Harvard Business Law Review Unanimously Amends Constitution for Crossing the Charles

New initiative forges unprecedented collaboration between HBS and HLS.

The Harvard Business Law Review (“HBLR”) has amended its constitution to launch the Crossing the Charles initiative, a new collaboration that welcomes Harvard Business School (“HBS”) students to join the Review for the first time in its history, under the leadership of presidents Joey Ravenna and Savannah Huitema. This week, seven HBS MBAs were invited to join the upper masthead of the Review, two of whom are joining the executive board as the Review’s first CFO and CMO. HBS students will represent 10% of the Review’s upper masthead.

Given HBLR’s record of rigorous business law analysis, this initiative will enhance the interdisciplinary nature of the Review’s work by incorporating the practical and strategic insights of HBS students. This effort marks the first formal partnership between HBS and HBLR, aiming to bring business students' perspectives into conversations on business law. It follows the Review’s fall subcite on the Harvard Law School (“HLS”) campus, in which 60 members of the upper masthead worked alongside over 100 fall editors to prepare materials for Volume XV, Issue I.

“This partnership recognizes that business law is increasingly influenced by financial realities and strategy," said presidents Joey Ravenna and Savannah Huitema. "Involving HBS students in our publication will allow a richer exploration of business law issues at the highest levels, incorporating fresh perspectives that are often overlooked in the legal literature." 

In May, Ravenna and Huitema proposed a constitutional amendment to allow HBS and HLS students equal access to all positions in the Review, which was later adopted by a unanimous 51-0 vote in June. 

“This vote was representative of the growing sentiment that lawyers and business professionals want to collaborate. We are proud to help lead Harvard’s scholarship at this intersection, breaking down these barriers and creating a rare opportunity for JDs and MBAs to work side by side, across the Charles,” Ravenna and Huitema also noted.

Two MBAs – Michelle Yu and Manuel Rubiano – joined the Review at its highest level: through its executive board. 

Yu, the Review’s first CMO, noted, “This initiative not only broadens the Review’s intellectual and strategic capabilities by incorporating diverse perspectives, but it also creates a powerful bridge between HBS and HLS. It deepens the interdisciplinary collaboration necessary to shape forward-thinking leaders and create innovative solutions in an increasingly interconnected global landscape.” 

HBLR will continue this tradition of incorporating MBAs into its fabric and is targeting an even split of HLS and HBS members by 2029.

The campaign invites participation from HBS students interested in contributing to the Review to expand its scope and foster dialogue between the two schools.

The Harvard Business Law Review is a leading journal of corporate law scholarship, covering topics such as corporate governance, securities regulation, mergers and acquisitions, and financial markets. The Review publishes the contributions of academics, practitioners, and policymakers on a triannual basis.