May 27, 2008
Queens, N.Y. -
Judge Dearie and the Honorable Judith S. Kaye, Chief
Judge of the State of New York, to Receive Honorary Doctor of Law
Degrees
St. John’s University School of Law will celebrate its 2008
Commencement Exercises on Sunday, June 1 on the Queens campus
in Carnesecca Arena at 2 p.m. The Honorable Raymond J.
Dearie, ’69L, U.S. District Judge, and the Honorable Judith S.
Kaye, Chief Judge of the State of New York, will participate in the
ceremony as 280 graduates are awarded their degrees (265 J.D. and
15 LL.M).
Rev. Donald
J. Harrington, C.M., President of St. John’s University will
confer, honoris causa, the degree of Doctor of Laws on both Judge
Dearie and Judge Kaye during the ceremony. Judge Dearie will
also deliver the commencement address to the graduating
class.
Since his graduation from St. John’s School of Law in 1969,
Judge Dearie has been a dedicated lawyer in New York, working in
both private and the public sector throughout his nearly 40-year
career, but has also remained devoted to St. John’s. In 1986,
after four years as a United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of New York, he was appointed a United States District
Judge for the Eastern District of New York and later became Chief
Judge of the Eastern District in 2007. In addition to his
professional responsibilities, Judge Dearie has served as President
of St. John’s Law Review Alumni Association, shared his knowledge
and experience with students in the classroom as a member of the
faculty and, in 1994, was awarded the President’s Medal, which is
given to an individual who has achieved exceptional personal and
professional success, and/or rendered outstanding service to the
University or society.
In 1993, Judge Kaye became the first woman to occupy the post of
Chief Judge of the State of New York after being appointed by
Governor Mario M. Cuomo ’56L. As New York’s top judicial
officer Judge Kaye has undertaken numerous initiatives, such as
streamlining New York’s jury system, establishing problem-solving
courts, creating specialized commercial courts for cost-effective
resolution of business disputes, among many others. Judge
Kaye also sits on several committees and was the American Bar
Association’s Law Day Chair for 2007.
Media wishing to acquire credentials for the Commencement
Exercises can contact Dominic Scianna, Director of Media Relations
at St. John’s University by calling (718) 990-6185 or e-mail
inquires to sciannad@stjohns.edu. For
information regarding St. John’s University’s School of Law visit
our website at www.stjohns.edu/law and for
general information about campus news, faculty profiles and expert
analysis log on to www.stjohns.edu/news.