Hamilton And Law School Deaning

Surf Report, Right Hand Man: Caron and Hamilton:

Hamilton changed my life. I am not exaggerating when I say Lin Manuel-Miranda will be remembered as the William Shakespeare of our time.

Dean Caron first saw Hamilton last August. His daughter was beginning medical school, so he wanted to mark the moment by doing something special. Before seeing the play, his daughter had the soundtrack on repeat at home and in the car, so Caron was familiar with the lyrics. Not only does Caron believe that the play is “genius,” but he feels it’s a compelling musical metaphor for his tenure as dean. ... 

The faith aspect of the play, which Caron believes is largely overlooked, is the theme that most affected him. “The first seventy-five percent of the play is about how Hamilton, through perseverance, hard work, and study, used the power of his words to rise up from being a poor orphan in the Caribbean.” The remainder of the play demonstrates the redemptive power of forgiveness and reconciliation in the face of unimaginable tragedy and loss. Caron adapts many of Manuel-Miranda’s lyrics to the legal education experience: “We are called to exude a spirit of forgiveness in our lives together.” 

For more on my obsession with interest in Hamilton, see here and:

• The Story Of Tonight: With Billion-Dollar Hamilton Poised To Sweep Tony Awards, Broadway Pushes For Tax Break Extension (June 12, 2016)
• What Hamilton Teaches Lawyers About Telling Our Story (Aug. 21, 2016)
• Lessons From Hamilton For The University Of Chicago Law School Class Of 2019 (Oct. 4, 2016)
• Law Profs At Chicago, Harvard And Michigan Turn To Hamilton As A Teaching Tool (Oct. 14, 2016)
• Greg Mankiw Happily Paid $2,500 For A Hamilton Ticket, But Asks: Why Should 80% Go To Resellers Rather Than Lin-Manuel Miranda? (Oct. 22, 2016)
• Law Profs Weigh In On The Hamilton/Pence/Trump Controversy (Nov. 21, 2016)
• Hamilton By Harvard Economics Students (Dec. 10, 2016)
• Happy Hanukkah, Hamilton-Style (Dec. 24, 2016)
• Erwin Chemerinsky's Farewell: Lessons From Hamilton (June 29, 2017)