News

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan Visits as the 2015 Trienens Judicial Scholar

February 03, 2015

The Honorable Elena Kagan, associate justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, visited the Law School as the 2015 Howard J. Trienens Visiting Judicial Scholar. As part of her February 3 visit, Justice Kagan met with faculty and student groups and participated in a moderated discussion that was open to alumni, faculty, staff, and students.

Justice Kagan has served on the Supreme Court since 2010, when she was appointed by President Obama as the 112th justice and the fourth female justice, replacing retired Justice John Paul Stevens. Prior to this appointment Justice Kagan was solicitor general of the United States and served as dean of Harvard Law School. In both instances Justice Kagan was the first female to work in the respective roles.

The Howard J. Trienens Visiting Scholar Program was established in 1989 by partners of Sidley Austin LLP to honor Howard Trienens (JD ’49) in his service to the firm and Northwestern University.

Past Trienens Visiting Judicial Scholars include Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr.; the late William H. Rehnquist, a former chief justice; Supreme Court Associate Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Anthony M. Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, and Sonia Sotomayor; and retired Supreme Court Associate Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and John Paul Stevens (JD ’47).