BU School of Law Commencement 2015

Distinguished faculty members, special guests, loved ones, and fellow classmates of both LLM and JD programs: today I have been honored with the privilege of speaking in this special day on behalf of the LLM students, for which I am thankful.

I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to those that made this possible. On behalf of my fellow graduates, I would like to thank our families for their undying love and limitless support because this achievement would not have been possible without it.

To get here was not an easy task. It was a year of constant effort, dedication, and hard work. There were times when sweat and tears were shed and eating or sleeping were considered a luxury, but, above all, losing the opportunity to spend time with our loved ones—that was the hardest part. Nonetheless, every sacrifice has its reward. The bigger the obstacle, the greater the glory to have overcome it, and today, my fellow classmates, we reap the fruits of our effort. Today we embrace that glory, for it was a year of profound learning experiences, emotional moments, unity, friendship, dedication and sacrifice—invaluable moments that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

There is a reason why they call it a “Commencement exercise:” whether you are a successful lawyer or a recent graduate, this is only the beginning. New challenges are ahead for each and every one of us, and, in spite of the adverse situations that we will face, I am confident that we will take on these challenges that tests our skills to demonstrate both personal and professional capabilities, which we have formed through our diverse background and now with the quality education received at Boston University.

For these reasons it is worth acknowledging the great work of our professors who have taught us how to learn, who have guided us through the path of knowledge, and who have made commensurate efforts in helping us understand the American Legal Systems. Now I heard in IP Law, the papers you had to turn in to IP workshops or Patent Law were not easy at all. Banking Law: Article 9 secured transactions gave you headaches, and I know you had to pull all-nighters just to keep up. Tax Law: Partnerships: a mandatory course, but that doesn’t mean you’ll all enjoy it. Right, Jack? But, hey, you got yourselves a private room in the library. Personal experience: American Law: taking us to court to see an actual trial, bringing in a judge to teach us Evidence, getting government officials to do a moot court trial, or even teaching us contracts to the beat of Michael Jackson. Therefore to you, professors, who are the core pillars of this University, we thank you. Thank you for teaching us to set goals with sufficient organization and discipline, and proving that we are capable of achieving them.

It seems not that long ago when we were all at our orientations at the beginning of the year. For me it all started with Dean Riccardi teaching us the American way of introducing oneself. “Firm handshake; eye contact; don’t bow,” he said. “And no kiss on the cheek. We are not in Latin America, and people might get the wrong idea.” In that orientation we were so bewildered and naïve, clueless as to what was yet to come. Yet in spite of those unfamiliar faces, it was at that orientation that I realized that this master’s program was going to be a very rewarding experience, for the LLM class was formed by an extraordinary group of people that come from more than 40 countries and speak more than 20 different languages.

I feel proud to belong to such an exceptional group of people, special, unique, and with that spirit of fellowship that has been present since the beginning, and which grew stronger as time went on. Thank you to those that have placed in us your trust and unconditional support, to our brothers and friends, special someone, sons and daughters, whom with each moment, phone call, e-mail, or Skype became the source of our inspiration to keep on going. To you, moms, dads, and love ones, for your wise advice and whose wishful-thinking faces cannot hide the enormous pride one could only feel for one’s children. The biggest homage is for you, for you bequeathed us with the biggest treasure of all: your undying love and a good education, for which we will be eternally grateful. Even though some parents and loved ones could not be here today, be sure LLMs, that they too, are very proud of our accomplishments. A big part of this law degree belongs to you.

That is why I wanted to tell you, moms, dads, family and friends, that you are our biggest source of pride and the best example to follow. Thank you for guiding us through the path of humility and love for our profession; we are the result of a long process of learning. We are the generation of the XXI century in a globalized world that demands committed professionals that serve their peers. I urge you to continue on the track of your own convictions and a humanistic philosophy.

In closing I would like to quote Steve Jobs, who in his commencement speech at Stanford University said: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

May it please Agganis Arena, Dean O’Rourke, esteemed faculty and staff, and my fellow law graduates, my name is Albert Heng, and I will be representing the Boston University School of Law Class of 2015. Before I begin, it is imperative to take a moment to thank everyone in the stands for your continuous support not only today, but throughout the past three tumultuous years. Without you we would not be here today. So thank you, friends and family, brothers and sisters, moms and dads. I will argue that the popular opinion erred when it held that 1L year scares you to death, 2L year works you to death, and 3L year bores you to death.

To begin, yes, we concede that 1L was a scary time. Whether you were a brave soul who went straight through from undergrad, a confident ex-paralegal who thought you already knew a thing or two about the law, or even a nervous engineer switching fields completely, there was definitely a time in the tower when we all felt a bit uneasy. The first on call, our first exam, the mandatory but ungraded moot court oral argument, when it seemed like all your friends had summer jobs and you didn’t (yet), seeing the thick writing competition packet after our last exam, and I wasn’t in section C, but apparently every day in Con Law. The truth is, frightening situations surround us all the time. It is frightening when the entire city shuts down to hunt one man; it is frightening when you realize there are parts of this country where justice can’t be found; and it will be frightening come July when we all sit for the bar exam. But it is during those times when we witness our community come together that we are tested and our true potential is revealed. As a class, we have endured many scary situations and will continue to face many more. The important thing is that those situations have not “scared us to death,” but have instead shaped us into the courageous men and women sitting in this auditorium today. And from up here, you have never looked more alive.

Further, yes, we concede that 2L was an exhausting year. Whether you were on the executive board of a student organization (or two), defended clients in a clinic, wrote your note and tech-checked article after article on a journal, researched and advocated arguments in moot court, or did all of the above and won, I’m sure we all grew a few extra grey hairs that year. But that is just admissible evidence that we are a class capable of committing to demanding projects, balancing priorities, putting the needs of others before ourselves, and still proving triumphant. The ability to work hard is especially critical in our field. After all, law is a service profession and we will work tirelessly for our clients. And although not every assignment we ever get will excite us like a snow day, the Dean O’Rourke soda fountain, or the Legal Follies, it is our duty to always put forth the hard work that we all know we are capable of. And you can bet that when your hard work results in any accolade whatsoever, we will all be put on notice because (let’s be real) BU Law’s Facebook game is on fleek. Regardless of such recognition though, we should always strive to put our best efforts forward for our clients. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Not everyone can be famous but everyone can be great, because greatness is determined by service.” It is through this diligent work ethic and dedication to others that will allow us to be the great lawyers we all desire to be.

Finally, yes, most of us would concede that we all had a little more time on our hands this past year. Maybe you did absolutely nothing, but maybe, assuming arguendo, you decided to take that awesome seminar that will play no part whatsoever in your legal career, used a semester to explore a new country while studying abroad, booked your bar trips to Southeast Asia or the Mediterranean instead of paying attention in class, fueled a movement for promoting public interest at BU, ran a marathon, sang in Symphony Hall then subsequently received a fellowship from the DOJ, got engaged, or even just binge-watched House of Cards on Netflix. Hashtag 3LOL. Regardless of how we spent our time this year, it is important to remember that what one person may consider “boring” another may consider a fascinating opportunity. It all comes down to your perspective. As we embark on our careers, we should always remember to stay hungry and instead of approaching difficult situations begrudgingly, perceive each one as a new and exciting opportunity to learn. The glass may be half full for now, but the world is waiting for us, the BU School of Law Class of 2015, to fill it with our undeniable passion, our unrelenting enthusiasm, and our inevitable accomplishments.

For the foregoing reasons, whatever comes next, it is our duty to seize the exciting opportunities which may seem frightening at first, put forth the hard work we’ve all proven we’re capable of, and no matter the outcome, we will perceive our endeavors as learning experiences that will ultimately lead us to success. Therefore, Boston University School of Law shall affirm the commencement of the Class of 2015. Thank you for your time; it’s been an honor and a pleasure. Congratulations!