Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye '84 Speaks to Class of 2013
Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye '84 returned to UC Davis on February 11 to speak to the King Hall Class of 2013 in the UC Davis Conference Center. The Chief Justice of California, a frequent visitor to King Hall who has agreed to serve as commencement speaker for the Class of 2011, talked to the first-year students about her career, her experiences at UC Davis, and the intricacies of the state's court system, and took questions from the audience in an address lasting more than one hour. The event drew coverage in the Davis Enterprise.
Much of Justice Cantil-Sakauye's lecture covered the California court system, noting the differences in the "three floors" of the state system and offering insights into what judges expect at each level, and the importance of legal writing and research skills, which she called "essential on every level." She also spoke on her time as a student in King Hall and the influence it has had on her career.
"Everywhere I go in California I meet impressive, talented lawyers and judges, and so many of us come from UC Davis," she said. "There's been a groundswell of alums who have come on now to be judges, respected leaders in the community, and politicians, and we all started just like you. We all started here, uncertain, and worried about the future. We all started like you, and so I know your ability to learn this material and conquer it will come, and you will find a subject that you like, that you can work with and make your career."
The Chief Justice encouraged students to become involved in as many activities as possible as part of the process of finding their career paths.
"When I was at King Hall, I really took advantage of many of the different organizations and committees that cultivated what I consider to be the activist side of my personality, because I went to law school to make a difference in the world," she said. "Here on the Davis campus and at the Law School there were so many opportunities to get involved in civil rights, in access to justice issues, that it gave me an opportunity to join with other smart people to further those causes, and that experience has resonated with me for my entire career."