School Notes: Yale Law School
November/December 2008

Green initiatives

Yale Law School has joined Yale University's sustainability efforts with a number of green initiatives designed to reduce the Law School's carbon footprint. The dining hall has switched to eco-friendly paper plates and catering products, offers a discount to those using reusable coffee mugs, purchases many natural and organic products from local farmers and vendors, and is reducing the use of plastic water bottles. In addition, the Law School's new Green Team is working on some larger Law School initiatives, along with the Yale Environmental Law Association. And a "Green Small Group Challenge" will pair staff with students to generate and implement green ideas. The group judged to have had the most innovative and successful idea will be invited to Dean Koh's home for a sustainable dinner.

Former president speaks at Alumni Weekend event

The return of former president Bill Clinton ’73JD -- celebrating his 35th reunion -- was among the highlights of Alumni Weekend 2008, held October 3-5 at Yale Law School. President Clinton spoke Saturday afternoon to several thousand Law School alumni, faculty, staff, and students about global challenges. Other highlights of the weekend were a memorial tribute to influential civil rights lawyer Catherine Roraback ’48LLB, and an interactive Polling Game emceed by Stanford Law professor Pamela Karlan ’84JD. Panelists in the game included Heather Gerken, Yale Law professor; Nicholas deB Katzenbach ’47LLB, former attorney general of the United States and senior vice president and general counsel of IBM; and Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

The weekend included a series of panel discussions centering on the theme "Imagining the Future: Challenges and Opportunities for the Three Branches of Government," in which various experts considered how immigration, security, the environment, health care, and other issues will be dealt with by the three branches of government in the coming years, commencing with the changes brought by the national election. Merit awards were presented to author and former Yale Law professor Charles Reich ’52LLB, and Augustus E. Lines Professor Emeritus of Law and Professorial Lecturer in Law John Simon ’53LLB.

Connecticut Supreme Court hears cases at Yale Law School

The Yale Law School auditorium was transformed into a courtroom on September 12 when the Connecticut Supreme Court set up shop to hear arguments in two cases, one criminal and one civil. The court's appearance at Yale was part of a continuing educational initiative of the Connecticut Judicial Branch called "Supreme Court on Circuit." Begun more than 20 years ago, the program seeks to provide students, educators, and the general public with a greater understanding of the court and its procedures. "We were delighted to host the Supreme Court of Connecticut at Yale Law School for its first sitting here in the twenty-first century," said Dean Koh. "Through its faculty, graduates, and history, Yale Law School and the Supreme Court of Connecticut have developed deep organic ties. This sitting, held early in the school year, deepened those ties by offering a wonderful educational opportunity for all interested lawyers, law students, and residents of our region to see our state's highest court in action."