nakomoto. Transactions are made without banks and
are largely unregulated. Thus, users can buy and
sell anonymously. Combined with being relatively
easy and cheap to use, bitcoins are attractive for
international transactions.
Bitcoin is also used as an investment, like
the stock market. The value of it increases and
decreases relatively by substantial amounts. For
example, in 2017, the price of one bitcoin skyrocketed into thousands of US dollars. According
to Bitcoin’s latest charts, one bitcoin is now worth
approximately $10,191.00 U.S. dollars. However,
buyer beware: this amount is subject to change
day to day.
Table of Authorities
Page 2
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Rule 33: Interrogatories To Parties
Paralegal By Day,
Law Student By Night
Professor Gerald. J. Clarke Retires
A Two-For-One-Special:
The JD-MBA Program
Gherardo Astaldi,
2018 Boston Marathon runner
Letter From The Editor
Off The Record:
A Suffolk Law Movie Review
State Of The Union: Budget’s,
Ballots, and Firearms
Generation Z: A Much-Needed Kick
In America’s Pants?
Diversity Jurisdiction:
What Are Black People Like?
Civil Action# 2018-01-21 |
Suffolk Law v. Sunday River
Sherpardize This
MARCH 2018
“Bitcoin” See, CBS News, Money Watch December 7, 2017
How can a bitcoin be acquired?
There are two main ways: buying on an exchange platform, or, through “mining.” An exchange platform is essentially an online store
where you can buy or sell bitcoins with different
currencies. Some commonly used exchange
platforms include Coinbase, Bitstamp, and Bitfinex. However, buyer beware: there are security
concerns with these websites. According to an
August 2016 Fortune article, $72 million U.S.
dollars were stolen from Bitfinex in Hong Kong.
The other way to acquire bitcoins is through
“mining.” With this method, people compete
to mine bitcoins by using computers to solve
extremely complex math puzzles. (The Economist, January 2015) As a result of solving these
puzzles, bitcoins are created. However, the competition has changed: miners have moved on from
independently mining. Now, most miners work
together through “pools” which share computer
power and rewards. According to CNN Money, a
winner is rewarded with 12.5 bitcoins roughly
every 10 minutes.
A bitcoins wallet via a phone app. See, Google Play
How is Bitcoin criminally use?
Prospects and users alike may be particularly
drawn to Bitcoin because of its anonymity. Although transactions are recorded on a public
log, the names of buyers and sellers are never revealed. Essentially, transactions cannot be traced
to any specific individual. Thus, bitcoins have
inevitably become a currency of choice for drug
transactions and other illegal activities. Some of
the illegal crimes with which bitcoins have been
used include: money laundering, drug trafficking, public corruption, hacking, fraud, identity
theft, and tax refund fraud. Forbes writer Jason
Bloomberg expressed that “criminal enterprise is
largely responsible for the value of Bitcoin.” (December 2017)To make matters more complicated,
technological advancers work for both sides. As
law enforcement gets better at identifying types
of criminal behavior, criminals are also getting
better at evading detection. For example, according to James Bloomberg, bitcoins are not entirely
anonymous, which can create an opportunity
for law enforcement. (Forbes, December 2017)
However, criminals have responded by creating
“altcoins,” which are currencies that use “’Zeroproof technology’”. Essentially, this technology
removes any identifying information from a block
chain’s leger.
Will there be any regulation?
Bitcoin has skyrocketed into an incredible
value. Inevitably, regulating it has become a topic
of discussion. Some countries, such as Japan,
China, and Australia, have begun considering
regulations; governments are concerned about
the lack of taxation and control. There is “significant price manipulation, fraud and theft of
Bitcoin going today.” (Forbes, January 2018)
Many users are gambling with money they
can’t afford or do not actually have. Users can
purchase bitcoins by taking advances on their
credit cards. As a result, Bitcoin’s value spikes
and decreases. Many people attribute this to the
lack of (and need for) regulation. For example, the
U.S. dollar, which is regulated in part by the U.S.
Treasury and Federal Reserve, moves in relation
to national and foreign markets. In comparison,
Bitcoin’s value can, and does, change daily, which
is risky and unsustainable. As a consequence,
Bitcoin users are likely to become subject to price
manipulation and theft; as a result, users are
exposed to large-scale hacks, a crash in value,
and even a currency crash altogether.
Bitcoin USD Price Chart. See, Daily Express, November 9, 2017
A bitcoin mining computer. See, CNBC, January 12, 2018
Once you acquire a bitcoin, it is stored in a
“digital wallet”. A digital wallet exits either in
the cloud, or on a personal computer. (You can
acquire a free digital wallet through bitcoins
website.) With this digital wallet, users can send
or receive bitcoins i.e. to pay for goods. However,
just like losing your physical wallet, you can accidentally delete your digital wallet -- or viruses
could destroy them!
Bitcoin users are experiencing a vastly unpredictable and arguably unprecedented high.
Many users are hopeful, and encouraged by how
long the currency has already lasted and by how
much money can be made if bought at the right
time. Others, like chief strategist Jim Rickards of
Meraglim (a financial analytics firm) views Bitcoin
as certainly fatal. In a recent Fortune article,
he states: “I view Bitcoin as a Neanderthal, an
evolutionary dead end.” (For more information,
contact Rachel at rseed@suffolk.edu)
DICTA
PAGE 2
Rule 33: Interrogatories To Parties
State Your Name, Bar Prep Tips, And
General Advice
Alumni Contributor, Sam Matson
“Over a hundred years, Suffolk University Law School began preparing students for the
Massachusetts Bar Exam.”
Hi everyone, I’m one of the
latest graduates of Suffolk Law.
I graduated last year from the
night program. Before I begin,
I have to say: I really enjoyed
my time here, and wish you all
luck. Now, it’s time to address
the elephant in the room: the
bar.
Tip #6: start with a review
course. I started studying Barbri’s review course in February.
Pay for it, get your login, get the
books, etc. (I used Barbri, but I
know people who used Kaplan
or Themis and did fine.) I looked
at the study calendar on the
Barbri website and familiarized myself with what Barbri
expected. Do exactly what it
says -- then supplement it with
practice problems. (I’ll explain
that in a moment).
Plan your summer. The real
intense study window for the
Bar is basically 60 straight
days. Do it -- except for July
Fourth. Even Barbri gave everyone July Fourth off. Go to the
beach. Have fun. Stay out too
late. Work hard for that day off.
Tip #5: use flashcards. I started reading the Critical Pass
flashcards when I commuted
to work in February. Every
day I would do one of the eight
core subjects on the Multistate
Exam (day 1). When the 60 days
of hell finally arrived, I would do
at least one subject, maybe two
-- before I would do anything
else that Barbri planned for
the day.
Tip #4: buckle up. Start studying! My first day was the Monday after the Super Bowl. Barbri
has an “Early Start” program.
Do it: set a date, and begin.
When I sat down months later
for day one of the 60 days, I felt
like I already knew a lot. Also,
establishing my routine definitely helped, and also eased
my anxiety.
Tip #3: do more practice problems than what’s expected.
At some point in your review
course, you’ll have to review a
subject and do practice problems each day. Follow those
instructions, and then supplement with more practice problems. In July, when I was about
thirty days out, I would do practice problems for several hours,
in addition to what the review
course recommended.
Tip #2: build your endurance.
Timing is the entire ballgame;
you don’t want to burn out.
Create a plan. It does not even
have to be a good plan -- just
have one. As you get closer, you
should get a sense of how long it
takes to do each problem. Time
yourself while you study! You
have approximately 1 minute
and 45 seconds per question on
the Multistate. You don’t want
to experience the time crunch
on test day.
To the 1Ls: I know it is a long
way off, but take a look at the
subjects that are on the Bar.
Especially the essays on Day 2
for i.e. Massachusetts. Save a
few of those Bar related courses
for your last year. I went super extreme with this idea -- I
didn’t take Evidence until my
last year. My plan was: if I took
Massachusetts specific courses
my last semester they would
be fresh in my mind. However,
just to be clear: do not study
for the Bar. At all. I know it’s
law school, but don’t be that
much of a nerd. Have fun, focus
on learning first year courses,
compete in the 1L cup, and try
to enjoy being in college again –
network!To the 2Ls: it’s a tough
year. Continue to focus on getting good grades and doing well
in your internship or clinic.
Don’t stress about the Bar!
You can start freaking out next
year.
To the 3/4Ls: Start spending
time during your last semester
with focusing on the Bar. I decided to split my time 50/50.
Since I went nights, I had to
study on Saturdays. Instead
of spending the day studying
for my current classes, I spent
half the time working on the
Early Start course and reviewing flashcards. I spent the other
half working on my current
courses.
Tip #1: keep your routine.
Find a rhythm and keep that
rhythm going all the way into
the exam. The day before the
Bar, I studied the exact same
way I studied for those 60 days.
I remember Barbi recommended
to completely take the day off.
I didn’t do that because I had
a rhythm. I went to the library
(like I usually did), sat where I
usually sat, and studied. I didn’t
study super hard and didn’t get
stressed – but, I studied. Keeping your routine includes sleep!
That day, I didn’t study super
hard. Instead, I left early, got
my favorite dinner, and went
to bed. When I walked into the
exam, I felt like it was just any
other day. (For more information, contact Sam at smatson@
suffolk.edu)
MARCH 2018
Paralegal By Day,
Law Student By Night
Student Contributor, Jessica Bailot
Now that our first semester of
law school is complete, the feelings and emotions are too great
to put into concrete words. That
first semester has tested our
faith in our abilities, and, most
definitely, our patience. We are
still being asked questions like:
“Why would you do this to yourself?” and, “How do you manage
to fit everything in in one day?”
While I don’t think that there’ll
be answers to those questions
that satisfy everyone, the fact of
the matter is: we chose to enter
law school because we wanted
to learn the law.
Now, I know that answer
seems fairly obvious. But learning the law is a unique process
that everyone goes through differently. For example, I know
some people that review flash
cards every day, others by reading hornbooks, starting outlines
early, reviewing lecture tapes
– the list goes on. Personally,
working at a law firm during
the day and attending class
at night has helped me out a
lot. With Civil Procedure, for
example, I find that I have a lot
less questions to ask about why
we are filing a case a certain way
or giving notice to only certain
people. As we process all this
information, our perspectives
of the world are being altered
-- whether we know it or not!
One of the first differences
I noticed is that I approach a
situation by thinking of the pros
and cons. When I was young, I
wanted to believe that the world
was black and white. It was so
easy to be optimistic and positive! While I like to think that
I’m still that same younger
person, the reality is: the world
is starting to look a lot greyer.
The various shades of grey are
becoming more pronounced:
what I learn in the classroom
also applies to what goes on at
the firm. I’ve noticed that discussing a client’s options with
both attorneys and paralegals
is like a game of chess: we’re
predicting each move ahead of
time so that the client’s best
interest is put forward.
At school, each case we read
is like an entire game already
played out. Our job is to understand, “What happened?”
Sometimes we’re left unsettled
because, by the end of each
analysis, our once steadfast
positions slowly deteriorate with
each opposing view. Law school
and the firm combined have
drilled in me to look for the “bigger picture”, which is something
every professor and attorney
always mentions.
Another major challenge has
been effective time management. After reading cases about
parties making careless mistakes, I try to approach each
task at work with the mentality that it should be done right
the first time. Sometimes, this
means taking extra time and effort to proofread a draft for the
fifth time, instead of completing
everything I have on my desk for
the day. I also tend to make sure
that I don’t bring homework
to work with me. Separating
school from my career forces
me to focus on each task at
hand with my undivided attention. With the time I have left, I
spend it on other activities, like
Netflix and yoga. This allocation
of time helps me focus on the
details of a big project, draw
comparisons between topics in
class and situations at work,
and not become overwhelmed
with multi-tasking.
I’ve also started to take into
consideration that not every
detail is equally important. In
class, our professors assist us
by distinguishing which facts
in a case need attention and
which facts need to be ignored.
This fundamental skill has carried over into both my work and
personal life. For example, when
I’m given an emergency task at
work, I re-organize my list of
projects for the day -- instead
of worrying about how I’ll get
everything done by 5 pm. I also
try to anticipate each and every
issue in a case so that I’ll only
have to speak with the attorney
once -- instead of a handful of
times. In addition, I don’t allow
comments and criticisms to
bother me anymore. Instead, I
stop to consider the source and
the reason behind what that
person said. There are simply
not enough hours in my day
to waste time and energy. The
bottom line? Keep moving.
Studying the law, in my opinion, is more than just earning
a degree. With the time and
effort we all contribute into
this transformative process, it
really is a lifestyle choice. (For
more information, contact Jess
at jbailot@suffolk.edu)
Professor
Gerald J. Clarke
Professor Gerald J. Clarke
began teaching at Suffolk
in 1973. He was known for
his lectures in Professional
Responsibilities, Constitutional Law, and Federal
Courts. In December, 2017,
Professor Clarke retired
from his tenure. On behalf
of Suffolk: thank you for
joining the Suffolk community! We wish you and
your family the best. Once
a Ram, always a Ram!
MARCH 2018
DICTA
PAGE 3
DICTA
PAGE 4
MARCH 2018
A Two-For-One-Special:
The JD-MBA
Program
Student Contributor, Richard Tannenbaum, MS
This opportunity has given
me a unique perspective of the
law’s influence on business.
I’m learning how business
people respond to challenges
and examine issues, and how
a lawyer examines those same
issues. There is more overlap
than contrast; the law adds
significant understanding to the
business person’s pure profit
motive. In essence, one person
looks for profit, while the other
person looks for liability. However, both of these viewpoints
share one thing in common:
the uncertainty of new business
opportunities.
I’ll take this overlap a step
further. Law is the blueprint
and framework for the operating environment in which a
company exists. Investors, as
a rule, do not invest in illegal
enterprises: there is too much
risk. Likewise, lawyers, like
investors, are concerned about
managing liability (the legal
word for the risk of responsibility). This liability is connected
to what corporate types try to
manage, what investors often
fear might reduce their return
on investments, and what can
potentially consume the investment entirely. Risk and
reward are inexorably linked.
Lawyers play a role in informing businesspeople about the
risks associated with operating
a business. That’s the simplest
way to understand the connection between law and business.
The MBD-JD Program has
been a challenge. In addition
to studying, I also run my
own business called MedBlob.
Since I started studying, I
decided to simplify my life by
focusing on building MedBlob
and completing my schoolwork.
Everything else I do is just a
bonus. I am used to working
long days and nights. The gym
keeps me sane.
When I first started MedBlob,
I was working for a mid-market
life science investment bank as
an Analyst. I decided to quit
to pursue my own business
venture. I knew I was ready to
jump-in and commit full-time,
so-to-speak. Basically, I cofounded MedBlob in 2015, had
it on the back burner while I
started school in 2016, and quit
my Analyst position in January
of this year because the pot was
starting to boil over.
It took time to lay the foundational research to start MedBlob. I started my career in
clinical research and found
that researchers had a problem. They often spent 95% of
their time trying to gather data
into an excel sheet. Whatever
little time left was spent writing
their manuscript for a journal
publication. I saw something
wrong about this. During the
same time, I recognized that
I had trouble managing my
medical records, especially my
immunizations. I realized these
two problems were related and
used the idea of solving these
two problems to create my company. The idea was to create
a cloud-based military-grade-
encrypted unified patient health
record. Providers and patients
can use the best information
in their health management,
and researchers can also have
access to the best information
to solve the complex health
challenges.
Currently, we have got a couple things on the horizon. We’re
working on developing our minimum viable product, getting our
new vendors contract negotiated, and securing intellectual
property. We’re also building
our team by recruiting from the
local area and universities. Just
recently, we went to the Harvard
Start-up Career Fair and had
a lot of interest from students,
ranging from potential internships to clinical advisory board
members. I’m always looking
to network with new people. I
think our cause resonates with
just about everyone, because
disease affects us all.
Looking back, I’m not surprised to see where I am now.
My first love was the law. I
come from an entrepreneurial
background; it’s is in my blood.
I’m passionate about improving
the healthcare system, and in
turn, the services my business
offers. I’m also excited to start
advocating for my business
once I graduate law school.
Companies like mine are sued
frequently because there are a
number of entrenched interests
in healthcare. Essentially, these
interests want to maintain their
market positions and dominance. I’m excited to advocate
for my business’s mission: to
fight for patient’s rights and to
improve population health. The
tide is turning on the ‘old guard’
in healthcare, and I think that’s
clear with big players like CVS,
JP Morgan, and Amazon, entering the marketplace.
One of our challenges is patient engagement. This means
getting people interested in
managing their health information. The issue isn’t an IT (information technology) challenge
because the tech is already
there. The real issue is: how
do we get patients on-board?
I’ve been thinking about that
question for a while, and I think
may have an answer, which is
why I’m pursuing a patent. Stay
tuned!
My advice to the entrepreneurial readers: don’t walk-run. Most likely, you are young,
full of energy, and just working
on your law or business degree.
The time is now to take risks,
work longer and harder than
everyone else. Do not take the
safe path; you will never have
less responsibility than you do
now. It only gets harder to start
a new venture. Taking a job may
mean that you limit your risk
now, but you also limit your
gains. The learning that you get
from finding your own way is
immeasurable, and the experience is rewarding. It’s what this
country was founded on: the
American dream. Get a goal, get
a plan, and go for it! (For more
information, contact Richard at RT@
medblob.com)
Gherardo Astaldi, a second year law student, will be running in the 2018 Boston
Marathon. This year, he is running in memory of Officer Sean A. Collier. Officer
Collier was killed while on duty during the aftermath of the Boston Marathon
Bombing in 2013.
(To learn how to donate, contact Gherardo at gmastaldi@suffolk.edu)
Letter From The Editor
Editor-In-Chief, Alexander Sneirson
This edition has been an adventure.
Patience has been the real theme.
Developing an edition takes time, whether
it’s recruiting advertisers or writers. One
of the toughest lessons I’ve learned is that
people will run at the speed they want to
run. My job is to lead.
I’m extremely thankful for the people that
committed to this edition. To the writers,
readers, and financial supporters, I have
a lot of faith that this paper will get back
on its feet.
I’ve proposed to Alumni Engagement that
our paper be delivered to Alumni law firms
in exchange for a small donations, which
can help cover our bottom-line costs. In
addition, I’m experimenting with new legaltitled columns like “Shepardize This” -- that
gives organization and club presidents an
opportunity to advertise their club --, “Off
The Record”, and “A Civil Action”. It is my
hope that these ideas, among others, will
attract the support that Dicta needs to truly
be The Suffolk Law Paper.
DICTA
MARCH 2018
State Of The Union
Ballots, Budgets, and Firearms
SBA President, Michael McKeown
Editor-In-Chief, Alexander Sneirson
Did you do anything special over winter break? “I got the opportunity
to relax and spend time with friends and family that I don’t normally
get to see! I also definitely spent plenty of time catching up on some
neglected video games.”
You were disappointed with voter turnout in our last election. Any
thoughts about returning to a paper-ballot election? “Yes, we have
considered that! Considering how important an issue like cost of attendance is, we hoped to see more voter turnout. We have discussed
internally whether it may be more effective (or possible) to conduct
written ballots at the beginning or end of your class similar to class
evaluations. We plan to reach out to Dean Cove to discuss it further.”
The Appropriations Committee has a limited budget right now. So,
for example, when Appropriations gives money to a club, and the
club doesn’t spend it, does the SBA have a right to get the money
back? “Short answer: yes. Our fiscal year runs from October 1st to
September 30th. So if there are any unspent club funds by September
30th, the SBA does take them back. We take those surplus funds and
re-appropriate them using our regular process with the Appropriations
Committee. However, any funds that are in club accounts as a result
of donations or fundraising will stay in the account after the September
30th turnover. To clarify: the SBA does not have a right to unilaterally
take funds from a club unless a club deeply abuses its funds. In that
case, we may freeze the account.”
Has the SBA ever considered an initiative to shorten this window?
“As far as I understand, we have not tried such an initiative and I
wouldn’t support one. I believe one academic year is a reasonable
amount of time to give Clubs the opportunity to spend their funding.
Our Club Presidents serve a one year term. Sometimes things happen,
events get canceled or postponed, and organizations need some flexibility to accomplish their goals over the course of a year.”
That sounds like a lot of flexibility. Would the Board of Governors
(BOG) consider prohibiting clubs from spending money on, for example, General Body meetings? “Well, as President, I don’t necessary
speak for the BOG (our legislative body) directly but instead speak for
the SBA and student body as a whole. I am unsure whether the BOG
would be interested in prohibiting those types of expenditures. Those
policy decisions can be made by the Executive Board alone or by the
BOG. Speaking for the Executive Board, we would not be in favor of
prohibiting spending money on general body meetings or other small
get togethers. For some clubs, this is the sole opportunity to get their
members together and attract new members. I think the ability to meet
and interact is integral for an organization’s success. Pizza and drinks
help make that happen!”
How has your relationship as President been with the BOG? “Our
relationship has been wonderful this year. Our Section Representatives, Bar Association Liaisons, and Executive Committees have all
been working together extremely well. In my experience in previous
years, the BOG has been somewhat adversarial amongst itself and
the Executive but I’m happy to say that is not the case this year. As a
matter of fact, in January we completed the first SBA Retreat to bring
the members of the SBA even closer together and isolate the issues that
the SBA will address this semester.”
At the last BOG meeting, the BOG voted in favor of arming the
campus Police Department. Did Suffolk ask the BOG to vote on this
issue? “I’m glad you asked about that. To clarify, the BOG did take the
official position that the SBA, as representative of the student body,
believes SUPD (not to be confused with our security guards) should be
armed, provided there is routine adequate firearm training and retraining. Please remember: this is an opinion, not a decision. I will submit
a letter to President Kelly and the chairmen of the Board of Trustees
recommending they should arm SUPD. Now, to answer your question:
Suffolk did not directly ask us. According to the Chief of Police, Chip
Coletta, this has been a campus-wide issue and discussion, on and
off, since he had arrived on campus well over 5 years ago. Throughout
his tenure, the Chief has advocated in favor of carrying a firearm. Currently, the undergraduate student government is deciding their recommendation. To remain timely, I felt it was best for Suffolk Law students
to also discuss the issue as well.
How much weight does this vote have? “I think it should have
significant weight. Suffolk University may be very cautious of arming
SUPD without the support of all the stakeholders on campus. This is an
issue that speaks to safety; it transcends the classroom. That includes
students, faculty, and staff. As students, we make up the vast majority of those stakeholders – we are well over 6,500 students. As the
largest stakeholder-group on campus, and the University’s customers,
I believe our opinion will absolutely hold significant weight with the
Board of Trustees and the Administration.”
Generation Z: A Much-Needed
Kick in America’s Pants?
To be honest, I didn’t even know what they were calling the generation that follows Millennials until the mass shooting at Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17
dead. This was the 34th mass shooting in the United States since the
beginning of the new year — a number that’s hard to digest. Most
of Generation Z have used the internet for the majority of their lives
and are more than comfortable when it comes to navigating technology and social media. This is something that’s typically been viewed
in a negative light when discussing today’s teens, but it has been
absolutely crucial in this group’s ability to successfully and quickly
organize themselves in the days after the shooting. The Generation
Z’ers from Parkland have made their disdain with the current state of
gun laws heard loud and clear, and most recently they have managed
to discredit the alt-right agitators that have accused the survivors of
being “crisis actors.” Unfortunately, the same thing happened with
Sandy Hook – victims’ parents were accused of being actors and the
whole tragedy was deemed by some extremists as some leftist hoax.
Admittedly, it’s quite early to jump to conclusions, and we as a nation have an extremely short attention span with practically everything.
Even so, I can’t help but feel a twinge of hope that this could be the
turning of the tides. If Millennials and Generation Z are able to join
forces and work together, change could be around the corner. However,
this is only possible if we remember to VOTE this November. As our
44th President Barack Obama tweeted out on February 22nd, “Young
people have helped lead all our great movements. How inspiring to
see it again in so many smart, fearless students standing up for their
right to be safe; marching and organizing to remake the world as it
should be. We’ve been waiting for you. And we’ve got your backs.”
PAGE 5
Off The Record ...
A Suffolk Law Movie Review
Student Contributor, Jamie Nathan
On February 18, I saw
“Black Panther” at Regal
Cinemas. Black Panther
is different from most
Marvel films. It’s more
serious, has more drama,
and (in many ways) is its
own movie. The technology, the action scenes,
and the dialogue are all
great. However, in some
parts the CG (computer
graphics) stood out for
the wrong reasons. The
CG occasionally looked
fake with some scenes
near the end, but it didn’t
really detract from the
film as a whole.
I don’t think this film
will be the most loved
But, I do think it’ll be one
of the most important.
It helps set the stage for
“Avengers: Infinity War”.
Lots of characters (aside
from T’Challa) are now
coming forward to join
the overarching storyline. Overall, it’s a great movie.
A nearly all African-American
cast was risky. In the past
there has been the mantra
that movies led by minority actors and actresses will not be
as financially viable as those
with caucasian leads. Yet,
it paid off incredibly well
here. Chadwick Boseman
as King T’Challa/Black
Panther was fantastic; he
really knew how to carry
a scene. He perfectly embodied a young king who is
stuck between the old ways
and the new. This struggle
with deciding what the
right thing to do made him
relatable. In his last few films,
Boseman has really shown
his acting capabilities: Jackie
Robinson in 42, and Justice
Thurgood Marshall in Marshall.
Boseman is quickly becoming
a great actor in his own right.
Let’s not forget the female
actresses. To name a few: Danai
Gurira was tough, occasionally
funny, but a fiercely loyal warrior. Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia
was different here than she
was in the comics. In the comics, she was a villain obsessed
with King T’Challa who went
out of her way to try to kill any
potential lovers of the King out
of jealousy. However, in the
film, she is a spy for Wakanda.
Essentially, she believes that
Wakanda should be doing more
to help others outside of their
kingdom.
As for the antagonists,
Andy Serkis is quite funny and crazy. He played
the first of two villains
in this movie, which is
perfect for an actor like
him. Consider his last
few roles: Caesar from the
reboot series of “Planet
of the Apes”, Supreme
Leader Snoke in “Star
Wars Episodes VII” and
“VIII”, and especially Gollum/Smeagol in “Lord of
the Rings”. Serkis has a
wild and exciting personality that can easily carry
a scene. Plus, the fact
that he has already had
a role in “Avengers: Age
of Ultron” adds another
dimension to his role in
the story.
Michael B. Jordan was
not a one-dimensional
villain like I expected.
He had a story that built
throughout the movie; I
think it’s a wonderful backstory
to see. In my mind, a well-written antagonist is a character
who believes that what they’re
doing is right -- like the protagonist -- except the manner in how
they put that plan into action
puts them on the wrong side.
Finally, the story itself
is quite simple yet complex. Easy to understand,
but difficult to answer. To
not spoil too much from
the movie, it does contain
political commentary. But,
in this case, the debate is
between: should a country
with many resources step
forward and become more
involved in helping the less fortunate? Or should they instead
be focused on protecting their
people and preserving their way
of life? “Black Panther” does not
ask for a simple answer. Indeed,
this movie would be foolish to
try to attempt one. However it
does make you think, which
is why it’s definitely worth
watching. To top it all off: The
soundtrack is very solid! There
are two post credits scenes at
the end, so don’t leave right
away! (For more information
contact Jamie at jnathan2@
suffolk.edu)
In my mind,
a well-written antagonist
is a character who
believes that what
they’re doing is right.
Letitia Wright as Shuri arguably ‘stole the show’ a few
times as T’Challa’s sister. In
many ways she plays the genius who provides T’Challa with
the latest gadgets for his missions. Finally, Angela Bassett
as T’Challa’s mother handled
her role well as his guardian
and supporter throughout the
film.Even Martin Freeman as
Everett Ross gets his time in the
limelight as well. He played his
role as the CIA agent who gets
caught between his partnership
with T’Challa and his duty to
the United States.
DICTA
PAGE 6
Diversity Jurisdiction ....
Civil Action# 2018-01-21
Suffolk Law v. Sunday River
What are Black People like?
Student Contributor, Prince Sefa-Boakye
“Why you White Men have
so much cargo, and we New
Guineans have so little?”
(Jared Diamond, quoting a New
Guinean named Yali)
This question explains
everything. It explains why I
created my start-up company.
It explains why “Race does
matter.” At first, I didn’t believe
Race mattered. But once I
traveled the world and opened
my eyes to the harsh realities
of it, I immediately changed the
way I think.
The Western world gives little
credence to Race. I learned
about someone in the Eastern
World, however, that gave Race
all the credence it deserves: a
dark-skinned male named Yali.
On the shores of New Guinea,
Yali met a fair-skinned male
named Jared Diamond. Yali
asked him: “Why you White Men
have so much cargo, and we
New Guineans have so little?”
With this question, Yali achieved
something that no dark-skinned
male could ever do: force a fairskinned Western-educated male
to listen.
In late 2008 at San Diego
State University, I saw a movie
called “Guns, Germs, and Steel.”
It tells the story of sociologist
Jared Diamond and his quest to
answer Yali’s blunt question. In
his quest, Diamond discovered
that the reason why “White
Men Have So Much Cargo” is
because of “Guns, Germs, and
Steel”, which later became the
title of his book.
In the end, what did this do
for Yali? Did it change Yali’s
reality that “White Men” have
everything and New Guineans
(or dark-skinned people) have
nothing? Or did he utilize that
information to work his way
up ‘the ladder’ in New Guinea?
Unfortunately, we do not know.
However, what we do know is
this: Diamond found the answer
to Yali’s question.
After several years of Western
education, I’m still left with
Yali’s question: “Why do White
Men [still] have so much cargo?”
On the one hand, I think that
in the Western world, Race
doesn’t matter. Instead, what
matters is determination and
skills coupled with the will to
succeed. This philosophy has
been my lullaby since I grew
up as a child in a small White
American neighborhood. On the
other hand, Race does matter
because when I was a child, I
never saw Race -- but my friends
found ways to remind me.
Although the Western philosophy has helped me succeed, it
didn’t prepare me for the pain.
I’ve felt traumatized from being
told I was “White” -- for thinking
and speaking intelligently! And I
would only be “black”, in the eyes
of my white peers, if I “dumbed
myself down”.
Today, we still have this
tension between dark and
fair skinned people. But this
time, it’s not about cargo. It’s
about money! How can we say,
“Race Doesn’t Matter”, when
the average bank accounts of
dark and fair-skinned people
are not equal or competitive? Are
“white dollars” more valuable or
competitive than “black dollars”?
This depressing competition
hurts the efforts of dark skinned
people to attain the American
dream. To the fair-skinned
people that disagree: I challenge
you to stay and compete in the
Middle East and experience how
your fair skin may negatively
affect your income.
A country that systemically
does not value skin color
will always be affected by
Race. There will always be
Racial divides. And as such,
competition between people of
different skin colors will never
be genuine.
So, what do we do? What
should we do for people like Yali?
How can we fix the problem,
whether here in America or
around the world? The answer
is simple: create a new reality.
My mission is simple: educate
the world on the African
Diaspora and promote Black
entrepreneurship. Through
entrepreneurship, intelligence,
and education, I promote
the reality that “Blacks and
Africans are rich!” The Western
world has promoted its beliefs
that Blacks are: criminals, poor,
drugged, uneducated, vulgar,
hypersexual, pants sagging
below the waist -- you name
it! But, if we all work towards
changing these beliefs, by
educating the world about
Blacks, then Blacks will have
the “cargo” they need to trade.
The world would be genuinely
interested in investing its
currencies in Black culture,
Black “minds”, and Black
resources.
I strongly believe that
education is the key to success
and happiness for all. But
many foreigners don’t invest
their money in people like
Yali because foreigners are
not educated. Foreigners are
educated in African oil, gold,
and rare metals, which are used
to make, for example, phones.
However, they are not educated
towards the culture of darkskinned people who live with
these resources!
People like Yali have the
tradable resources they need
to compete. The problem is that
we take away resources from
people like Yali. Instead, we
should invest in their ability to
own them. If financial markets
can invest in people in Hong
Kong (i.e. for their human
resources in technology), then
I’m sure financial markets can
do the same for the people
of New Guinea. It’s time for
countries like New Guinea to
educate the world about their
Africa Diaspora heritage; it’s
time for other countries to
realize their self-determination
and prosperity!
A man of fair skin once told
me that I was limiting myself by
MARCH 2018
Student Contributor, Amber Meyer
During winter break, the Suffolk Law Ski & Snowboard Club took a weekend trip to
Sunday River. The sun was shining, and the weather was warm!
The Suffolk Law Ski and Snowboard Club
went to Sunday River for a weekend trip this
January. We stayed at the ski-on/ski-off Grand
Summit Lodge, which is a crown jewel of the
great state of Maine. The mountain had great
conditions for the entire weekend. We tore up
the slopes! On Saturday, we skied over to the
Foggy Goggle to slug some “refreshments” in
between runs. Let me tell you: there is nothing
quite like sitting at a picnic table and looking
out over the snowcapped mountains while
throwing back “refreshments”. We worked
for our goggle tans! The hotel had an indoor/
outdoor heated pool and hot tub, which made
for great “networking” opportunities after a long
day on the slopes.
On Saturday night, the club went to the
Matterhorn Ski Bar. We saw a country band
talking about Black people. But,
I think the world is limiting itself
by not talking about Race. If we
don’t, then we’re stuck in that
Western bubble which says,
“Race Does Not Matter”.
Imagine this possibility:
what if people today had the
enthusiasm to understand
Yali, to invest his currency, to
learn his language and culture?
(We already do this with Hong
Kong, Tokyo, Spain, New York,
Paris, and even Dubai.) Do you
think Yali would be better off?
Would Yali continue to be the
stereotype? Or would Yali have
a bigger incentive to invest in
himself and his culture – in
turn creating an incentive for
Westerners to visit and explore?
Imagine the possibilities!
So, what’s lacking? Do you
see it yet? Education!
Maybe it’s time for darkskinned people in Africa, New
Guinea, and abroad to stop
chasing a Western education.
make popular songs unrecognizable. I have
never seen “Wagon Wheel” so butchered, yet
so loved by the crowd. The bar had wonderful
souvenir t-shirts to dry off with after a
long night of sweating to a third god-awful
rendition of “Chicken Fried”. Throughout
the night, our Club threw dice down for
some good ‘ol gambling fun per Venmo (a
digital wallet that allows users to exchange
money with friends). We drew a crowd to our
nefarious antics, but would allow no new
players. #NoNewFriends
The trip was full of gnar-worthy moments
that you need to see to believe on our next
trip. The van leaves for Loon Mountain on the
Second of March. All shredders are welcome!
(For more information, contact Amber Meyer
at ameyer3@suffolk.edu)
Instead, maybe it’s time to
build an education around
their culture, so that they
can understand themselves
in a way that the world can
understand them. The world
could finally discover financial
incentives to invest in their
culture. With the power of social
media, I truly believe that Black
entrepreneurs everywhere can
create a new reality and bring
“cargo” back to their countries
and communities. So, let me
close with this:
I can attend all the fashion
shows, networking events, art
galleries in Boston -- dress up,
drink wine, and network with
all Races in one room -- and not
care about my dark skin color. I
can go to all the masterminds in
the world and ignore Race issues
completely. But, I can’t shake
the reality that we live in a world
where a little dark-skinned girl
is crying in Charlotte, North
Carolina about her traumatic
experience with the police; I
can’t shake the reality that
we live in a world where a
little dark-skinned boy in New
Guinea feels poor and inferior
because of his skin color; and I
can’t shake the reality that we
live in a world where there are
Yalis everywhere who ask the
question: Why you White Men
have so much cargo, and we
[Black Men] have so little?’”
The greatest fear is not war
or hate, but not knowing. Like
Jared Diamond, I discovered
the passion to answer my own
question: “What are Black
People like?” With the help of
my team, my mission is to help
Black people be comfortable in
their own skin while learning
to “Live Like An Entrepreneur!”
(For more information, type in
whatareblackpeoplelike.
com, follow the twitter page
@blackpplarelike, or contact
Prince at psefa-boakye@suffolk.
edu)
Attention Law School Students! The Moakley Law Library is excited to announce its
Trainings for the Spring Semester! Stay tuned for dates and locations!
20 minute Micro -Trainings:
• Top Pick: Find Paper Topics & Turn them into Ca$h via iCompete!
• Meet & Greet: All You Need to Know to Prep for Interviews
• Next Step: Information Resources for Law School Grads
• Law Library Bluebook Training:
• Write on the Right Way: Quick Overview of Bluebook Rules!
DICTA
MARCH 2018
Shepardize This ....
Phi Alpha
Delta Law
Fraternity
International
PAGE 7
Suffolk Law
Intramural
Basketball Association
President, Darius Brown
Justice, Rachel Hansen
On Tuesday, January 30, President Trump gave the 2018 State
of the Union Address. (Pictured from left to right) Chapter
President Michael Fox, Vice President Terence Durkin, and
Treasurer Jenna Connors met with Suffolk Law students offcampus to watch this traditional event.
The Federalist Society
President, Michael Fox
Founded in 1982, the Federalist Society is a nationwide
group of conservatives and libertarians dedicated to reforming
the current legal order. We are
committed to the principles
that: (1) the state exists to
preserve freedom, (2) the separation of governmental powers
is central to our Constitution,
and (3) the province and duty of
the judiciary is to say what the
law is, not what it should be.
The Society seeks to promote
awareness of these principles
and to further their application
through its activities.
The Federalist Society
provides a forum for legal
experts of opposing views to
interact with members of the
legal profession, the judiciary,
law students, academics, and
lawmakers alike. We believe
our expansion in membership,
chapters, and program activities
are the result of the quality of
the Society’s events. We have
fostered a greater appreciation
for the role of separation of
powers, federalism, limited
constitutional government,
protecting individual freedom,
and advocating for traditional
values. The Society consists of:
a Faculty Division, a Lawyer’s
Division (consisting of over
60,000 legal professionals), and
a Student Division (consisting
of some 10,000 law students
throughout the nation).
Collectively, we host over 1,000
events every year, and, as a
result, we reach out to about
50,000 law students.
Our local Suffolk Law Chapter
was re-chartered in 2015 under
the leadership of alumnus Chris
Gavrielidis. Since that time, we
have hosted numerous notable
speakers who discussed topics
that ranged from: the US Supreme Court, to the Separation
of Powers. On March 21 at 6pm,
in the Faculty Dining Room, we
will be hosting Clark Neily, Vice
President of Criminal Justice
at the Cato Institute. Mr. Neily
will discuss civil forfeiture (otherwise known as policing for
profit), police misconduct, occupational licensing laws, and
the proper role of the judiciary.
Food will be served!
Sadly, in today’s day and age
we see lawmakers across the
political spectrum denigrate
our constitutional rights to
advance their partisan agenda.
As lawyers, we have a unique
opportunity to protect and
defend the Constitution. To do
this, we must employ a judiciary
that understands its role: to
uphold the Constitution without
regard for the potential political
ramifications. For example,
if the legislature passes an
unconstitutional law and the
executive enforces and defends
it, then the judiciary has an
affirmative obligation to strike
it down. For the sanctity of our
republic, we must do better!
The Hellenic Law Society
President, Zachary Paskalis
The word “Hellenic” is the
literal Greek translation for
Greece itself, “Hellas”. It derives from the period of Alexander the Great when Greece
went from being several small
city-states to one uniformed
country and identity. The Hellenic Law Society embraces the
longstanding Greek culture that
has withstood millennia, and is
considered the genesis of what
we know as western civilization
today.
I became the President of the
Hellenic Society because I am
passionate about my ancestry.
I love to learn more from my
Greek peers about what makes
Greek culture so important to
our society.
The goal of the Hellenic Society is to remind not only those
of Greek ancestry, but anyone
who is intrigued by Greek culture, the uniqueness of Greek
societal values and customs.
Throughout the semester, we
have many events planned,
which includes a Greek Night
that will be hosted at the Law
School. Here, we will display
customary Greek cuisine and
hospitality that one would
encounter as if they were in
Greece itself. In addition, students will also get to Meet and
Greet with local lawyers of
Greek decent. These lawyers
will go through their journey in
the law profession and explain
how their backgrounds gave
them the tools necessary to
succeed in a demanding field.
Our Greek Night and Meet and
Greet events will be determined
in the near future. We hope to
have you join us and get a real
taste of what it means to enjoy
one’s self as the Greeks do! (For
more information, contact Zach
at zpaskalis@suffolk.edu)
Phi Alpha Delta (“PAD”) is the
largest co-ed legal fraternity
in the nation. Some of our
esteemed members include
a majority of the current
United States Supreme Court
(AKA “SCOTUS”). PAD strives
to put forward the ideals of
service to the student, the
school, the community, and
the profession. At Suffolk, our
local Frankfurter Chapter does
this by enacting a myriad of
events and connections. For one
example, our annual headshots
and mock trial team focuses on
developing student performance
in the work place and the
courtroom. Another example
is our biennial conventions,
which is one of the largest
networking opportunities in the
legal community.
PAD is an extended legal
family. The Fraternity is
dedicated to helping members
succeed -- no matter where
they practice or what field they
practice in. Whether its law,
politics, or finance, we have
members in a wide range of
fields that are always willing
to help.
(For more info, contact PAD at:
padfrankfurter@gmail.com)
“SLIBA Opening Game Day. 1L Section A (white) versus1L
Section C (blue).”
Suffolk Law Intramural
Basketball Association (SLIBA)
is an on-campus club. It consists
of teams that represent each
section of the law school. Each
season, the club begins with
open court sessions and pickup games, which players use
to get familiar with basketball,
train, and network. Don’t forget
-- we have Alumni players
too!
Players don’t need experience
to participate. If a player
doesn’t have any, they can rely
on teammates to help them
increase their skills.
During this semester,
recorded games are played on
Tuesdays from 8pm-10pm.
Open court sessions are on
Saturdays from 8am-12pm.
(For more information, please contact
dbrown28@suffolk.edu)
DICTA
PAGE 8
MARCH 2018
Before you can serve
the greater good,
you need to pass
the bar exam.
Apply to receive a discounted tuition for students
planning to work in the public sector.
1395
$
Public Interest
Scholarship
$250 Payment due upon approval
ThemisBar.com
1.888.843.6476
info@ThemisBar.com