Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law Announces New York State Chief Justice Rowan D. Wilson as Commencement 2024 Lecturer

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is pleased to announce that the Honorable Rowan D. Wilson, Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of the State of New York, will deliver the commencement address the law school during its 46th commencement ceremony, which will be held in May. December 20, 2024, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.

Judge Wilson will also receive the Doctor of Laws honoris causa, the highest honor conferred by the law school, in recognition of his lifelong contributions to public service and the legal profession.

“Judge Wilson has had a distinguished career as an attorney and jurist, and in his current role as New York’s highest-ranking judge, he is one of the nation’s leading voices for fairness, justice and the rule of law,” declared Horace E. . Anderson Jr., dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law. “He is a pioneer who has made significant individual contributions to the legal profession during his exemplary career. His example highlights the various paths and opportunities available to those who choose to use their legal education to pursue their passions. And have an impact on society. We couldn’t be more excited to have Judge Wilson join us as our 2024 Law School Commencement Speaker, passing on his advice to our students as they take the next step in their legal careers.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo nominated Judge Wilson to be an Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals on January 15, 2017, and the New York State Senate confirmed his nomination on February 6, 2017. April 10, 2023 , Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed Judge Wilson to serve as chief judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York. The New York State Senate confirmed his nomination on April 18, 2023.

Judge Wilson is the first person of color to lead the Court of Appeals, New York State’s highest court, located in Albany. As chief judge of New York State, he is responsible for the administration of the entire New York State Unified Court System, which has 16,000 employees, a budget of $3 billion and administers justice to a population of nearly 20 million.

Judge Wilson was born in Pomona, California in 1960 and raised in Berkeley, California. He received his AB degree from Harvard College in 1981 and his JD degree from Harvard Law School in 1984. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1985 and the New York State Bar in 1987. From 1984 until 1986, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable James R. Browning, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, based in San Francisco.

In 1986, Justice Wilson joined the New York firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore as an associate and was elected partner there in 1991, a position he held until February 2017. While there, he addressed a wide variety of issues. , including antitrust, intellectual property, securities fraud and common law, contract, labor and employment, civil rights and First Amendment issues, and became the first partner color of the cabinet.

Demonstrating a commitment to the community, Judge Wilson has served on the boards of several charitable and nonprofit organizations, including the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, and the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem. .

The 2024 Pace University Elisabeth Haub Law School Graduation Ceremony will be broadcast live at 9:45 a.m. EST on Monday, May 20, 2024, from Louis Armstrong Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing , New York. For more information, visit the launch website.