Lois Dehls Cornell ’86 to Deliver Northeastern Law Commencement Address

Lois Dehls Cornell ’86, a national leader at the intersection of law and healthcare, will deliver Northeastern University School of Law’s commencement address on Friday, April 24, 2026.

    Lois Dehls Cornell ’86 to Deliver Northeastern Law Commencement Address

    04.17.26 — Lois Dehls Cornell ’86, a national leader at the intersection of law and healthcare, will deliver Northeastern University School of Law’s commencement address on Friday, April 24, 2026. Cornell is executive vice president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, one of the oldest and most influential medical organizations in the country, dedicated to the advancement of medicine and public health, and home to The New England Journal of Medicine, the world’s most widely read and cited peer-reviewed medical journal. She is a past president of the American Health Lawyers Association, the nation’s largest and most prestigious organization dedicated to the field of health law, serving thousands of attorneys, law students and healthcare professionals across the country.

    “Lois Dehls Cornell is exactly the kind of leader this moment in healthcare demands. She understands the system, champions the mission and never loses sight of what really matters: the health and wellbeing of patients,” said Dean James Hackney. “We are honored to welcome her wisdom and guidance as she addresses our graduating class.”

    Since 2016, Cornell has been responsible for the operation and management of the Massachusetts Medical Society and provides oversight for its several subsidiaries, including NEJM Group, which publishes The New England Journal of Medicine, as well as several of the society’s subsidiaries. Under her leadership, the society has annually been named a Top 100 Women-Led Business in Massachusetts by the Women’s Edge and one of the Top Places to Work by The Boston Globe.

    Prior to joining the Society, Cornell spent 24 years at Tufts Health Plan, where she served as chief administrative officer and general counsel. Prior to joining Tufts Health Plan, Cornell was an associate at the Boston law firm of Goodwin Procter.

    Cornell’s contributions to the legal profession have been widely recognized: Women's Business Boston named her one of the Top 10 Women Corporate Lawyers in Boston, and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly honored her with its In-House Leaders-in-the-Law award. She is also a recipient of the YWCA Boston’s Academy of Women Achievers Award and is a member of the Massachusetts Women’s Forum.

    Cornell received her B.A. cum laude from Macalester College and earned her JD from the Northeastern University School of Law. She also completed the Advanced Management Program of Harvard Business School and the Executive Leadership Program of America’s Health Insurance Plans.

    For those family members and friends who are unable to attend commencement, the School of Law is pleased to offer a live video stream of the ceremony beginning at 4:00 PM on Friday, Apri 24, 2026.

     

    Northeastern Law Commencement Speakers:

    HON. DAVID SUTHERLAND NELSON, 1976
    HON. HUGH H. BOWNES, 1977
    HON. MARGARET A. BURNHAM, 1978
    THOMAS J. O’TOOLE, 1978
    HON. A. LEON HIGGINBOTHAM JR., 1979
    PAUL BREST, 1980
    HON. BENJAMIN KAPLAN, 1981
    HON. DAVID L. BAZELON, 1982
    HON. RAMSEY CLARK, 1983
    HON. SHIRLEY ANITA ST. HILL CHISHOLM, 1984
    ARTHUR KINOY, 1985
    HELEN CALDICOTT, 1986
    ANTHONY LEWIS, 1987
    JOHN G. HEALEY, 1988
    ELAINE JONES, 1989
    FAYE WATTLETON, 1990
    DERRICK BELL, 1991
    NINA TOTENBERG, 1992
    HON. BARNEY FRANK, 1993
    LANI GUINIER, 1994
    NAT HENTOFF, 1995
    HON. A. LEON HIGGINBOTHAM JR., 1996
    PATRICIA J. WILLIAMS, 1997
    HON. EDWARD M. KENNEDY, 1998
    HON. NANCY GERTNER, 1999
    SISTER HELEN PREJEAN, CSJ, 2000
    NATHANIEL RAPHAEL JONES, 2001
    DEVAL L. PATRICK, 2002
    HON. MARGARET HILARY MARSHALL, 2003
    STEPHEN B. BRIGHT, 2004
    JULIUS L. CHAMBERS, 2005
    HON. CHIEF JUSTICE PIUS NKONZO LANGA, 2006
    HON. NONNIE S. BURNES, 2007
    HON. STEPHEN G. BREYER, 2008
    STEPHEN HOWES OLESKEY, 2009
    HAROLD HONGJU KOH, 2010
    RASHIDA MANJOO, 2011
    JACQUELINE A. BERRIEN, 2012
    HON. MARGARET WOOD HASSAN, 2013
    RANDALL L. KENNEDY, 2014
    MAURA HEALEY, 2015
    TRACEY L. MCCAIN, 2016
    CECILE RICHARDS, 2017
    RICHARD W. PAINTER, 2018
    JUDY PERRY MARTINEZ, 2019
    NABIHA SYED, 2021
    HON. VICTORIA A. ROBERTS, 2022
    COREY E. THOMAS, 2023
    HON. WILLIAM “MO” COWAN ’94, 2024
    RALPH C. MARTIN II ’78, 2025

     

    About Northeastern University School of Law

    The nation’s leader in experiential legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country. Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences through its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. More than 1,000 employers worldwide in a wide range of legal, government, nonprofit and business organizations participate in the program. With a focus on social justice and innovation, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experiences to successfully practice law.

    For more information, contact [email protected].