In 1996, when Professor Bernard Hibbitts first established JURIST, few could have foreseen the impact the project would have. Whether measured in terms of the individual lives it has touched, its global reach, or the impressions it has left on the landscape of online legal news coverage, JURIST’s role cannot be overstated.
What began as a modest online repository for legal scholarship evolved under Professor Hibbitts’ visionary leadership into a groundbreaking service that revolutionized how legal news reaches the public. Through his innovative approach of empowering law students as reporters and editors, he created a unique educational model that has trained generations of legal professionals while delivering accessible, authoritative coverage of rule-of-law issues to millions of readers worldwide. Upon his retirement in December 2024, after nearly three decades of service, his legacy endures in JURIST’s continued commitment to bridging the gap between legal academia and public understanding, fostering transparency and justice across borders.
A festschrift is a collection of writings published in honor of a scholar, traditionally during their lifetime. This digital festschrift for Professor Hibbitts will grow organically through regular contributions published several times weekly. All entries will be permanently archived and indexed on a dedicated section of JURIST’s website, creating a living testament to his transformative vision and lasting impact on legal journalism and education. This is the ninth entry in this ongoing series, the (as-yet) entirety of which can be found here.
“What a wonderful LinkedIn photo of you in, I presume, your graduation regalia! Terrific to see.”
This was the first LinkedIn message I received from Professor Bernard Hibbitts, well after I had stepped back from volunteering as a Staff Editor at JURIST News to focus on my legal qualifications and career. It was classic Professor Hibbitts—always taking the time to encourage and uplift others, even when there was no direct obligation to do so. Balancing his role as a rockstar Dumbledorean law professor and an Anthony Bourdain-esque figure in legal journalism, Bernard effortlessly broke cultural barriers and revolutionized the legal news industry with his extraordinary vision.
To me, Bernard Hibbitts—Professor Hibbitts, as I prefer to call him—will always be a deeply empathetic individual with an unmatched passion for diversity, empowerment, and impactful journalism. He believed, to his core, that every story matters, no matter how small or distant it might seem to others. Perhaps that is why, when a 19-year-old from Mauritius—a small island nation of 1.3 million people often overlooked on the global stage—applied to JURIST, he saw value in me, even when I might not have seen it myself.
Professor Hibbitts never saw Mauritius as another small island. To him, it was a nation rich with complex legal challenges, vibrant culture, and compelling stories worth sharing with the world. When protests erupted over soaring fuel prices in my country, he encouraged me to share my perspective on what many would have considered a local issue of negligible importance. When debates over offshore petroleum extraction and the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago unfolded, he provided the space in JURIST for these nuanced discussions. He celebrated landmark moments in Mauritius, such as the decriminalization of sodomy and the appointment of our first female Supreme Court justice, framing them not as isolated events but as hopeful precedents for other states in the region.
Bernard’s interest in Mauritius—and, by extension, my work—reflected his broader mission to amplify voices from places often ignored by mainstream media. He saw potential where others saw irrelevance and treated every story with the same care as those from larger nations. His belief in the importance of every narrative inspired me to see my country through a lens of pride and purpose, reminding me that our struggles and achievements mattered equally on the world stage.
Under Bernard’s leadership, JURIST has emerged into a global platform for underreported stories. From the Myanmar coup and the plight of Afghan women in law schools under the Taliban, to political crises in Pakistan and environmental crackdowns in Ghana, JURIST has ensured these narratives remain in focus long after mainstream media has moved on to newer headlines. Bernard’s approach is deeply personal—he doesn’t just report the news; he empowers those living it to share their stories.
This festschrift is my humble testament to Bernard’s legacy—not just as an editor, but as a mentor and supporter of the overlooked. Bernard, thank you for showing us all that no story is too small. On behalf of your students and mentees, who you continue to inspire—happy retirement!
Vishwanath Petkar is a practicing attorney who focuses on international economic law. He was a staff editor at JURIST from 2020-2022.
