Justice Samuel Alito to speak at UB School of Law event in downtown Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. will be speaking in Buffalo. The University at Buffalo School of Law is hosting Alito’s Oct. 20 appearance at Shea’s Performing Arts Center. Before an invitation-only audience, the justice will respond to questions from the UB School of Law’s interim dean, SUNY Distinguished Professor James A. Gardner, and Hodgson Russ Chairman Daniel C. Oliverio.

“We’re glad to have this opportunity for dialogue with Justice Alito,” Gardner said. “For us as lawyers and legal educators, it’s important to be in touch with the workings of the Supreme Court, the most closely watched judicial body in the United States. I anticipate a lively and rewarding conversation with the justice.”        

Alito has served on the nation’s high court since 2006. He was a Third Circuit Court of Appeals judge when nominated by President George W. Bush, following a distinguished career that included positions in the U.S. Department of Justice and as a U.S. Attorney in his native New Jersey. A graduate of Yale Law School, he filled the position vacated by the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Alito is generally considered to be part of the Court’s conservative wing, along with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas. However, his opinions in several key cases have diverged from those of his conservative colleagues. He is also known as a fierce critic of reliance on legislative history in statutory interpretation.

Since its founding in 1887, the University at Buffalo School of Law – the State University of New York system’s only law school – has established an excellent reputation and is widely regarded as a leader in legal education. Its cutting-edge curriculum provides both a strong theoretical foundation and the practical tools graduates need to succeed in a competitive global marketplace, wherever they choose to practice. A special emphasis on interdisciplinary studies, public service and opportunities for hands-on clinical education makes UB School of Law unique among the nation’s premier public law schools.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB’s more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.