O'Connor addresses Law School

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor joined the Law School community on Friday evening to celebrate the school's 150th anniversary. O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court, lauded the school's rich academic history and the progress of women within its classrooms. "Today this law school is not only one whose long life we celebrate, but we celebrate the high quality of that long life," O'Connor said. Nearly 2,000 guests -- including Law School alumni from around the world, Law School faculty and students and officials from other schools -- gathered in Silverman Hall for the Sesquicentennial celebration. Although the end of the reception was marred by a lengthy fire alarm, the overall event went off without a hitch. Due to limited space in the newly restored Levy Conference Center, where the speeches were delivered, video screens were set up in several locations throughout the building so that guests could watch a televised version of the remarks. After about an hour of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, Law School Dean Michael Fitts welcomed everyone to the celebration and offered a brief history of the Law School. "Penn Law has had a truly distinguished history and promises an even more distinguished and exciting future," Fitts said. He also pointed out that Friday's celebration attracted the largest turnout of any Law School event in its 150 year history. University President Judith Rodin also offered welcoming remarks and praised the accomplishments of the Law School. She particularly congratulated the school on being the first in history to win the Pro Bono Publico award from the American Bar Association. At the time of her appointment as a Justice in the Supreme Court, O'Connor had an unprecedented range of experience, including government lawyer, general practitioner, agency attorney, state legislator and judge at both trial and appellate levels. Over her two decades of service, O'Connor has been described as the swing vote, approaching each case on its unique facts. "Your trail-blazing career has inspired girls and women, including this one, to believe that we can accomplish anything if we set our minds to it," Rodin said to O'Connor during her remarks. On behalf of the trustees, Rodin presented O'Connor with the University of Pennsylvania President's Medal for Distinguished Achievement. O'Connor expressed her enormous gratitude to be able to celebrate this anniversary with the Penn community. "I'm particularly happy, because the Law School is even older than I am," O'Connor began on a humorous note. O'Connor discussed the long history of Penn's Law School, praising its many achievements --ÿincluding the fact that the school claims the nation's first female law school graduate. The guests responded positively to O'Connor's remarks. "It's always impressive when a justice of the Supreme Court comes to visit your school," Law School alumnus Gene Pratter said. "I thought it was really nice that she made things personal, that she told some personal anecdotes about herself," second-year Law student Alexis Gander said. "It made it feel more special." Congressman and Law School graduate Michael O'Pake offered a proclamation on behalf of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania applauding the Law School on its sesquicentennial year. And Kenneth Trujillo, Philadelphia city solicitor and a Law School grad, also presented a proclamation from Mayor John Street establishing Friday November 17, 2000, as Penn Law Day.

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