Legal Studies Program

This prize is given to a student in the spring semester.

2023

• Sophia Reiss - PHIL 99B: Senior Research II, in spring 2023 for her essay entitled: "Regulations, Realities and Possibilities" regarding on-line speech.  

 2022

• William Ott- LGLS 132B: Environmental Law and Social Policy, in spring 2022, for his paper titled: "NCPA v. EPA."

2021

• Jess Ashley Cocomazzi- LGLS 124B: Comparative Law and Development, in spring 2021, for her paper titled: "A New Legal System for the Republic of Marquette."

2020

• Jessica Lauren Gedallovich –  LGLS 138B: Science on Trial, in spring 2020, for her paper titled: "Artificial Intelligence and Patent Law."

2019

• Talia Reines Bornstein – LGLS 138B: Science on Trial, in spring 2019, for her paper titled: "Legality and Ethics: The Shortcomings of Patent Law."

2018

• Valerie Achille – LGLS 189A: Business Law, in spring 2018 for her paper titled: "OSHA and Kant and Net Neutrality and Comparative Law."

2017

• Mira Estelle Garin – LGLS 138B Science on Trial, in spring 2017, for her paper titled: "Proceed with Caution."

2016

• David Henry Reinharz – LGLS 116B: Civil Liberties: Constitutional Debates, in spring 2016 for his paper titled: "Citizens Bank v. Freeman."

This prize may be given to a student in the spring semester and fall semester.

2023

• Morgan Clark - LGLS 89A, in spring 2023, for her paper titled: "The Impact of COVID 19 on Massachusetts District Courts: Are the Adaptations to the Legal System Positive or Negative Consequences of the COVID 19 Pandemic."
• Aiko Schinasi - LGLS 89A,  in spring 2023, for her paper titled: "Examining The Role of Education Non-Profits In Addressing Gaps In Federal Education Programs: A Look into The Education Non-Profit, SuitUp Inc."

2022

• ShiLu Vanasupa - LGLS 89A, in spring 2022, for her paper titled: "Alternative Responses to Mental Health Crises: Analysis of Alternative Crisis Intervention Models."
• Paris McWilliam - LGLS 89A,  in spring 2022, for her paper titled: "The Effectiveness of Restraining Orders in Reducing Recidivism in Domestic Violence."

2021

• Anna Birtwell Badalament - LGLS 89A, in spring 2021, for her paper titled: "Brady Lists- A Modest Proposal: Policing Cop Culture and Breaking the Blue Wall of Silence."
• Michael Ryan Leven - LGLS 89A, in spring 2021, for his paper titled: "When Rehabilitation Becomes Retribution: Tracking the 'Criminalization' of Mental Illness."

2020

• Adrian Ashley – LGLS 89A: Law and Society Internship and Seminar, in spring 2020, for his paper titled: "The Never-Ending Case Study in Case Management: What the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination Can Do to Reduce the Length of an Investigation."

2019

• Emma Peters – LGLS 89A: Law and Society Internship and Seminar, in fall 2019, for her paper titled: "Language Access in Massachusetts Courts."

2018

• Prue Ross – LGLS 89A: Law and Society Internship and Seminar, in Fall 2018 for her paper titled: "Homeschooling and Educational Neglect in Relation to Massachusetts Department of Children and Families Regulations."
• Renee Korgood – LGLS 89A: Law and Society Internship and Seminar, in Spring 2018 for her paper titled: "Actuarial Risk Assessment in Massachusetts: Where Are We Now? Where Do We Go?"

2017

• Mesa Robinov – LGLS 89A: Law and Society Internship and Seminar, in spring 2017 for her paper titled: "The High Cost of Higher Education: The Future of Higher Education in the For-Profit, Technological Age and Its Implications for Massachusetts' Consumer Protection Law."
• Sasha Kliger – LGLS 89A: Law and Society Internship and Seminar, in fall 2017, for her paper titled: "Education is an Investment: An Analysis of For-profit Higher Education."

2016

• Tinglan (Aaron) Dai – LGLS 89A: Law and Society Internship and Seminar, in spring 2016 for his paper titled: "To Build or Not to Build? Assessing Massachusetts’ Need for Natural Gas Infrastructure."
• Kishah Rajendran – LGLS 89A: Law and Society Internship and Seminar, in fall 2016 for her paper titled: "FGM Parent-Child Asylum Claims Best Practices for Parents Seeking Relief."
• Emily Megan Indig – LGLS 89A: Law and Society Internship and Seminar, in spring 2016 - award was for her work in Fall 2015 for her paper titled: "Balancing Criminal Justice and the Threat of Recidivism: Evaluating the Massachusetts Parole System."

This prize is awarded to a senior who has written the best thesis on a Legal Studies topic. In rare cases, the prize can be split between two.

2023

• Joshua Gladstone - In spring 2023, for his thesis paper titled: "Disability Disregarded: A Study of Intersectionality Across Race, Class, and Disability in the Massachusetts Criminal Legal System."
• Joshua Shuster - In spring 2023, for his thesis paper titled: "Major Record Labels: Deconstructing Exploitative Illusions and Framing Emerging Alternatives in the Context of the Changing Music Industry."

 2022

• Haley Brown - In spring 2022, for her Senior Thesis in American Studies titled: "The Laws of Attraction: Hybristophilia, Voyeurism and the Evolution of Prison as Spectacle."

 2021

• Michael Benjamin Atkins - In spring 2021, for his thesis paper titled: "The Ultimate Institution: The History of Solitary Confinement for Incarcerated People with Disabilities."

2020

• Donnie Weisse – In spring 2020, for his thesis paper titled: "Natural Economic Highways and Gateways: A History of Rivers, Harbors and the Power of the Federal Government."

2019

In 2019, we divided the prize between two equally strong seniors, each from a very different field for applying legal studies topics.

• Helen Wong – In spring 2019, wrote her thesis in the Department of Classical Studies for her thesis paper titled: "Forming Kraters in Cyprus," concerning the testing of ancient artifacts, and raising issues about intellectual property in the field of museum curation.
• Alyssa Beaton – In spring 2019, wrote her thesis in the Business Program for her thesis paper titled: "Caruso Gardens: A Real Estate Development Feasibility Study," dealing with legal aspects of planning and regulating large-scale housing projects in urban areas.

2018

• Zachary Kasdin – In spring 2018, for his thesis in the Department of Politics for his paper titled: "Like Lycurgus From the Grave: Constitution-Making, Nation-Making, and the Intractable Legacies of Founding Moments." Zachary worked with faculty mentor Professor Bernard Yack, and Zachary's thesis paper is a study on how various countries approach the task of writing and revising constitutions.

2017

• Xinyu (Annie) Li – In spring 2017, for her thesis paper titled: "The Legacy of the South China Sea Arbitration."
• Madeline Black – In spring 2017, for her thesis paper titled: "The Responsibility to Protect: Inconsistencies in Implementation."

2016

• Allie Goodman – In Spring 2016, for her thesis paper titled: "The Road from Brown to Concerned Parents: Desegregation and Public Good Theory"