Newark, NJ – Samuel A. Alito Jr., Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, will deliver the keynote address at the 53rd commencement ceremony for Seton Hall University School of Law on Friday, May 25, at 3 p.m. at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of law, Seton Hall will bestow an honorary Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa degree upon Alito during the ceremony.

A former adjunct faculty member at Seton Hall Law, Alito was nominated as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by President George W. Bush and sworn in on January 31, 2006. He previously served as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, having been appointed by President George Bush in 1990.

Alito began his legal career as a law clerk for the Hon. Leonard I. Garth of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. From 1977 to 1981, he was an Assistant United States Attorney in Newark. From 1981 to 1985, he was an Assistant to the Solicitor General of the United States, and in that capacity briefed and argued numerous cases in the United States Supreme Court. From 1985 to 1987, he was Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, which is responsible for providing legal advice to the Justice Department and other components of the Executive Branch. In 1987, Alito was appointed by President Reagan as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey. He held this office until his appointment to the Third Circuit.

Alito began serving as an adjunct professor at Seton Hall Law School in 1999, teaching Constitutional Law I during the fall semester. In the spring of 2000, he taught Constitutional Law II. In both the spring of 2003 and 2004, he taught a course on Terrorism and Civil Liberties that he developed. That course examined constitutional and other legal questions presented by the antiterrorism measures adopted by the U.S. following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

In 1995, Alito was presented with Seton Hall Law’s St. Thomas More Medal of Honor in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of law, service to the community and the Catholic Church.

During the commencement exercises, Seton Hall Law School will bestow more than 350 Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees, Master of Science in Jurisprudence (M.S.J.) degrees, and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees.
 

The only private law school in New Jersey, Seton Hall University School of Law was founded in 1951, and is located in the city of Newark. Seton Hall Law School offers both day and evening programs leading to the Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Laws (LL.M.) and Master of Science in Jurisprudence (M.S.J.) degrees. For more information on Seton Hall Law School, visit law.shu.edu.