When Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson of the New York State Court of Appeals delivered the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University’s 46th commencement ceremony address May 20 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, he peppered his remarks with the de rigueur lawyer jokes. But he also had some serious advice:
“I encourage you to keep in mind the following three propositions as you wind your way through your lives in the law: 1. Put honesty first, whether you are interacting with courts, clients, adversaries or colleagues; 2. Remember that the historical core of your profession is compassion, not craftiness; 3. Devote some meaningful measure of your time to helping those who cannot afford your assistance but who desperately need it.”
Wilson – who also received the Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, the highest honor conferred by the law school, recognizing his lifelong contributions to public service and the legal profession – is the first person of color to lead the Court of Appeals, New York state’s highest court, located in Albany. As chief judge, he is responsible for the administration of the entire New York’s Unified Court System, which has 16,000 employees and a $3 billion budget and administers justice to a population of nearly 20 million residents.
As Haub Law Dean Horace E. Anderson Jr. told the graduates – 252 of whom received J.D. degrees; 10, Master of Laws degrees in comparative legal studies; seven, Master of Laws degrees in environmental law; and one a Doctor of Juridical Science degree: “It is not just significant that Judge Wilson is New York’s highest-ranking judge, nor that he has led a trailblazing career as a man who has broken barriers and opened doors for others underrepresented in the legal field. But perhaps even more significantly, Judge Wilson’s career and character embody so many of the values that we strive for at Haub Law.”
Dean Anderson pointed to the law school’s commitment to improving access to justice through a growing number of pipeline and pathway programs for youth, through the work of its clinics and centers, including the new Sustainable Business Hub and the new Legal Hand Call-In Center, and pro-bono projects in partnership with community and local government – all supported by students.
“You – our students – have been instrumental in these programs, providing mentorship and an example of a future in law,” said Anderson.
That theme was first sounded in the commencement opening address by Pace University President Marvin Krislov, who is also a lawyer: “The law is not merely a profession but a calling, a calling to defend the rights and liberties of all individuals. You graduates possess the power to effect enduring change through your commitment to justice, advocacy and the rule of law.”
For more, visit www.law.pace.edu.
