Rachins lays down 'Law' for Ivy Day

Graduating seniors at Saturday's Ivy Day ceremony in Irvine Auditorium received free legal advice from an unlikely source -- a Wharton drop-out. Alan Rachins, better known as the ambitious Douglas Brackman in the hit TV series L.A. Law, delivered a light-hearted and often sardonic keynote address after the traditional awards ceremony. However, he refused from the beginning to shed any light on the future dilemmas facing the MacKenzie-Brackman law firm, but promised that he would return next season, unlike fellow co-stars Harry Hamlin and Jimmy Smits. Instead of focusing on the TV show that made his name famous, Rachins recalled witty anecdotes about his life, family and formative years, to the amusement of the audience. "We're fascinated by stories," Rachins told his audience. "Stories amuse us, motivate us and link us together. Rachins shared with the audience his feelings after seeing the classic James Dean film Rebel Without a Cause. "I was hooked," he said. "Acting became my dream." Rachins said the next few decades were devoted to realizing that dream, from "spear-carrying" as an extra on Broadway to his current television success. Rachins said that his time at the University was "a conveyor belt towards a destiny I wanted no part of." As an unremarkable scholar at Wharton, Rachins freely admitted that his intention at the time was "to do as little work as possible." But Rachins thanked the University for giving him "the determination to follow my own path," and advised the graduating seniors in the audience to have the strength to do the same. "It took me a long time to find my way along the path that I chose," Rachins said. "I wish for you a path that is your own, and the courage to follow it . . . and a great therapist." After his speech, Rachins expressed mixed feelings about his return to the University. "It feels almost like a completion of unfinished business," he explained. "It brings to mind the serious life choices you make." But, even after the formal ceremony, Rachins remained tight-lipped about the upcoming season of his famous televison show. "The only scoop I can give you is that the writers are on vacation," he joked. "They're exhausted after writing 22 episodes this season, and they won't be back for a few weeks." After Rachins' speech, Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson announced that the Class of 1991 Ivy Stone would be located at the Furness Building near the entrance, as a tribute to the edifice's recent renovation and its enduring beauty. After the ceremony in Irvine, the stone was unveiled, from underneath a Hey Day t-shirt, by President Sheldon Hackney. The stone was designed by Yun-Ju Chen.

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