Foley Hoag Announces Partnership With BU Law ASPIRE Program

Foley Hoag LLP announced a new partnership with Boston University School of Law's Antiracist Scholars for Progress, Innovation, and Racial Equity (ASPIRE) Program. This collaboration underscores the firm's commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession.

The ASPIRE Program, created by the Dean of BU Law and Foley Hoag alumna, Angela Onwuachi-Willig, in collaboration with BU's Center for Antiracist Research, provides full-tuition scholarships to students who demonstrate a commitment to antiracism and social justice. These scholars represent diverse experiences and backgrounds and are poised to make meaningful contributions in private practice, government, corporate roles and beyond.

"We are so excited and honored to be partnering with Foley Hoag," said Dean Onwuachi-Willig. "The firm's commitment to innovation, inclusion, and equity runs deep. This partnership is a natural progression as we draw near the graduation of our inaugural cohort of ASPIRE leaders, whom we are confident will have a transformative impact on our profession and society."

"Partnering with BU Law's ASPIRE Program is not only an investment in an amazing group of future lawyers, but also a reflection of our firm's culture that celebrates diversity and promotes social justice," said Ryan Rourke Reed, Partner in Foley Hoag's Capital Markets and M&A Practices and Chair of the Hiring Committee. "We are excited to provide opportunities for these scholars to thrive."

Managing Partner Hathaway Russell highlighted the program's impact: "By partnering with BU Law's ASPIRE Program, we are not just talking about diversity — we're driving it. As a firm, we know that innovation thrives on diverse perspectives. This initiative is about more than just inclusion; it's about opening doors for underrepresented voices to lead and creating meaningful change in the legal field."

Foley Hoag plans to be a hands-on partner in the program, by engaging with the ASPIRE scholars, and fostering connections with students through collaborative projects and mentoring opportunities. The ongoing partnership will build upon past successes, including the firm's prior work with Professor Robert S. Chang and ASPIRE scholars in connection with an amicus brief filed in Shen v. Simpson. In that case, the firm supported the plaintiffs in a federal litigation challenging Florida's new alien land law, which prohibits Chinese people and others from "foreign countries of concern" from owning land in nearly all of the state.