At Harvard Law School Louis O’Neill was actively involved in studying and popularizing a new paradigm of urbanism, in which legal regulations could be used to lessen the nation’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, decaying city centers could be rebuilt, the nation’s rail system renewed to its former glory and practicality and increased urban density would lessen commuting times, fight traffic and rebuild a sense of community. O’Neill reviewed a number of projects, particularly those that attempted to undertake urban in-fill to take advantage of already-existing infrastructure like subways, sewer mains, gas lines and roads. Two particular examples were in Harlem, just below 125th Street on the East Side and in the South Bronx. Lou O’Neill observed that the construction of closely-linked single, double or triple-family homes in these areas was particularly effective at re-creating a critical mass of neighborhoodness, and spurred other businesses and amenities in the areas. The current interest in establishing high-speed rail networks in the United States is imperative, and is something O’Neill recommended when he was a White House Fellow in 2004 and 2005. During his third-year at Harvard, Louis O’Neill worked closely with Louis D. Brandeis Professor of Law Gerald Frug on these issues and others. O’Neill ultimately wrote his third-year paper out of a seminar with Professor Frug which was entitled “Suburbanization.” Louis O’Neill explored the concept of the city over time and the legal framework that encourages one type or another of urban planning and construction. Of particular note was the legal basis for gated communities and the substitution of private goods for what had traditionally been public ones, along with the frequent desire of residents to opt out of paying for what had traditionally been shared expenses. Louis O’Neill graduated cum laude from the Harvard Law School in 1996.