Academic

In Memoriam: Judge Andree Roaf

By Roger Dennis

One of the quiet heroines of the ABA accreditation process, Judge Andree Roaf, recently passed away.  Judge Roaf was the first African-American woman to serve as a justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court.  She thoughtfully brought her experiences as a non-traditional student, small-firm lawyer and distinguished appellate judge to the accreditation program.  

Accreditation of law schools by the ABA is based on a joint venture among legal academics, practicing lawyers, bar examiners, and judges.  The contributions of hundreds of hours of service by judges and practicing lawyers, who have little or no self interest in the process, is pro bono activity at its best.  The perspectives judges and practicing lawyers bring to ABA accreditation is incredibly enriching.  Judges and practitioners provide legal academics with key feedback about the structure and content of our programs and have pressed legal academics to take seriously the teaching of both theory and practice.  

Judge Roaf?s passion for increasing the ABA?s commitment to diversity in legal education was deeply informed by her life experience as an African-American.   As legal realists we all know a judge?s perspective counts.  Those of us who knew Judge Roaf will profoundly miss hearing her wise world view.

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on August 25, 2009 (boomark / email).