ALBANY LAW SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT
remarks by Victoria A. Graffeo,
Associate Judge, New York Court of Appeals
MAY 11th, 2012
Thank you, Dean Mayer -- The graduates, the Board of Trustees, the entire law school
community and its alumni are sincerely grateful for your outstanding leadership as Interim
President and Dean.
The Class of 2012 is so fortunate to have you as their graduation Dean
--don't you agree? [applause].
To Dean Mayer, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Mary Ann
Cody, and the members of the Board of Trustees, the members of the judiciary with us today,
the esteemed faculty of the law school, the families and friends of the graduates, and most
importantly, to the spectacular graduating class of 2012 -- I am so honored to have this
opportunity to address you on such a memorable occasion.
This is one of those rare occasions in life marked by sheer joy and pride of
accomplishment.
possibilities.
You're on the brink of joining a wonderful profession with unlimited
Let that sense of achievement soak in after all the anxiety, sweat and toil of law
school -- you made it happen!
For some of you, this morning may be a family milestone if you
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are the first in your family to have graduated college and earned a juris doctor degree.
Being
able to attain that milestone for my
grandparents, who emigrated from Italy as adolescents with only primary school educations,
was an incredibly emotional event in our family history, as it is for yours.
be joining the family business as the next generation to
For others, you may
provide quality legal services.
Whatever your situation, today, everyone in this amphitheater is experiencing the same
emotions.
Your families and
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friends are smiling --and some no doubt, with tears in their eyes -- because they are so proud
that you successfully made this difficult journey and they have profound respect for the
honorable profession that you are entering. They may also be grinning because they think
you'll now stop asking to borrow money -- good luck on that score folks!
I know that you are
grateful to your families and friends for the love, support and encouragement they gave you
these past three years [so let's [once again] show them appreciation for their patience and
sacrifices
[applause].
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You are probably experiencing a rush of emotions
-- the exhilaration of graduation
fever paired with a sense of melancholy over bidding farewell to your classmates. There's so
many
memorable moments that defined your law school years and that will forever be
associated in your minds with Albany Law School.
As the years pass and your careers unfold,
you'll come to deeply appreciate those experiences that bound you together these past three
years and you'll be grateful for the high caliber education that you received at Albany Law
School.
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In those early days at orientation you probably wondered what you got yourself into
when you heard about the warranty of merchantability in Webster v Blue Ship Tea Room -- the
case about the woman who choked on a fish bone in her chowder.
Then, to add to your
anxiety that you didn't know what the heck the issues were in some of the cases you studied
during the first weeks of classes, Professor Moore placed a few teaching assistants in her class
so they could pretend to be unprepared to answer her questions.
After she reprimanded
them, stating that they weren't fit to be lawyers or law students and then had a security guard
usher them out, the look on your faces at that faculty prank must have been priceless!
You also wrote poems about the Palsgraf case, told adverse possession jokes, sold
T-shirts imprinted with professors' faces, participated in Trivia Nights, waited on line at
Starbucks (or, if you were more budget-conscious, you headed to Dunkin Donuts at the
hospital), held annual Halloween parties in the auditorium, hung out at the Recovery Room,
aptly named, to "recuperate" from exams, held your Law Prom at the State Room, and you did
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this thing called "jorts" at the end the school year that I know better than to ask about.
And through these good times and rites of passage, you learned how to think like a
lawyer, appreciate the grave responsibilities that come with the privilege of practicing law and
understand the importance of ethical conduct in our system of justice.
You class is just an incredible group of talented individuals, and I've been around the
law school for more decades than I wish to admit, so I know a terrific class when I meet one!
It has been a rewarding experience to get to know so many of you.
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You have exceeded expectations and been involved in many worthwhile activities.
Some of you worked on important projects at the Government Law Center -- I can't mention the
Government Law Center without congratulating Patricia Salkin on her recent appointment as
Dean of Touro Law School.
We'll certainly miss you, Patty, but we wish you much success and
know that you'll keep strong ties to Albany Law.
Others of you helped those in need at the
law school's clinics, or you assisted at Legal Aid or the Legal Project.
Some of you who
undertook pro bono service projects on behalf of non-profit organizations are to be
commended.
Albany Law has long emphasized pro bono service as integral to your
professional obligations.
Some of you were able to take advantage of the law school's location in the State's capital by
interning at the State Legislature or in a state agency in order to experience first-hand how
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government operates.
All those experiences helped to sharpen your analytical skills while
exposing you to real-life practice environments.
We also should recognize the dedication of the faculty at the law school -- they have
given you a firm foundation upon which to build your career and many of your achievements
this year reflect the faculty's commitment to excellence in teaching.
Patrick Woods and the editorial team for the Albany Law Review did a splendid job showcasing
the superb legal scholarship at the law school.
And, the competition was fierce at senior
prize trials -- congratulations to the winning team of Javid Afzali and Nicholas Faso, and to
Nairobi Thomas, the Best Advocate.
As an appellate judge, I have a soft spot for the Gabrielli
Appellate Advocacy competition and I was thrilled to learn that Alyssa Conlin and Elizabeth
Ensell succeeded in the final round.
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I was assigned as Beth's alumni mentor three years ago and, similar to most volunteer efforts, I
got far more than I gave.
Beth didn't even consult me about the competition -- I found out
afterwards how well her team performed. Thanks for your friendship, Beth.
In a few years,
the Alumni Association will be asking all of you to mentor entering law students and I hope
you'll take advantage of that opportunity to give back to future classes.
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Now with the privilege of practicing law, you will confront many challenges and assume
much responsibility.
As you begin to practice law, people will depend on your abilities and
good judgment for advice and assistance in resolving their problems.
Always keep in mind
that what hopefully attracted you to this calling was the desire to be of service to others in the
pursuit of justice, fairness and equality.
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Despite the amazing technological advances that have drastically changed the day-to-day
practice of law, the qualities that define a well-respected attorney have not changed in the last
century.
Whether you gravitate to private practice, public service, business or academia, you
will be evaluated on how hard you work, how conscientious you are and how you treat people.
Your most cherished assets will be your personal values and reputation.
You will earn
lasting respect only through personal integrity and by how you interact, every day, with each
client, fellow attorney and adversary who crosses your path.
It's that consistency in conduct -- what we refer to in the legal profession as civility -- paired
with a strong ethical compass, that will define your professional reputation.
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The
distinguished faculty at Albany Law has provided you with the skills on which to build your
career.
All your professional life you will hear their voices as you ponder the legal issues
entrusted to you.
Listen to those voices and remember the wisdom that was imparted to you.
Your class was indeed fortunate to take part in
the wonderful lecture series
commemorating the 100-year legacy of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson.
I hope
you took advantage of those programs because there is no finer example of a lifetime of
commitment to the rule of law and service to the legal profession and service to our country
than Robert Jackson, a member of Albany Law's Class of 1912.
Who would have thought that
a farm boy from Western New York, who was largely self-taught, apprenticed in his cousin's law
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office in Jamestown and attended Albany Law for just one year, would ascend to our country's
highest court and also carry the burden of serving as the Chief American prosecutor of Nazi war
criminals at the Nuremburg trials?
His life and career represented the quintessential American success story but, in truth,
it was anchored in hard work and tenacity, an enduring respect for our democratic principles
and the rule of law, and an unwavering dedication to providing his clients the legal
representation to the best of his abilities. Whether he was representing a small-town farmer in
his private practice, a federal agency as the country's Solicitor General, the President's policies
as U.S. Attorney General, or the Allied world powers at Nuremberg after World War II, Robert
Jackson provided representation to the best of his abilities.
He is one of our country's most respected former U.S. Supreme Court justices -- he is acclaimed
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by many to be the finest writer to sit on that Court.
His is a legacy of perseverance, a life-long
love of learning, self-discipline and service to others that should inspire you throughout your
careers.
This is such an exciting time for all of you!
We don't know which of you will be
managing law firms, directing the affairs of non-profit organizations, acting as corporate legal
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advisors, managing businesses, serving as elected officials or counseling government agencies,
or teaching the next generation of lawyers -- the list is endless.
The true payoff in this
profession is not the impressive titles you accumulate or the compensation you earn.
It's the
satisfaction of knowing that you spent your life to making a difference in people's lives -- that's
the lesson learned from Justice Jackson's life.
So, go out there and make history!
My sincere wish is that each of you will experience a happy and satisfying personal and
professional life and will enjoy a sense of accomplishment and pride from being a respected
member of the legal profession.
Thank you for inviting me to share in your celebration.
and your families.
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Good luck and God bless you