Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge N. Randy Smith to Give College of Law Commencement Address
Friday, April 24 2009
April 24, 2009
Written by Joni Kirk
MOSCOW, Idaho – Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge N. Randy Smith will give the commencement address for the University of Idaho's College of Law commencement.
The College of Law, the university's only First Professional degree program, will hold its graduation and celebration Saturday, May 16, beginning at 3 p.m. in the ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center, 1000 Stadium Way in Moscow.
Smith's distinguished legal career began in Idaho with the J.R. Simplot Company. He also served 13 years – nine as partner – with Merrill & Merrill, a Pocatello law firm. In 1995, he was elected district judge for Idaho's Sixth Judicial District. Smith was nominated by President George W. Bush to fill an Idaho vacancy on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in February 2007; the court hears appeals from the federal district courts of Alaska, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Smith lives and maintains chambers in Pocatello.
At the ceremony, the College of Law will honor Stephen Hanks, class of 1978, with the Faculty Award of Legal Merit. This award recognizes an Idaho law graduate whose career exemplifies the best in the legal profession based on demonstrated standards of integrity, competence, service and leadership through work as a legal practitioner, service to the legal profession or service to the community.
Hanks is the director of Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the former president of the Washington Division of URS Corporation, and a former member of the Board of Directors of URS Corporation, a design, engineering, construction and management solutions company headquartered in San Francisco, Calif. He previously served as the president, chief executive officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of Washington Group International Inc., a design, engineering, construction and management solutions company that merged with URS Corporation in 2007. Hanks joined the company in 1978 as a corporate attorney. He was promoted to vice president in 1991 and senior vice president and general counsel in 1992. He was named president of the company in April 2000 and a member of the Board of Directors and chief executive officer in June 2001.
Law degree candidates will meet, dressed in regalia, on the front steps of the Menard Law Building at 2:15 p.m. for a class photo.
Commencement ceremony guests should allow plenty of time to park and walk to the Kibbie Dome, as the parking spots closest to the Dome will be unavailable due to construction.
A reception will follow the ceremony at the ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center. More information about the College of Law commencement is available online at www.uidaho.edu/commencement/commencementlocations/moscowlaw.aspx.
Full commencement details are available online at the Registrar's Web site at www.registrar.uidaho.edu/graduation/moscow-may.html. Video copies of all 2009 University of Idaho commencement ceremonies can be ordered from the University of Idaho Video Production Center at www.its2.uidaho.edu/video/grad. The programs are available in DVD. For more information on purchasing a video, e-mail videoctr@uidaho.edu or call (208) 885-0569 ext. 1#.
Serving Idaho since 1909, the College of Law has been recognized nationally for its distinctive programs, including its clinical legal education, pro bono service and diversity initiatives. The college offers cross-disciplinary fields of study in environmental and natural resources law, business law and entrepreneurship, advocacy and dispute resolution, and Native American law. For more information about the College of Law and its legacy, visit www.law.uidaho.edu.
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About the University of Idaho
Founded in 1889, the University of Idaho is the state’s flagship higher-education institution and its principal graduate education and research university, bringing insight and innovation to the state, the nation and the world. University researchers attract nearly $100 million in research grants and contracts each year; the University of Idaho is the only institution in the state to earn the prestigious Carnegie Foundation ranking for high research activity. The university’s student population includes first-generation college students and ethnically diverse scholars. Offering more than 150 degree options in 10 colleges, the university combines the strengths of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.
Media Contact: Joni Kirk, University Communications, (208) 885-7725, joni@uidaho.edu
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.