Raised on an 200,000-acre ranch near Duncan, Arizona called the Lazy B, O’Connor displayed an uncommonly high IQ at a young age. “She’s just a very genuine person and has a common touch when talking to people,” Blanchard said.īut that’s about the only thing common about O’Connor. He said the justice took on a motherly role with her clerks, prepared home cooked meals for them and made introductions to powerful people to ensure longevity in their careers. She encouraged argument and dialogue among her staff, and that actually made the clerkship fun.”īlanchard said he learned a lot about advocacy from O’Connor as well as humility. In fact, she encouraged us to express our own views in her chambers on cases. “She hired a wide variety of clerks with different points of view.

roundtable discussion on O’Connor’s legacy. Blanchard, a Washington D.C.-based attorney who served as O’Connor’s law clerk from 1986-87 and one of three former clerks who will participate in a 6 p.m. “Justice O’Connor was not a justice who hired like-minded clerks,” said Charles A. Known mostly as a conservative justice and a proponent of judicial restraint, O’Connor also developed a reputation as an independent thinker and voter. O’Connor’s legal decisions were often the swing vote in divisive cases, and tackled issues such as gender discrimination, abortion rights, sexual harassment and freedom of religion. O’Connor is best known as the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States when appointed in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan, but her impact goes much deeper. It is an incredible honor to pay tribute to her legacy.” “She grew up in a much different world, but her brilliance, perseverance and principled leadership helped reshape it for the better.

“There has been no greater champion for the things we most value as a society – justice, equality and the rule of law – than Sandra Day O’Connor,” said Douglas Sylvester, dean of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Doug Ducey, constitution law presentations, roundtable discussions and first-hand recollections of the state’s most famous member of the judiciary. The day-long celebration will include a proclamation from Arizona Gov.

25 at ASU Law on the Downtown Phoenix campus. “Sandra Day O’Connor Day” will kick off on Sept. The Sandra Day O'Connor Institute, Arizona State University and the State of Arizona are paying tribute to the life and civic contributions of Sandra Day O’Connor on the anniversary of her swearing in to the Supreme Court. Daylong tribute includes proclamations, presentations and roundtable discussions on civics and lawĪmerican Author and Journalist, ASU Now Reporter

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