USC Law's Class of 2002 Makes History

The USC Law School awarded juris doctorate degrees to 204 students at its 101st commencement on May 20, 2002, after a damp morning gave way to a splendid, sun-dappled afternoon.

Not only did this year's ceremony avoid wet skies, it also made history. For the first time, USC Law graduated a class with more women than men. The Class of 2002 had 109 female students and 95 male students, reflecting a national trend of women achieving near-gender parity in law school enrollment. Thirty years ago, women made up only 10 percent of all U.S. law students.

Third-year class president Michael Gonzales noted the milestone in his graduation speech, which extolled the importance of promoting humanity and diversity in achieving justice.

"As graduates of this law school, one of the most diverse in the nation, it should be our self-imposed obligation to give voice to the cause of diversity throughout our professional careers, " Gonzales told a crowd of hundreds of graduates, friends, family, Law School faculty and staff. "Without the diversity offered by USC, our education may not have thrived for want of fresh ideas influenced by experiences different from our own."

Judge Richard A. Paez, a President Clinton nominee who was confirmed in 2000 by the U.S. Senate to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, also spoke to the graduates. An alumnus of the Boalt Hall School of Law, Judge Paez was the first Mexican American to sit on the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Since his elevation to the Ninth Circuit, he has joined the majority opinion in the copyright infringement case against Napster and written the majority decision in the recent challenge to California's three-strikes law.

In his commencement speech, the judge urged the outgoing students to be flexible in choosing their next career moves, to not fear the unknown, to act kindly toward colleagues (and judges), to consider a life of public service, and above all else, to feel passionate about their work.

Quoting a retired criminal defense attorney with 50 years of legal experience, Judge Paez said: "Tell them that they have chosen a profession that will offer them countless opportunities. Their challenge is to find a career in which they can make a difference and that will allow them to contribute to their community.

"If you feel passionate about your work," he added, "you will be successful, and the personal and financial rewards will follow."

Dean Matthew L. Spitzer also took the opportunity to congratulate the graduates. "This should feel great because it took so long for you to get here…Today is a day of great promise," he said.