March 07, 2011
It was standing room only in the Belson Moot Court Room on January
24, 2011 when students, faculty, administrators and alumni gathered
for the Law School’s Fifth Annual Honorable Joseph W. Bellacosa
Distinguished Jurist-in-Residence Program.
This year’s program, "A Conversation on Legal Issues Confronting
Society," featured two esteemed St. John’s alumni ― the Honorable
Mario M. Cuomo '56, '75HON, former governor of the State of New
York, and the Honorable Joseph W. Bellacosa ’61, ‘87HON, former
judge on the New York State Court of Appeals and former dean of the
Law School.
Photo Gallery
Opening the program, Dean
Michael A. Simons noted that the two featured participants have
followed parallel paths. The New York City natives both entered the
legal profession through St. John’s doors on Schermerhorn Street.
Both left professorships at the Law School to devote themselves to
public service. And both went on to achieve enormous success as
leaders of New York’s government and judiciary. “It was very
meaningful to have Governor Cuomo and Judge Bellacosa back home at
St. John’s,” Dean Simons said reflecting on the program. “They
exemplify the Law School’s very proud tradition of selfless service
to the common good.”
As the dynamic conversation touched on important issues of judicial
selection and the role of judges, Judge Bellacosa observed that the
common thread of the dialogue ― and of their day spent visiting Law
School classrooms and clinics and speaking with students and
faculty ― was the Vincentian value of service and caring. Governor
Cuomo echoed this point. “You’ve got to be more than a good
lawyer,” he said. “You’ve got to love the people around you. Reach
out. Create opportunities for the less fortunate. Use the law for
the benefit of society. We’re all in this thing together.” Governor
Cuomo also made a point of thanking St. John’s and the Vincentians
for the excellent education he received ― which made all his
accomplishments in life possible.
At the close of the program, Dean Simons accepted a framed copy of
a letter Governor Cuomo penned to Judge Bellacosa in 1974, on the
occasion of their accepting public service positions in Albany. In
the letter, Governor Cuomo asks, “Did it occur to you that we may
both be making a mistake?” It is a question meant to engage and
inspire St. John’s law students to think outside the proverbial
box: Anything is possible with a St. John’s education.