Hoffmann agreed to accompany him after Berkowitz received an e-mail message from Fox advising him that the Docket Committee would object to his bringing Nesson, who teaches at Harvard Law School and is not a member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).

"I was his original choice of faculty adviser," Nesson said. "But Peter was told I belong to the wrong faculty, which seemed pretty arbitrary."

"It was a silly mistake [on the part of the University] to deprive Peter of his chosen counsel," Nesson added.

Hoffmann, who had not played a role in the case until Wednesday, declined to comment, but Nesson suggested public support from a University professor was a significant boon for Berkowitz.

"All that [the decision to exclude me] resulted in was Peter's going in with Stanley Hoffmann, who, if anything, carries more weight than I do," Nesson said.

Nesson nonetheless appeared Wednesday at Friend's office in the Mallinckrodt Laboratory, where the meeting took place. Nesson said after introducing himself to Fox and Friend, he sat outside in the hall.

Hoffmann had to leave after about an hour, Berkowitz and Nesson said, and the meeting continued in his absence.