Alumni Focus

Professor Archibald Cox, 1912-2004, taught the nation what it means to be true to one's principles. Professor Emeritus Archibald Cox '37 died on May 29 at age 92. Tenured at Harvard Law School in 1946, he taught generations of students torts, administrative and constitutional law.

M. Bernard Aidinoff '53 is senior counsel at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York City, where he has practiced for nearly 50 years.

Sometimes making the greatest impact on a student's life is as simple as changing his fifth-grade homeroom. That's what Marina Volanakis '99 did for 10-year-old Gabriel, and it was enough to turn him from a disrespectful troublemaker into a dedicated student.

Ken Mehlman '91 was a Republican before law school. But HLS helped make him the Republican he is today. His predominantly liberal fellow students in fact made him "more Republican, more conservative," spurred by his view that rampant elitism drove their ideology, he said.

A restaurant employee is fired. He didn't violate company policy. In fact, he's a good employee, according to his manager. But he is fired because, as the regional manager put it, he is one of "those people."

Attorney Terry Lenzner '64 has made investigation his business.

Best known for his mystery novels and a memoir about his first year at HLS, author Scott Turow ' 78 spoke on campus in mid-October about a weightier issue: the death penalty.

Thanks to Josh Gottheimer '04, the greatest American civil rights speeches are together for the first time, demonstrating the injustices and progress of a growing nation and ultimately, he says, hope for its future.

Cornelius Prior '62 is chairman and CEO of Atlantic Tele-Network Inc., based in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

For 25 years, Douglas Foy ' 73 served as head of the Conservation Law Foundation, a New England-based environmental advocacy group whose frequent lawsuits changed the landscape of the region, literally. But now Foy has jumped from the courthouse to the State House, named by Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ' 75 as the first chief of Commonwealth Development.

Depending on your perspective, Kourosh Kenneth Hamidi may be either a crank or a prophet. But William McSwain '00 wants to keep the Internet free for both.

While writing about human rights in South Asia in the early 1990s, Carol Rose '96 was asked by a Pakistani activist, "And what is happening with human rights in your country?" Rose was stunned.

Stacy Stern '93 isn't as famous as the Pets.com sock puppet. She never raised billions from venture capitalists or played foosball in the office during the height of the Internet boom. Yet in the annals of Silicon Valley, Stern can boast of a more impressive distinction: success.

Most law school grads who began their careers at large law firms probably remember the research assignments they received as young associates, with the long hours, the frustrating Lexis searches and the overbroad results--all for an answer that a more experienced lawyer could have found in 10 minutes.

At age 39, Joseph D. Kearney '89 is one of the youngest law school deans in the country. But the new dean of Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee would rather talk about how he wants to apply his legal experience to his new position.

As a college freshman, J. Russell George '88 trolled the halls of Congress, hoping to get autographs from famous politicians such as Sen. Bob Dole.

Growing up in Oregon in the 1960s and 1970s, Bern Johnson '87 saw wild rivers dammed and forests denuded by clear-cut logging. As a camper and fisherman, he quickly understood the need for protecting the resources he was enjoying.

In 1985, David Hoffman '84 took a mundane case that would change his life. A roof collapsed during the final year of warranty, and replacing it would cost $300,000. Hoffman's client, the owner of the building, was willing to put up $100,000, and the roof manufacturer offered the same amount.

Richardson is founder and executive director of the Chicago-based nonprofit organization The HistoryMakers.

When Court TV went on the air in 1991, June Grasso ' 77 anchored one of the first reports live from the field: a negligence case in Massachusetts involving the manufacturer of an all-terrain vehicle.