The Supreme Court of Ohio
& The Ohio Judicial System

Aug. 18, 2011
Chief Justice O'Connor Opens Akron Law Orientation

A weeklong orientation session for the incoming class of the University of Akron School of Law began with a keynote address Monday by Supreme Court of Ohio Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor who encouraged students to consider a career in public service.

“I think it can help frame your perspective and certainly can be useful as a career choice for the amount of good that you can do and the amount of personal satisfaction you receive from doing a job well and knowing that you helped people at times in their lives when they have not been able to help themselves,” she said.

Chief Justice O’Connor said she’s never regretted choosing a career in the public sector.

“I speak often to young attorneys and law students, and I encourage them to take advantage of an opportunity to serve the public,” she said. “Being a government lawyer is a great experience and it is accelerated experience.”

Chief Justice O’Connor also spoke of the importance of developing a strong sense of professionalism and ethics, calling them words to live by not empty concepts.

“At the request of lawyers about 10 years ago, the Court adopted The Lawyers Aspirational Ideals, which calls on attorneys to show respect for the courts and the judicial system,” she said. “Simply, we expect attorneys to demonstrate dignity and professionalism, as well as honesty and courtesy in client and colleague interaction.”

After participating in a question-and-answer session, she also administered the oath of professionalism to the students.

As the sixth woman and 148^th Justice to serve on the Supreme Court, Chief Justice O’Connor was elected in 2002, re-elected in 2008 and elected as Chief Justice in 2010.

For a high-resolution, print-quality photo of Chief Justice O'Connor, visit: http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/PIO/news/images/justices/oconnor_highres.zip.

Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.