John Paul Stevens Lecture
The annual John Paul Stevens Lecture brings a distinguished jurist to Colorado Law to discuss judging and the state of the judiciary. United States Associate Justice John Paul Stevens delivered the inaugural lecture in September 2011. Since then, the lecture has been given by Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna of the Hawaii Supreme Court (2023); Chief Justice Angela Riley of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation of Oklahoma Tribal Court (2022); the Honorable Bernice B. Donald of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (2021); former justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa Zak Yacoob (2020); U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan (2019); Judge Carlos F. Lucero, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (2018); former Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, New York Court of Appeals (2017); Justice Sonia Sotomayor (2016); Justice Antonin Scalia (2014); Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (2013), and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2012). The signature fireside chat format of the lecture presents an opportunity for law students, lawyers, and community members to hear about the jurists’ approach to the bench, career, legal philosophy, and law school advice. The lecture often attracts over 2,000 people to CU «Ƶ’s Macky Auditorium, and is streamed for a national audience.
Thirteenth annual John Paul Stevens Lecture featuring the Honorable Stephen A. Higginson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Presiding Judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review
The Byron R. White Center proudly presented the Thirteenth Annual John Paul Stevens Lecture on Thursday, October 24, 2024. This year's guest jurist was the Honorable Stephen A. Higginson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Presiding Judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review. Judge Higginson’s lecture was entitled, The Nuremberg Trials: Lessons for Law Students, Lawyers, and Judges. He was the first former law clerk to Justice Byron R. White to deliver the Stevens Lecture. In conversation with Professor Deep Gulasekaram, Director of the Byron White Center, Judge Higginson discussed his research on the Nuremberg Trials, focusing on their contemporary and continuing relevance for advocates and judges today.
Previous Stevens Lecture Speakers
Professor Suzette Malveaux and Justice McKenna engaged in a fireside chat about the historical and continued critical importance of state constitutions in the protection of civil, criminal, and environmental rights, especially considering the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision and the existential threat of climate change. Justice McKenna also offered practical advice to law students and lawyers in their presentation of constitutional questions. McKenna is the first Asian American and member of the LBGTQ community to deliver the Stevens Lecture. Read more about the lecture here.
Watch the Recording:
[video:https://youtu.be/Ejwj-eBajnw?si=nTXIBna_55bJtM8q]
In conversation with Suzette Malveaux, Director of the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law, she explained the role of tribal courts in ensuring justice in Indian country. Justice Riley's remarks and fireside chat with Professor and Director of the White Center Professor Suzette Malveaux was followed by a Q&A with Colorado Law students and the broader community. Read more about Justice Riley and the lecture here.
Watch the Recording:
[video:https://youtu.be/EFK2P1aYHVs?si=OUCKZ8onoBm-HsU9]
Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the 2021 John Paul Stevens Lecture took place on October 19 virtually and in-person at the University of Colorado Law School. The Honorable Bernice B. Donald of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit spoke on defining the “Rule of Law.” Opening remarks were given by Dean Lolita Buckner Inniss, Professor Suzette Malveaux, director of the Byron R. White Center and Provost Professor of Civil Rights Law; and Kathryn A. Starnella, president-elect of the Colorado Women's Bar Association, a co-sponsor of the event. Read more about the lecture here.
Watch the Recording: [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGBxG-e5NUI]
Zak Yacoob, a former justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa delivered the ninth annual John Paul Stevens Lecture virtually at 12:00 p.m. MT on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020. Justice Yacoob is the first international justice to present the Stevens Lecture. Yacoob is well-known nationally and internationally for his contributions to the socioeconomic rights and jurisprudence of South Africa. Justice Yacoob shared his thoughts on the role of the courts, social justice, and racial equality. His remarks and virtual fireside chat with Professor and Director of the White Center Professor Suzette Malveaux were followed by a Q&A with Colorado Law students.
Watch the Recording: [video:https://youtu.be/91J_aTUW2Qk]
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan visited the «Ƶ campus Oct. 22-23, 2019, giving the University of Colorado Law School’s John Paul Stevens Lecture at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at Macky Auditorium and meeting with students during select events.
Justice Kagan answered questions in a fireside chat format moderated by Provost Professor of Law and Director of the White Center Suzette Malveaux, followed by a question and answer session with questions from Colorado Law students.
Watch the recording:
[video:https://youtu.be/a_JQw_ZO4KI]
On Sept. 27, 2018, the Hon. Carlos F. Lucero, Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, delivered the seventh annual John Paul Stevens Lecture. Lucero’s talk, "A Constitutional Call to Arms and Reflections on a Judicial Career,” focused on contemporary challenges to the Constitution and the role of lawyers in supporting and defending the Constitution.
The lecture included a Q&A discussion with Suzette Malveaux, Provost Professor of Civil Rights Law and director of the White Center. Lucero also responded to questions from student leaders Leah Fugere (’20), president of the Christian Legal Society; Nicholas Monck (’19), president of the Student Bar Association; and Hannah Regan-Smith (‘19), editor-in-chief of the University of Colorado Law Review.
Watch the recording:
[video:https://youtu.be/TlQ576x_spU]
The 2017 John Paul Stevens Lecture took place September 26 at the Carr Judicial Center in Denver. Former Chief Judge of the State of New YorkJonathan Lippman spoke on “Changing the Dialogue on Access to Justice.”
On September 2, 2016, Justice Sonia Sotomayor visited «Ƶ and participated in a Q&A conversation with more than 1,500 participants for the fifth annual Stevens Lecture. The audience included students, faculty and community members from the metro area. Additionally, high school students traveled to «Ƶ from all over Colorado to meet with Justice Sotomayor and attend the event.
The fourth annual Stevens Lecture was given by Senior Associate Justice Antonin Scalia on October 1, 2014, and discussed constitutional interpretation. More than 1,500 people attended the live lecture at Macky Auditorium, and nearly 400 people watched the live stream of the lecture at University of Wyoming Law School, William & Mary Law School, Colorado College, Fort Lewis College, Western State Colorado University, Ridgway High School, and inside the Wittemyer Courtroom at the University of Colorado Law School.
Former Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor delivered the third annual Stevens Lecture on September 17, 2013. Nearly 1,000 people watched live, with additional satellite audiences in the Wolf Law building and colleges throughout Colorado.
The second annual Stevens Lecture was given by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 19, 2012. Nearly 1,000 people watched the lecture live, while satellite audiences enjoyed the lecture from Wolf Law, Colorado College, Fort Lewis College, and Colorado Mesa University.
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTKaTjFlfzs]
White Center Donald Block
