News Archive

Throughout its history, some decidedly illustrious guests have visited IU McKinney. The Chief Justices of Singapore, Canada, Ireland, and England and Wales all have lectured at Inlow Hall. The law school also has played host for lectures from five member of the United States Supreme Court. As part of the celebration of IU McKinney's 125th anniversary, here's a look at our Supreme visitors.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, now retired, was a member of the nation's highest court when he delivered a lecture on September 21, 2001, at the Inlow Hall dedication. The then-recent terror attacks were still foremost on everyone's minds, so it was even more meaningful to have a United States Supreme Court justice in attendance for the event.

Our next United States Supreme Court visitor was then-Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. She delivered the inaugural James P. White Lecture on Legal Education on April 2, 2002. Professor White, for whom the lecture is named, retired in 2000 after 26 years as Consultant on Legal Education to the American Bar Association; he continues to serve as Consultant Emeritus. The office is responsible for law school accreditation, collection of statistics, among other duties. He continues to represent the ABA in a number of international legal education activities. The ABA and friends established this annual endowed lecture on legal education at IU McKinney in his honor.

We had a banner year in 2007, with visits from two United States Supreme Court Justices. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was with us for the James P. White Lecture on Legal Education on March 8. She returned the following day for a class on Women and Law taught by the late Professor Marty Harter Mitchell. Justice Ginsburg spoke about the evolution of the Supreme Court's jurisprudence. Justice Samuel Alito, Jr., delivered the keynote address at a conference on "Relations Between Congress and the Federal Courts," on September 14, 2007. The event was hosted by the Indiana State Bar Association.

Chief Justice John Roberts visited his home state on April 7, 2010, for the James P. White Lecture on Legal Education. Chief Justice Roberts focused on the history and the evolution of the nation's highest court.