Boalt Student Creates Rock 'n' Law Lyrics

When finals roll around at Boalt Hall School of Law, most students bury themselves in the library and forego sleep. Josh Keesan, on the other hand, sings.

Last year, as a first-year law student drifting off in class, Keesan, 24, began scribbling lyrics in the margins of his notes-songs about the law, like "Contributory Negligence" and "Promissory Estoppel." Then he recorded them in his bedroom and turned them into an album, The Law of Rock, Vol. 1.

Keesan, who describes his sound as "folk-rock-country-pop meets 'Schoolhouse Rock,'" is now in his second year at Boalt Hall. When he is not studying, Keesan performs around the Bay Area and works on his next album, slated for summer release.

"It was just, like, a nice way to break up all the work I was supposed to be doing," said Keesan, who studies music copyright law and criminal law. "People have gotten a kick out of it, professors really enjoy the songs and I think everyone's been really supportive and encouraging."

On "Promissory Estoppel," he sings, "We made plans far ahead and now you say you want me dead/Well, too bad/'Cause it's promissory estoppel."

On "Mens Rea," he declares, "Oh, mens rea/It's a guilty mind/The girl gives me mens rea/And actus reus isn't far behind." Other tracks include "Raffles v. Wichelhaus" and "Sherwood v. Walker."

Keesan grew up in a Zen Buddhist community in Rochester, N.Y. He immersed himself in music from an early age by playing guitar and piano, and then performed with various bands at New York University, where he studied art history.

After graduating, Keesan decided to try his hand at law on the West coast.

"I kind of came to law school 'cause I didn't know what else to do, but I love it," he said. "Boalt is a really, really great place."

New York's music scene may be more active and well-known, Keesan said, but the Bay Area offers aspiring musicians greater support and a better quality of life overall. He occasionally performs with two fellow Boalt students, frequents live shows in San Francisco and shops for "everything from vintage country music to a lot of soul" at Amoeba Music.

Keesan said he will likely work at a law firm after he graduates from Boalt Hall. But law and rock 'n' roll intersect more often than one might think, he said.

"With both, it's really important to have a sense of humor about what you're doing-I try to do that-and not to take yourself too seriously," Keesan said. "Also, playing a show and talking to a jury are very similar in terms of knowing your audience and putting on a good show."

His degree may take him far, Keesan said, but he's already begun hearing the sounds of success.

"I believe that law rock is the next big thing in music," he said. "I really believe I'm standing on the cusp of something much larger than myself."

Tags: BOALT HALL SCHOOL OF LAW, JOSH KEESAN