Willamette Lawyer SPRING 2011 12
COVER STORY: A Man for the Times Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul J. De Muniz and six Willamette grads talk about their careers on the bench
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Dean’s Message Dean Symeon C. Symeonides steps down; Associate Dean Peter Letsou becomes dean for a two-year period
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Tenured Faculty Three faculty members receive tenure; Willamette ranked the top law school in Oregon for per-capita faculty productivity
Editor’s Note
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Outstanding Leaders The College of Law highlights exceptional students and alumni
This issue of Willamette Lawyer celebrates our graduates who have gone on to illustrious careers on the bench. Our cover subject, Paul J. De Muniz, is a classic Willamette success story: Raised in Portland, he attended Portland State University and graduated from Willamette University College of Law in 1975. After a career as a public defender and defense attorney in private practice, he was appointed in 1990 to the Oregon Court of Appeals. Voters elected him to the Oregon Supreme Court in 2000 and his colleagues elected him chief justice in 2005. De Muniz is at the forefront of a nationwide movement to streamline the justice system while ensuring the courts remain accessible to everyone. He also teaches at the law school and has led efforts to promote the rule of law in Russia.
Impressive as his career has been, his commitment to family stands out. While climbing the career ladder, he coached all three of his kids’ multiple sports teams. When his youngest son, Michael, graduated from law school in 2008, De Muniz wrote him a note about how proud he was. And he added this: “Remember being a lawyer puts you on a long road. Never ever take a shortcut.” Michael was so moved that he framed the note and hung it in his office. He practices criminal defense law – just like Dad.
Lisa Grace Lednicer