2025 Vacketta-DLA Piper Lecture on the Role of Government and the Law
Presented by Scott L. Kafker, Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
“State Courts, State Constitutions and State Autonomy Circa 2025: An Insider’s Perspective”
The talk is designed to encourage law students interested in public service and law professors doing scholarly work in common law subjects and constitutional law to give a “second look” to state courts, state government and state constitutions, which have often been considered as only “second best” protections of our individual rights.
Livestream available for remote attendees: https://www.youtube.com/live/uUGRikOC7_I
The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception will follow in the Peer and Sarah Pedersen Pavilion.
About the Speaker
Scott L. Kafker, Associate Justice, was appointed to the Supreme Judicial Court by Governor Charlie D. Baker on August 21, 2017. Prior to this appointment, Justice Kafker served as Chief Justice of the Appeals Court from 2015 to 2017, after having served on that Court since 2001. A graduate of University of Chicago Law School, he has served as a law clerk, worked in private practice, and in various public service positions. Justice Kafker has taught courses at Boston College Law School and is the author of book reviews, comments and articles appearing in a variety of law reviews and legal industry publications. He now serves as president and dean of the Flaschner Judicial Institute and is a member of the American Law Institute.
About the Lecture Series
The Vacketta-DLA Piper Lecture on the Role of Government and the Law is made possible through the generosity of Carl Vacketta, ’65, and DLA Piper, which has more than 4,200 lawyers in offices in Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States; and represents more clients in a broader range of geographies and practice disciplines than any other law firm in the world.
The Series is a component of The Marbury Institute, named for William L. Marbury, Jr. (1901-1988), who was instrumental in the development of the firm and devoted his career to public and community service. The Institute serves as DLA Piper’s initiative to promote the highest ideals of the legal profession.
Previous speakers include:
The Honorable John Paul Stevens, October 2002
Former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey, October 2003
General Joseph W. Ralston, USAF (Ret), October 2004
Senator George J. Mitchell, October 2005
Governor James Blanchard, October 2006
U.S. Ambassador Marc Grossman, October 2007
Admiral James Loy, October 2008
Senator William Cohen, October 2009
U.S. Ambassador Craig Kelley, October 2010
U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns, September 2011
U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow, October 2012
Senator Thomas Daschle, October 2013
Commissioner (EEOC) Chai R. Feldblum, October 2014
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation & Illinois Congressman Ray LaHood, October 2015
Former Legal Adviser of the U.S. Department of State Harold Hongju Koh, October 2016
Governor Jim Edgar, October 2017
Former Solicitor General of the United States Paul Clement, October 2018
Obama Foundation Executive Vice President Michael Strautmanis, March 2023
Professor Lori Ringhand, October 2023
Byung J. "BJay" Pak, ALSTON & BIRD LLC, October 2024