Dean Maureen O’Rourke to Join DirectWomen Board Institute
Board Institute Positions Women Lawyers for Service on Boards of Public Companies.
DirectWomen, whose mission is to promote women lawyers for service on the boards of public companies, has selected BU Law Dean Maureen A. O’Rourke for membership on its 2018 Board Institute.
Since DirectWomen was founded in 2007 as a project of the American Bar Association, over 150 women have participated in the Board Institute and 22 percent of the Institute’s alumni now serve as directors of major public companies, including Visa Inc., Valero Energy Corp., AK Steel Holding Corporation, Fluor Corporation, Boyd Gaming Corporation, and Occidental Petroleum.
The Board Institute is an annual two-day program, held in October in New York City, that brings together approximately 20 senior women attorneys to learn about key issues facing current and future directors. Topics include the role and work of nominating and corporate governance committees, evolving nature of shareholder relations, strategic role of audit committees, and the role of executive search firms in board searches.
Participants have the opportunity to interact with an extraordinary faculty of leading CEOs, directors of large public companies, and top representatives of executive search firms. They are also able to network with alumni of the Board Institute.
Dean O’Rourke, who has led BU Law since 2004, is stepping down from her role as dean this summer. During her tenure, she has overseen the construction of the Sumner M. Redstone Building and renovation of the adjacent law tower; increased career development support, experiential learning opportunities, and financial aid for students; and raised the school’s public interest profile through adoption of the pro bono program, enhanced loan repayment assistance for young alumni, and spring break service trips.