THE GEORGE WASHINGTON LAW REVIEW

"Symposium on the Legacy of the Rehnquist Court" Brings Together Legal Experts, Scholars, Judges, Students, Faculty, Alumni, and Media 

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (second from right) stands next to Dean Frederick M. Lawrence and President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg. They are joined by Law Review students Sonia Nath (Notes and Projects Editor), Jenn Mascott (Senior Projects Editor) and Phil Warrick (Editor-in-Chief) and GW Law Professors Bradford Clark and Amanda Tyler.

October 28, 2005 -- During the course of six panel discussions over two days, participants and audience members at the Law Review's symposium learned much about the beloved Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist from those professionally and personally close to him.

Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made remarks in honor of her recently passed colleague Thursday. Justice Ginsburg lamented how when GW Law School Professor Amanda Tyler, her former law clerk, first invited her to attend the symposium, that she had been looking forward to congratulating Chief Justice Rehnquist in person for his 33 years on the Court, the last 19 as chief justice.

"Though he fought a dreaded disease bravely, he was unable to complete the 20 years all of his colleagues hoped he would have at the Court's helm," Justice Ginsburg said. 

"Of all my bosses...he was the fairest and most efficient," Ginsburg said. "Presiding over six prime dons and two prima donnas, he kept us all in line and on time."

Words such as "fair" and "efficient" were repeated often by various speakers during the symposium to describe the chief justice. But in addition to talk of his intelligence, skills, and competence, there were many stories of his lesser-known amazing sense of humor, love of tennis, and what Justice Ginsburg described as "mean cheeseburgers."

Former law clerk Courtney Gilligan (J.D. '02) told the audience of a time a couple of years ago when they were discussing the new "Batman" movie out in theaters. Gilligan said, "Justice Rehnquist told me he had no interest in seeing "Batman," but that he had just seen "Old School" and thought it was a hoot."

Gregory Garre (J.D. '91), Paul Zidlicky (J.D. '93), and Ann O'Connell (J.D. '04) joined Gilligan on the panel of GW Law School alumni who clerked for the chief justice. 

Former Dean of GW Law School, and now President of the University of Utah, Michael Young was also a former Rehnquist law clerk and returned back to GW Law as the moderator for the panel. President Young told the audience of his personal "loss of a close friend and mentor."

The symposium was organized by students from The George Washington Law Review over the course of just two months. "This is a first-rate conference and it's been organized mainly by students," Dean Frederick M. Lawrence said during the welcome speech. 

The students had help gathering panel participants and speakers from professors such as Bradford Clark, Jonathan Turley, and Stephen Saltzburg. In addition to inviting her former boss, Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg, Professor Tyler also invited her former law professor, Harvard University's David Shapiro.

"I'm honored to be part of such a significant event with so many distinguished guests," Professor Shapiro said.

Papers written by the panelists will be published in a special upcoming issue of The George Washington Law Review.

VIDEO
	Watch C-SPAN's coverage of Justice Ginsburg's remarks and the Solicitors General Panel.
	Watch C-SPAN's coverage of the symposium's Media Panel.

PANELS
	Federalism Panel Professor David Shapiro (Harvard University), Professor Roderick Hills (University of Michigan), Peter Smith (The George Washington University Law School), and Ernest Young (University of Texas).
	Former Law Clerks to Chief Justice Rehnquist Panel University of Utah President Michael Young (Former Dean, GW Law School), Gregory Garre (J.D. '91), Paul Zidlicky (J.D. '93), Courtney Gilligan (J.D. '02), and Ann O'Connell (J.D. '04).
	Solicitors General Panel Former Deputy Solicitor General Maureen Mahoney (Latham & Watkins LLP), Former Solicitor General Theodore Olson (Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP), Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Walter E. Dellinger III (Duke Law School), Solicitor General of the United States Paul Clement, and Former Solicitor General Seth Waxman (Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr LLP). Not shown: Former Solicitor General Drew S. Days, III (Yale Law School).
	Criminal Justice Panel The Honorable Carlos Lucero (J.D. '64), United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, Professor Rachel Barkow (New York University), Professor Stephanos Bibas (University of Iowa), Professor Paul Butler (The George Washington University Law School), Professor Stephen Saltzburg (The George Washington University Law School).
	Media Panel Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times, Tony Mauro of Legal Times, and David Savage of the Los Angeles Times. Not shown: panel moderator, Professor Jonathan Turley (The George Washington University Law School).
	National Security Panel Professor Gregory E. Maggs (The George Washington University Law School), Professor Burt Neuborne (New York University School of Law), Professor John Yoo (UC Berkeley School of Law), and Professor Jonathan Turley (The George Washington University Law School). Not shown: panel moderator, The Honorable Steven Colloton, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

PHOTOS
	GW Law School Dean Frederick M. Lawrence introduces the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
	Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg tells of her memories and loss of her colleague, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.
	Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg exits the stage at GW's Jack Morton Auditorium with her former law clerk, GW Law School Professor Amanda Tyler.
	GW Law School Professor Bradford Clark introduces the Solicitors General Panel Thursday.
	Former Solicitor General Drew S. Days, III (Professor, Yale Law School) and current Solicitor General of the United States Paul Clement.
	Former Rehnquist law clerks Gregory Garre (J.D. '91), Paul Zidlicky (J.D. '93), Courtney Gilligan (J.D. '02), and Ann O'Connell (J.D. '04).
	The Honorable Carlos Lucero (J.D. '64), United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
	Professor Rachel Barkow (New York University) and Professor Stephanos Bibas (University of Iowa) speak at the criminal justice panel on Friday.
	George Washington University Law School Professors Paul Butler and Stephen Saltzburg.
	Harvard University Professor David Shapiro with his former student GW Law School Professor Amanda Tyler.
	The Honorable Steven Colloton, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, moderates the national security panel.
	GW Law School Professors Roger Fairfax, Peter J. Smith, and Bradford Clark attend the national security panel on Friday.

- Claire Duggan