U.S. Solicitor General Theodore B. Olson to speak at University of the Pacific Convocation; will receive honorary degree

(April 30, 2004) -- United States Solicitor General Theodore (Ted) Olson, who has the primary responsibility for deciding which cases to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court and presenting the Government's case, will be the keynote speaker at University of Pacific’s convocation ceremony Friday, May 14, 5:30 p.m.

Olson, who graduated cum laude from Pacific in 1962 with a BA degree in Communication and History, will also receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University.

The Solicitor General distinguished himself while still an undergraduate at the University of the Pacific. His debate scholarships, national debate championship and college Journalism and Speech Award foreshadowed his future successes as an attorney handling numerous Supreme Court cases.

According to University of the Pacific President Donald DeRosa, Olson exemplifies the citizen leader that is the mark of a Pacific graduate.

“His achievement in his professional life is punctuated by years of public service at the highest levels of our Federal government,” says DeRosa. “His active engagements in the political arena demonstrate his belief that advocacy for the commonweal animates all of his work. Mr. Olson’s leadership as an undergraduate student at Pacific already demonstrated this commitment, and it continues as he serves as the nation’s top lawyer before the Supreme Court.”

After graduating from Pacific, Olson graduated from the University of California’s Boalt Hall School of Law, and began a career as a trial and appellate lawyer with the firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (LLP), becoming a partner in 1972. In 1981 he was appointed legal counsel by President Reagan as Assistant Attorney General. Olson was nominated by President Bush to be the 42nd Solicitor General of the United States and took the oath of office on June 11, 2001.