Santa Clara University -- U.S. District Judge Gives Advice to Santa Clara Law Graduates: Don't Be Afraid of Change
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
The Honorable Phyllis Hamilton, U.S. District Court Judge and a
Santa Clara University School of Law alumna addressed Santa Clara
Law's class of 2008 at a commencement ceremony held today in the
University's Mission Gardens.
Judge Hamilton graduated from Santa Clara Law 32 years ago and
talked about how the law profession has changed since she began her
career. Technological innovation and advancements have introduced a
new layer of skills lawyers must possess in order to be successful,
she said. "Today is as exciting of a time as ever to become a lawyer,"
Hamilton told the graduates. Hamilton also noted that more women are
becoming lawyers. According to the American Bar Association 8.4
percent of law school graduates were women in 1976, the year Hamilton
graduated from Santa Clara Law. Thirty years later, just over 50
percent of all graduates from law school are women. Santa Clara Law
reflects that change, with women making up approximately 50 percent of
the class of 2008. "The opportunities available to you are virtually
limitless," Hamilton said.
Hamilton drew on her own experience as a lawyer, and now a judge,
as she shared two pieces of advice with the graduates. "Strive to be
the best person you can be," she said. She also encouraged students to
keep an open mind, adding "don't be afraid of change, change can be
good." Hamilton who serves as United States District Judge for the
Northern District of California, San Francisco was presented with an
honorary degree by Santa Clara University President, Paul Locatelli,
S.J.
Among those joining Hamilton and Locatelli on the commencement
stage were Mike Markkula, chairman of the Board of Trustees;
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren; and dean of Santa Clara Law, Donald Polden.
"Santa Clara University's law school is graduating another outstanding
class of lawyers. They have been educated for leadership roles in
their communities and in industry, private law practice, government
and the nonprofit sector. This is the law school's 96th graduating
class and it exemplifies all of the great traditions and attributes of
generations of Santa Clara law graduates," Polden said.
At the ceremony, 302 J.D degrees and 9 LL.M degrees were awarded.
Of the J.D. degrees, 147 were awarded to women and 166 were awarded to
students of color. The LL.M. (Masters of Laws) degrees included three
programs, U.S. law for foreign lawyers, intellectual property law, and
international and comparative law.
About Santa Clara University School of Law
Santa Clara University School of Law, founded in 1912 on the site
of California's oldest operating higher-education institution, is
dedicated to educating lawyers who lead with a commitment to
excellence, ethics, and social justice. One of the nation's most
diverse law schools, Santa Clara Law offers its 975 students an
academically rigorous program, including graduate degrees in
international law and intellectual property law; combined J.D./MBA
degree; and certificates in intellectual property law, international
law, and public interest and social justice law. Santa Clara
University School of Law is located in the world-class business center
of Silicon Valley, and is distinguished nationally for our top-ranked
program in intellectual property. For more information, see
www.scu.edu/law.
About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic
university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California's
Silicon Valley, offers its 8,685 students rigorous undergraduate
curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus
master's and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished
nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S.
master's universities, California's oldest operating higher-education
institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social
justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.
Santa Clara University
Karen Crocker Snell, 408-554-5126 (Media Relations)
kcrockersnell@scu.edu
Copyright Business Wire 2008
