Mark Pettit, '71: 1947-2018
BU School of Law Remembers Professor Mark Pettit Jr.
Beloved “singing professor” inspired thousands of students throughout his four decades at BU Law.
Professor Mark Pettit Jr., known to many as the “singing professor” for his playful renditions of classic and contemporary songs in his first-year Contracts class, passed away on Friday, June 8, 2018 after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer.
A dedicated member of the Boston University School of Law faculty since 1977, Professor Pettit taught thousands of students in the areas of contracts, evidence, consumer law, and professional responsibility. He twice served as associate dean for administration and annually chaired the admissions committee.
Professor Pettit’s incomparable teaching style introduced props and law-themed parodies of Top 40 hits to entertain 1L students in his Contracts class. The idea grew out of poem a former student wrote about a case under discussion. More poems followed, until a few years later a student brought in a song to be sung to the tune of The Brady Bunch. The practice continued from there, and many students and alumni recall fondly the Pettit classics, “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Nose,” “Breach It,” “Smoke Ballin’,” and “Statute of Frauds.”
In a 2007 interview with NPR, Pettit said his “shtick” was “really about breaking the tension in class.” And that “his willingness to embarrass himself in front of students encourages them to take more risks as well, and they participate more in class.”
His methods paid off. He was a beloved professor who in 1993 was recognized with the Metcalf Award for Excellence in Teaching, the highest honor for faculty at Boston University. He received a Silver Shingle Award for Service to the School in 2001, and at this year’s Commencement ceremony, Dean Maureen O’Rourke and the BU Law community honored him with the Michael W. Melton Award for Excellence in Teaching. He also received awards from the dean for his service and teaching.
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