A Message from the Executive Director: June 2021
"You are students for only a few years, but you are alumni for life”. After attending the law school’s 2021 conferral of law degrees ceremony via Zoom, I write this note while reflecting on an unprecedented year. Among the many inspirational words that day, those by Dean Michael Waterstone resonate the loudest.
To the alumni and others who generously gave of their time to the Entertainment & Media Law Institute (EMLI) this year: Thank you! Thank you to those who served as guest speakers for the student organizations, those who made time to speak to students individually and to those who volunteered as mentors for the Entertainment Law Fellowship Program. Your participation enhances our students’ law school experience and helps them identify the area of entertainment they wish to pursue.
The 2020-2021 school year was my first year back at LMU Loyola Law School, and it was certainly like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic changed how we manage our lives. It changed how law students learn and work. I joined LLS just months into the pandemic, during the law school’s Centennial Celebration, no less. Academia was hit hard. LLS’s response was nimble and its priorities crystal clear. Faculty and staff made students a priority and worked together to overcome the challenges of online instruction.
The entertainment industry was also among those hit hardest by the pandemic. Production shutdowns had a rippling effect. Unemployment and economic hardship cast a spotlight on systemic inequalities within the industry. The death of George Floyd ignited calls for reform not only of the criminal justice system but of Hollywood. We are living during a pivotal and public moment for accountability.
The past year and a half has transformed our country and changed each of us in different ways. It has brought about challenges and opportunities. With vaccines readily available, people are taking inventory of their lives; who they were before the pandemic, and who they want to be. As we emerge from our homes and re-enter society, let’s focus on the positive changes we are capable of, and what we can accomplish together as advocates for change. Lessons from this past year can empower us to make meaningful contributions to the greater social good, equality, and opportunity for all.
I am proud to present the Entertainment & Medial Law Institute’s inaugural newsletter. The newsletter offers readers a glimpse of the wonderful programs and events offered by the institute. It highlights our student organizations and the next generation of leaders in entertainment, media and sports law.