Two couples in the wedding announcements, Hannah Diamond and Sam Feldman, and Lindsay Church and Andrew Ellis, who were all in the same Harvard Law School section, were married this weekend. Two other classmates, Habin Chung and Mark Jia, were also married (in 2017) after connecting in the class.
The couples were in the same first-year section (similar to a homeroom period) called 1L, Section 6. Jon D. Hanson, their torts professor, who is also responsible for supervising and orchestrating intellectual and social activities, leads the section.
Professor Hanson, who has taught at the university for 26 years, weighed in on the romances with three theories.
“One, there is nothing to see here,” he said, explaining that 560 students in 1L are divided into sections of 80 students each. “It’s just probability. They are arriving at a certain stage of their life. They are thinking of long-term plans and are young enough not to be committed. Love connections emerge from interaction. It happens to everyone in every section.”
Ms. Diamond, one of the lawyers marrying this weekend, wholeheartedly agreed.
“I don’t think three couples is that unusual,” said Ms. Diamond, who like the other couples, graduated in 2016. “It’s pretty standard as in other sections,” but she then added that their section was “close-knit.”
Professor Hanson’s dismissiveness melted away a bit with what he described as his second, “slightly more elaborate theory.”
“Section 6 has a long tradition of being a noncompetitive and community-oriented place,” he said. “In a milieu of competition, abstraction, individualism and hard work, this section was a little bit of an oasis than most students get to enjoy in 1L.”
Sam Feldman, who first became friends with Ms. Diamond in the section and began dating her toward the end of law school, thought more along the lines of theory No. 2.
“I do think our section was unusually harmonious,” he said, adding “if there is any cause beyond coincidence, it’s the warm environment that Mr. Hanson fostered.”
Ms. Church could not agree more.
“Law school can be stressful at times, and having such a supportive community was key,” she said. “Our section was close, and I am fortunate to have found some of my very best friends, including my future husband, along the way.”
Professor Hanson’s third theory is a more elaborate version of the second one.
“We spend a lot of time scratching below the surface of doctrines, professional norms, and we spend time in a more personal place,” he said. “I try to bring in a human component into section. I welcome partners and spouses. I ask students to share baby pictures, and ask students to guess who they are. We see something about backgrounds, commonality. I try to build in opportunities to display their other sides.”
Out of all the theories, Ms. Chung and Mr. Jia, now married for over a year, opted for No. 1. “Mr. Hanson did a lot to create a nurturing environment,” Mr. Jia said, “but I don’t see a direct cause and link. We see a lot of marriages between classmates from different sections.”
In any case, the professor appreciates all the romance.
“Who doesn’t love the idea of young people creating long-term friendships, and finding love in the beginning of their vocations and their careers?” Professor Hanson said.
This weekend, he will again be asking key questions as he leads a roomful of people, two of whom are sure to be especially attentive: He is the officiant for the Diamond-Feldman ceremony.
“I’m thrilled,” he said.
