Last Thursday, my wife and I had the special privilege of attending the keynote presentation by Erwin Chemerinsky at the Nebraska State Bar Association Annual Meeting. For many years I have known Dean Chemerinsky through the brief preparation services we provide for him. While he is recognized around the world as an elite legal scholar and incisive social commentator, all of us at Cockle Legal Briefs have had the unique opportunity to get to know a true gentleman and all-around nice guy. I was not going to miss a chance to finally meet him in person, and to hear the thoughts of a man The National Jurist Magazine has named the Most Influential Person in Legal Education.
Marking the beginning of the Roberts Court’s tenth term, Dean Chemerinsky gave a lecture reviewing the prevailing themes of the Court’s jurisprudence. For over an hour—working without notes—he discussed dozens of the Court’s recent decisions to flesh out the ideological tenor of the Roberts Court, and he further offered his audience a sense of where the Court may take us in the future. In addition to his roles as educator and litigator, Dean Chemerinsky is a well known Supreme Court observer, and his review included his own analysis and critique of the Court’s rulings.
And yes, we did have a chance to visit with him. He signed my copy of his most recent book, The Case Against the Supreme Court. When he calls me to schedule his next brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, we will each be able to put a face to the voice.