NEWS
WWWUNIVERSITYDAILY.NET
FEB. 4, 2004
3
Supreme Court justice speaks at law school
By Sally Gunter/
The University DOily
to promote Justice Thomas." Lammers
said. "He felt the student could truly
benefit from his life experience."
U.S. Supreme Court Justice
The lack ofspace in the law school
Clarence Thomas spent Tuesday at the building prohibited the allowance of
Texas Tech School of Law~~with fat
any students or faculty other than those
ulty and students.
' related to the law, school from attend"We all learned a lot from his re- ing the sessions, Huffman said.
marks and question-and-answer ses"I apologize to the university comsions with us," said Walter Huffman, munity as a whole for our Inability to
law school dean and professor. "He invite ~very6ne to atrend," he said. "It
turned into a real fan of TeX3$ Tech ' was a physiCal problem."
Law."
Huffman also said if Chancellor Dr.
All sessions were' closed to the me- DavidSmith makes ita priority to addia and anyone not affiliated with the dress the expatlSionof the law school,
law school. Thomas declined to com- the next time a Supreme Court justice
ment to The University Daily.
visits the campus everyone will be il}The lack ofmedia attention is some- vited to the event.
thing Brerinon Lammers, a second-year
A hook to convince Thomas to
law student from Arnarillo, appreciates. speak at the law school was his friend"Justice Thomas didn't come here ship With men's basketball head coach
"
'
Bob Knight.
"We really appreciate Coach
Knight," Huffman said. "He came to
me and asked if we would want to do
thoIS."
While atrending the TueSday night
basketball game against Baylor was a
perk of the trip, Huffman said the ma,in
focus for the visit was the law school
activities.
Thomas and Knight signed basketballs to be given as special priZes at the
Na'tional Conference Law Revjew
'hosted by the law school, Huffman said.
Huffman said this is helpful in exposing the coasts to the positive reputation of the Tech Law School.
Thomas arrived in Lubbock on
Monday night and attended a recepdon dinner with the Tech administration, members of the Board of Regents,
Tech Law Foundation Board and sev- "Don't let others sway what you believe
. "
m.
eral federal judges.
Thomas had breakfast with student
Castillo said she was touched that
leaders Tuesday and then began his for- Knight introduced Thomas.
mal remarks to students. ThomaS con: .
"It's kind ofsweet," she said. "A true
ducted an hour and a halfquestion-and- friendship between a Supreme Court
answer session during the morning.
justice and Coach Knight is something
Misty King, a first-year law student you wouldn't expect."
from Dumas, said the question-andFaculty had lunch with Thomas
answer session was interesting and help- where he again arlSwered queStions. A
reception Tuesday afrernoon with stuful as well as entertaining.
"There were very insightful ques- dents and the LubJ:,ock Bar Association
tions on how he came up with his opin- allowed the law students an opportuions," she saH "He is a very professional nity to meet personally with Thomas.
.
"
"The students couldn't be more exman.
Thomas was a personal man who cited," Huffman said.
Thomas was born in Pinpoint, Ga.,
came off as professional and nice, said
Renee Castillo, a first-year law student to a poorfamily. His grandparents raised
froniHarlingen.
him and his grandfatherwas responsible
"His main message was to be your- for Thomas' work ethic.
self and be true to your self," she said.
Thomas told stories aboutgrowing
up and how he wakes up at 4 a.m. because he can still hear his grandfather
telling him to get up because he is not
rich, Huffman said.
Thomas was an honor graduate of
Holy Cross University and graduated
from Yale Law School.
After attempting to get a job. in
Georgia, Thomas moved to Missouri
to work for a law firm. He worked his
way up higher-level government jobs
until being on the court of appeals in
the District of Columbia. He was later
appointed to the Supreme Court as the
second black justice, Huffman said.
"All the students are standing a little
taller I think after hearing what he had
to say," he said. "It was a great day for
Tech Law, and I believe it will also provide great benefits for us and theuniversity in the future."