Dean's Address

It has been my very great privilege and honor to have served as Dean for this year past. In this fellowship of the Academy, I have grown to know and increasingly respect some of our great modem day Ciceros, Demosthenes, Websters and Lincolns. My spirit has been warmed and uplifted by a rich relationship with some of the finest wordsmiths of our profession. I have renewed and reinvigorated my pride in the noble and worthy calling to which we have dedicated our lives. I have developed an exciting sense of appreciation for the contributions made to this country by you, some of the great aristocrats of the profession. I have supped with you From a chalice brimming with honor, integrity and highly honed competence and commitment which, together, we share and seek to replenish. To the extent that we can continue to contribute to high‑ minded ideals and to adherence by all lawyers to such lofty goals, we, as a venerable academy, can try to pay back a bit of what our remarkable and gifted predecessors have created and handed off to us... for just a little while ... as a challenge and as a responsibility. For me and my Jean, we know that we are vastly better for having known and loved you and this great order of trial lawyers.

I close by emphasizing these deeply held personal views and by submitting that it is our bounden obligation to dedicate ourselves anew to the profession by encouraging affirmative support by all members of Bench and Bar to the exciting sense and spirit of our professional commitment. This renewed and rededicated purpose can serve as a torch to be handed on to those who will inevitably replace us.

At the entrance to one of our very great law schools is engraved a message of illumination and inspiration which should grace our daily prayers:

That those alone may be servants of  the law who labor with learning, courage and devotion to preserve liberty and promote justice

Thank you and God bless you.