BY RECORD STAFF
Starting this week, there are some new faces at the helm of HLS’s most selective student organizations. The Harvard Law Review and the Board of Student Advisors have announced the election of new officers for the 2001-2002 school year.
The Harvard Law Review elected second-year student Matthew Hellman ’02 as its 115th president. Hellman, 24, was elected from a slate of seven candidates after eleven hours of debate.
“I am thrilled for Matthew and for the Law Review,” said Anne Small ’01, the outgoing president. “Matthew is a very respected member of the Law Review. His intellectual vision and dedication to the Law Review will ensure an exciting and productive year for the organization.”
Hellman, a native of Hillsboro, Ore., graduated with highest honors from Swarthmore College in 1998. He has accepted a clerkship with the Honorable Michael Boudin of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit’s 2002-2003 term.
Hellman immediately began to take over the day-to-day management responsibilities of the organization.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity to work with an incredibly talented and dedicated group of editors on the Law Review,” Hellman said. “The next year will surely be a challenging one, but I am confident that our editors will live up to the high standards that the Law Review’s 114 years of tradition have established.”
On February 7, the BSA elected Erin Hoffman ’02 to replace outgoing President Jahan Sagafi-Nahad ’01. David Ware ’02 will take over the position of former BSA Vice-President Sheldon Pollock ’01.
Hoffman said that BSA’s unique functions – both teaching and serving the HLS community – set it apart from others. “This is an exciting and challenging time for the BSA; since the LRA program is going to change significantly over the next year, we have an incredible opportunity to help shape and improve the first year writing program at HLS,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman noted that teaching and advising first year students would remain BSA’s top priority. “In addition to working with the administration and faculty to revise the old LRA program, Dave and I also hope that the new 7 section system will give us an opportunity to improve advising in a variety of ways,” she said.
“Next year I hope that Erin and I can ensure that the members of the BSA have a positive experience, that they are a positive resource for the 1Ls as teachers and mentors and that the organization remains strong,” Ware said.
Ware’s interest in the BSA position came from his own positive experiences with the organization. “I think BSA gives me a chance to be involved at HLS other than just as a student and to meet people in a different setting,” Ware said. “The people in the group are great and have made law school much more enriching than it would have been otherwise.”
The Harvard Law School Office of Communications partially contributed to this story.