Justice John Paul Stevens

Justice John Paul Stevens with former Dean Phil Weiser at the inaugural Stevens Lecture

Justice Ginsburg

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and former Dean Phil Weiser at the 2nd Annual Stevens Lecture

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the 3rd Annual Stevens Lecture

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Professor Melissa Hart at the 3rd Annual Stevens Lecture

Justice Scalia

Justice Antonin Scalia at the 4th Annual Stevens Lecture

Justice Sotomayor

Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Professor Melissa Hart at the 5th Annual Stevens Lecture

Judge Lucero

10th Circuit Judge Carlos Lucero and Professor Suzette Malveaux at the 7th Annual Stevens Lecture

Stevens Lecture 2018

Justice Elena Kegan and Professor Suzette Malveaux at the 8th Annual Stevens Lecture

Justice Yacoob and Professor Malveaux

South African Constitutional Court Justice Zak Yacoob and Professor Suzette Malveaux at the 9th Annual Stevens Lecture

Judge Bernice Donald with Professor Suzette Malveaux

6th Circuit Judge Bernice Donald with Professor Suzette Malveaux at the 10th Annual Stevens Lecture

The annual John Paul Stevens Lecture brings a distinguished jurist to Colorado Law to discuss judging and the state of the judiciary. United States Associate Justice John Paul Stevens delivered the inaugural lecture in September 2011. Since then, the lecture has been given by former justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa Zak Yacoob (2020); U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan (2019); Judge Carlos F. Lucero, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (2018); former Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, New York Court of Appeals (2017); Justice Sonia Sotomayor (2016); Justice Antonin Scalia (2014); Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (2013), and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2012). The signature fireside chat format of the lecture presents an opportunity for law students, lawyers, and community members to hear about the jurists’ approach to the bench, career, legal philosophy, and law school advice. The lecture often attracts over 2,000 people to CU Boulder’s Macky Auditorium, and is streamed for a national audience.  

Twelfth annual John Paul Stevens Lecture featuring Sabrina McKenna, Associate Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court

Justice McKenna

Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna of the Hawaii Supreme Court joined the Colorado Law community on Thursday, October 26, 2023, to deliver the 12th annual John Paul Stevens Lecture, entitled “State Constitutional Law: The Critical Course Missing from Most Law School Curricula.” 

Professor Suzette Malveaux and Justice McKenna engaged in a fireside chat about the historical and continued critical importance of state constitutions in the protection of civil, criminal, and environmental rights, especially considering the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision and the existential threat of climate change.  Justice McKenna will also offered practical advice to law students and lawyers in their presentation of constitutional questions. McKenna is the first Asian American and member of the LBGTQ community to deliver the Stevens Lecture.  

This lecture, free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law. It took place in Wittemyer Courtroom at the Wolf Law Building, 2450 Kittredge Loop Drive, Boulder, CO 80305, from 5-6 p.m. MT. Justice McKenna’s remarks were followed by a Q&A with Colorado Law students, and a reception in Boettcher Hall from 6-7 p.m. MT. 

(Colorado Law Students: This is a C.A.R.E. Pledge eligible event.)