Retired Supreme Court justice addresses NU convocation

Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens urged the graduates of his law school alma mater Friday to commit themselves to public service and always stand by their word.

Stevens finished Northwestern University School of Law in 1947 but said Friday’s ceremony was his first because he skipped his graduation to take a job in Washington.

He said his early departure also meant he missed the final exam in a taxation class, and he drew laughs when he asked the audience to therefore excuse any mistakes in his tax opinions.

Stevens, a Chicago native who turned 91 last month, retired in June 2010 after serving 35 years on the Supreme Court. He’s the court’s third-longest serving justice. Although appointed by Republican President Gerald Ford, he was widely regarded as the court’s most liberal member by the time of his retirement.

Wearing flowing ceremonial robes, he told the approximately 300 Northwestern graduates that unpaid work — including legal assistance to the poor or political advocacy — will teach them important lessons not taught in any law school class and provide unexpected rewards. And he cautioned them about how to confront “unforeseen temptation.”

“Remember that your most valuable asset ... is your integrity,” Stevens said. “If your adversaries and colleagues know that your word is good, you will be a successful lawyer.”

Before Stevens spoke, one of the graduating classes’ student speakers began her own speech with, “May it please the court,” joking that it might be her only chance to introduce herself before a Supreme Court justice.

Stevens announced earlier this month that he’s writing a memoir titled “Five Chiefs,” about the five chief justices he knew during his long career. It will come out the first Monday in October, when the Supreme Court traditionally begins a new term.