Dean O’Rourke Rises Again on List of Most Influential People in Legal Education
For the third consecutive year, the dean has been recognized for leadership in legal education.
Boston University School of Law Dean Maureen A. O’Rourke was once again named to the National Jurist‘s list of the 25 Most Influential People in Legal Education. This marks the third consecutive year the dean has been recognized. She first appeared as #23 on the list in 2014, and has risen steadily over the past two years, to #14 and now #11.
The National Jurist requests nominations from all US law schools each fall, and compiles a list of candidates. This year, editors narrowed the list down to 46 names and asked the deans and one faculty member from each school to rate the nominees. The top 25 are highlighted in the magazine.
“This year’s list… recognizes leaders who are shaping the future of law schools,” writes Katie Thisdell of the National Jurist. “They’ve pushed for more practical training, lowered debt and improved employment numbers.”
Dean O’Rourke was recently named chair-elect of the ABA Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar following a one-year tenure as vice chair. Before that, she spent five years as a council member. In addition, she serves on the board of directors of Access Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making legal education more accessible.
This past year, O’Rourke oversaw the launch of a new legal residency program with UnitedLex, a provider of legal and cyber security services. Through the two-year program, UnitedLex will train BU Law graduates in cutting-edge legal technologies, project management, and delivery processes to provide high-quality, efficient legal services to corporate legal departments and top law firms.
She led a BU Law partnership with MIT to create two new clinics. The Entrepreneurship & Intellectual Property Clinic connects BU Law students with student entrepreneurs at BU and MIT to help them develop their business ideas. The Technology & Cyberlaw Clinic works with MIT students on areas relevant to their innovation-related business ventures, such as IP law, privacy, and security.
O’Rourke came to BU in 1993 from IBM, where she worked in software licensing. As dean of BU Law since 2006, O’Rourke has guided the construction of the new Sumner M. Redstone building and the renovation of the BU Law tower, a project which recently achieved LEED Gold Certification. She has focused on improving the student experience to keep pace with changes in the legal marketplace, increasing opportunities for experiential learning, career development support, and access to financial aid.
