Anne Celestin (’18) Chosen for Chief Justice Roderick L. Ireland Book Award
Each year, nine cash awards are given to worthy African American students pursuing legal studies in their second year.
Anne Celestin (’18) was selected as the winner of the 2017 Chief Justice Roderick L. Ireland Book Award, an annual distinction from the Massachusetts Black Judges Conference. She was presented the award on April 6 at the John Adams Courthouse.
Each year, the Massachusetts Black Judges Conference—an organization of nearly all the African American judges in the Commonwealth—gives nine cash awards to worthy African American students pursuing legal studies in their second year. The stipend is intended to provide financial assistance to students purchasing textbooks for their third year of law school. Previous winners from BU Law include Byron Conway (’13) and Ashley Anderson (’10).
“Besides being an outstanding student, Anne has been a vital member of our student leadership, serving both as a leader and a mentor to our younger students, “says Gerry Muir, associate dean for student affairs at BU Law. “She will be a gifted member of the legal profession, and I can only hope that she will one day be a part of the judiciary, if not the legal academy.”
Celestin serves as an executive board member of BU Law’s Black Law Students Association. She has also participated in the Housing, Employment, Family & Disability Clinic, a part of the Civil Litigation Program.
“It was a wonderful surprise and a great honor to receive this award,” Celestin says. “Being recognized by a group of hard-working judges who actively make a difference in the Boston community was a very humbling experience. I see this as a call for me to persevere in leadership roles in order to make a difference in my community.”
Before law school, Celestin completed her undergraduate education at Drew University, graduating summa cum laude with a BA in philosophy and sociology. She also served as an intern at the Morristown, New Jersey Drug Court Division, where she says she was exposed to the positive effects the legal system can have on struggling individuals and families who lack necessary resources. Celestin will serve as a summer associate at Hogan Lovells LLP in New York this May. She says she hopes to continue being a leader and serving her community.
“As a law student, my goal is to continue to polish my craft to be the best lawyer that I can be,” Celestin says. “I have truly enjoyed my time in the Civil Litigation Program and hope to use these skills in whichever area and setting I find myself practicing. This is what I believe will enable me to be a great leader and to make a difference in my community, whether it is in Boston or elsewhere.”