Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Serves as Clynes Visiting Chair at the London Law Centre

This February, Notre Dame’s London Law Centre was proud to welcome Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Judge O’Scannlain served as the Clynes Visiting Chair. This multi-week visit to London allowed him to meet daily with law students and consult with legal scholars and law practitioners.

“Judge O’Scannlain’s lecture in London reminded us that law can be an academic pursuit, with a long history in western culture, but it is also a profession with practical consequences in how it is administered. The extended visit of such an experienced federal judge gives both faculty and students an unrivalled opportunity to reflect upon the theory and practice of law,” said Geoffrey Bennett, Director of the London Law Centre.

President Ronald Reagan nominated Judge O’Scannlain to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on August 11, 1986 and was confirmed by the Senate on September 25, 1986. He holds degrees from St. John`s University (B.A. ’57), Harvard University (J.D. ’63), and the University of Virginia School of Law (LL.M. ’92).

The Judge James J. Clynes, Jr., Visiting Chair in the Ethics of Litigation Within the Judicial Process

The Clynes Visiting Chair was created with a gift from the distinguished jurist and Notre Dame alumnus Judge James J. Clynes Jr. (’45). The benefaction reflects Judge Clynes’ strong interest in and dedication to promoting the ethics of litigation within the judicial process. The Clynes Visiting Chair may be held by honored members of the judiciary at both the trial and appellate levels, distinguished law professors, and prominent members of the bar to teach or conduct public lectures relative to the ethics of litigation or judicial decisionmaking. Previous chairs have included Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.