Alumni Focus

In a special seminar sponsored by the Center for History and Economics at Harvard, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer ’64 of the U.S. Supreme Court discussed his new book, “Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge's View,” his jurisprudential philosophy, and as the origins of judicial review.

The White House released a statement from the President on Thursday, October 21 on the life of Paul Miller '86, who advised Presidents Obama and Clinton on disability and equal opportunity matters. Miller, a lawyer who was born with achondroplasia "dwarfism" and became a leader in the disability rights movement, died Tuesday at his home on Mercer Island, Wash. He was 49.

Louis Henkin ’40, who pioneered the field of human rights law and was a prolific scholar and teacher in the fields of constitutional and international law, died Oct. 14, 2010. He was 92.

When she was 19, Rebecca Onie ’03 created a program that takes a holistic approach to treating low-income patients; one “genius grant” later, she’s determined to change the health care system.

Anthony Scaramucci '89—author of "Goodbye Gordon Gekko: How to Find Your Fortune Without Losing Your Soul" and adviser to the movie Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps—shared career advice with Harvard Law School students at an event cosponsored by the Traphagen Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series and the Office of Career Services on September 29.

On Sept. 13, John B. Bellinger III '86, chief legal adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during the Bush Administration, gave a talk to students on how to launch and develop careers in international and public-interest law. The talk was sponsored by HLS's Office of Public Interest Advising.

Over the past decade, the U.S. Supreme Court has overruled the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 148 of 182 cases—a “strikingly poor record” for the circuit court, said Ninth Circuit Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain ’63 in a talk at Harvard Law School on September 17.  The event was sponsored by the Federalist Society.

Of the 39 law school graduates who are serving as clerks to the U.S. Supreme Court justices and retired justices in the 2010-2011 term, 11 hail from Harvard Law School—the highest number from a single law school this year.

Susan Carney ’77 has been nominated by President Barack Obama ’91 to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

A U.N. advocate is fighting to protect children from armed conflicts

President Barack Obama ’91 nominated Amy Berman Jackson ’79 to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Jackson was one of three nominations Obama announced on June 17, also including Judge James E. Boasberg and Justice Sue E. Myerscough.

As Elena Kagan becomes the 112th Supreme Court justice, she adds to an impressive list of 22 justices who have one thing in common: Not only have they shaped the law in influential and historical ways — they all hail from Harvard.

The Senate confirmed former Harvard Law School Dean and Solicitor General Elena Kagan ’86 to succeed Justice John Paul Stevens on the United States Supreme Court today by a vote of 63-37. Kagan becomes the 112th Justice and the first former Dean of the Law School to serve on the Court.

Within hours of the catastrophic earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 12, when so many felt helpless to intervene, a website powered by volunteers helped to inform humanitarian aid groups and even the U.S. State Department about the developing disaster.

“Late Justice is not Justice, but manifest injustice,” wrote Ruy Barbosa de Oliveira (1849-1923), perhaps the most prominent jurist and statesman in the history of Brazil. I was struck by these words during my first year of law school in São Paulo.

Raj Kumar LL.M. ’00 wants to reform India’s legal system—one law student at a time.

Former prosecutor Paul Butler ’86 now argues for jury nullification in cases of nonviolent offenders—even if they are guilty.

Bruce Ramer ’58 divides his time between entertainment giants and pro bono causes.

Krzysztof Skubiszewski, who died earlier this year at age 83, lived a life shadowed and shaped by World War II and communism.

When you’re standing in the middle of GINA Gallery of International Naïve Art, you feel the way you would in a flower garden on a perfect day.