U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor made an impassioned plea Tuesday afternoon at Harvard Law for “serious thinking” among judges to find ways to come together more often, and to fight the effects of partisan polarization.

After serving as an officer in the U.S. Navy, M. Alejandra Parra-Orlandoni focused on international law and national security during her time at Harvard Law School. But the most important things she learned, she says, were the ability to think critically and the importance of learning from the experience of others.