Campus & community, Campus news, People

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor pays a visit

After talking with students at Berkeley Law, the justice capped her day with an on-stage conversation with Interim Law Dean Melissa Murray — her former clerk — before a full house in Zellerbach Hall

By Public Affairs

Sonia Sotomayor — A front-row view of Justice Sotomayor. (UC Berkeley photo by Hulda Nelson)

March 10, 2017

Spending Thursday on the UC Berkeley campus as a guest of Berkeley Law, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor waved a Cal pennant during an appearance in Zellerbach Hall. (UC Berkeley School of Law photo by Jim Block)

Melissa Murray, Sonia Sotomayor — Interim Law Dean Melissa Murray, who was a clerk for Sotomayor when the justice served on a federal appeals court, leads the conversation before a capacity crowd. (UC Berkeley photo by Hulda Nelson)

Melissa Murray, interim Berkeley Law dean, led the conversation with the justice. (UC Berkeley photo by Hulda Nelson)

people in the audience — Audience members were rapt. (UC Berkeley photo by Hulda Nelson)

audience member with book — Some brought along copies of the justice's memoir, "My Beloved World." (UC Berkeley photo by Hulda Nelson)

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor spent Thursday at UC Berkeley, talking to law students and capping her day with an on-stage conversation with Interim Law Dean Melissa Murray in Zellerbach Hall.

Justice Sotomayor has served on the high court since 2009 and is its first Hispanic justice. Murray clerked for the justice when she was a judge for the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

The justice filled the house at Zellerbach. She was introduced by Vice Chancellor Na’ilah Nasir, who described Murray and Sotomayor as “powerhouse women.” When the two walked out on stage, the crowd erupted in deafening applause.

The justice, clearly moved, said, “You have no idea how overwhelming this is.”

Many of those attending brought along copies of her memoir, “My Beloved World.”

In her book, she chronicles her rise from a Bronx, N.Y., housing project to the country’s highest court. The justice’s life story of fierce determination has proved inspirational to students nationwide.

It was Justice Sotomayor’s second visit to Berkeley Law as a U.S. Supreme Court associate justice; in 2011, she presided over the school’s McBaine Moot Court Honors Competition.

Photos of her talk at Zellerbach are above and a video of her full talk is below. More details of her visit are posted on the Berkeley Law website.