Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University Announces New York State Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson as 2024 Commencement Speaker

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is pleased to announce that the Honorable Rowan D. Wilson, Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, will deliver the Law School’s commencement address at its 46th Commencement Ceremony, to be held on May 20, 2024, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.

Judge Wilson will also receive the Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, the highest honor conferred by the Law School, recognizing his lifelong contributions to public service and the legal profession.

“Judge Wilson has had a distinguished career as a lawyer and a jurist, and in his current role as New York’s highest-ranking judge, is one of the nation’s leading voices advancing equity, justice, and the rule of law,” said Horace E. Anderson Jr., Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law. “He is a trailblazer who has made significant individual contributions to the legal profession during his exemplary career. His example highlights the diverse paths and opportunities that are available to those who choose to use their legal education to pursue their passions and make an impact on society. We couldn’t be more pleased that Judge Wilson will join us as the Law School’s 2024 Commencement Speaker, imparting his advice to our students as they take the next step in their legal careers.”

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo nominated Judge Wilson to serve as an Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals on January 15, 2017, and the New York State Senate confirmed his nomination on February 6, 2017. On April 10, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul nominated Judge Wilson to serve as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York. The New York State Senate confirmed his nomination on April 18, 2023.

Judge Wilson is the first person of color to lead the Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York State, located in Albany. As Chief Judge of the State of New York, he is responsible for the administration of the entire New York’s Unified Court System, which has 16,000 employees, a $3 billion budget, and administers justice to a population of nearly 20 million residents.

Judge Wilson was born in Pomona, California, in 1960, and grew up in Berkeley, California. He received his A.B. degree from Harvard College in 1981, and his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1984. He was admitted to the bar of the State of California in 1985, and the bar of the State of New York in 1987. From 1984 to 1986, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable James R. Browning, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, based in San Francisco.

In 1986, Judge Wilson joined the firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York City as an associate, and was elected to partnership there in 1991, in which position he continued until February 2017. While there, he handled a wide variety of matters, including antitrust, intellectual property, securities and common-law fraud, contract, labor and employment, civil rights and first amendment issues, and he rose to become the firm’s first partner of color.

Demonstrating a commitment to the community, Judge Wilson has served on the boards of several charitable and not-for-profit organizations including the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, and the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem.

The 2024 Commencement Ceremony for Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University will be live-streamed at 9:45 a.m. EST on Monday, May 20, 2024, from Louis Armstrong Stadium, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY. For more information, visit the Commencement website.