Pepperdine University hosted its 44th annual School of Law dinner at the Beverly Hilton on Friday, March 3.
California Gov. Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown Jr. was this year’s featured speaker. Drawing upon his lifetime of experience in local, state, and national politics, Brown reflected on the noble cause of public service and shared lessons of hope, civility, and resilience to move California and the nation forward.
“You need rigor in your education, but rigor alone is not enough,” Brown said. “If it is only rigorous, it leads to paralytic death. You need imagination. If you only have imagination, it leads to insanity. If you link imagination and rigor together, you get Pepperdine School of Law.”
Brown was elected to a third gubernatorial term in 2010, and to a historic fourth term in 2014. Since returning to the Governor’s Office, he has helped eliminate the state’s multibillion dollar budget deficit, spearheaded successful campaigns to provide billions in new funding for California’s schools (Proposition 30), and established a robust Rainy Day Fund to prepare for the next economic downturn (Proposition 2).
Under Brown, California has cut its unemployment rate in half and added more than two million new jobs, while enacting sweeping public safety, immigration, workers’ compensation, health care, water, pension and economic development reforms. California has also established nation-leading targets to protect the environment and fight climate change, and by 2030 the state will: reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels, generate half of its electricity from renewable sources, double the rate of energy efficiency savings in its buildings, and reduce today’s petroleum use in cars and trucks by up to 50 percent.
“The pride I feel is a constant reminder of why we’re all here, why we remain committed to this school and its mission: students,” Pepperdine President Andrew K. Benton commented. “Every outstanding professor, every administrator, and every dollar at this school is dedicated to giving our students both the legal and moral grounding to be successful servant leaders in the legal field. The moral part of that is significant, because it speaks to the values that differentiate Pepperdine from every other law school.”
Brown was introduced by well-known civic leader, philanthropist and Pepperdine School of Law Graduate (JD ‘83), Rick Caruso.
Caruso said of Brown, “My experience in watching our governor is his dedication to the highest form of being a public servant, which is to be a true servant of the public.”
Also announced was the School of Law Student Emergency Fund. Created by Alex Caruso, 3L law student and 2016-17 Student Bar Association president, and Caelan Rottman (‘14), 2L law student and founder of the Student Philanthropy Council, the fund is an effort to support law students experiencing difficulties due to crises.
“As students, alumni, and friends of the law school, we now have a vehicle of giving that directly impacts students in need: the Student Emergency Fund,” Alex Caruso shared. “This fund was envisioned by the students, for the students. Anything given to the Student Emergency Fund is distributed directly to students in need by the dedicated members of the Student Care Team. Our vision is that, for years to come, students who meet the emergency fund’s criteria will never have to worry about housing crises, unexpected health care costs, or any other expense that might divert those students from their studies.”
For additional information about the annual School of Law Dinner, visit the Pepperdine University School of Law website.