Day: January 29, 2017

I have the great privilege of being the mentor of Opéoluwa Sotonwa, a member of NEU Doctor of Law and Policy program.  Opé is a member of Cohort X.  He is an advocate for the deaf and hearing impaired in a position that can truly make a difference; an accomplished attorney; a published author; and a particularly thoughtful individual.

I just finished a call with Opé during which he described his own progress through the DLP program, and recent and upcoming events. Frankly, I’m a bit envious of my young squire.

Okay, first some background. The DLP program has never been static.  It has continued to evolve in coursework, presentation, and faculty oversight over the past decade, arguably becoming something better with every passing year.

When I went through the program, which is taught in Boston, we spent two of our cohort “intensives” meetings in Washington D.C.  The D.C. trips focused on visits with law and policy leaders, including a meeting with a U.S. Senator, visits to policy think tanks, a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court, seminars with national and international law and policy leaders, and the like.

Okay, why am I envious of Opé?  Last month, during Cohort X’s visit to Washington D.C., they spent one-on-one quality time with Associate Justice Clarence Thomas.  How cool is that!  Reading the opinions then getting to Q&A with the man.  What a highlight!

Coming up last this year–to continue to make me envious of Opé–is the Cohort’s planned trip to London, England.  Heck, Cohort VIII never left the east coast, much less the continent.

Okay, I’m really happy for Opé and his mates in Cohort X.  I have got to figure out some way to get invited by the DLP program leaders to lecture in London to the Cohort about international telecommunications policy, which was the subject of my LL.M from Strathclyde University in Glasgow.  Perhaps they just need a chaperone. 

I’m donning my thinking cap right now!

–Jonathan