In the Presence of Greatness

By Katie A. Lepore
Miller, Monson, Peshel, Polacek & Hoshaw, APPLC

The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (“RBG”) was a truly remarkable woman. She became a cultural icon, affectionately known as the “Notorious RBG,” and a symbol for women’s rights across the country. Whether one agrees with her liberal ideals or not, nearly everyone can concede that she was a dedicated, intelligent, powerhouse of a jurist, staunchly advocating for what she believed to be equal rights and justice for all.

While I was a tax LL.M. student at Georgetown University Law Center in fall 2016, RBG gave a keynote address to new law students, including new LL.M. students, shortly after orientation. The free tickets to attend were claimed within minutes, and Georgetown set up several overflow classrooms to watch the Justice in the adjacent auditorium in real time. As a giddy new lawyer, I debated whether it would be distasteful to wear my “Notorious RBG” groupie t-shirt to the seminar, or whether I should stick with a more modest business casual outfit. The conservative tax attorney and accountant in me won over and I dressed in my business clothes, though a wide-eyed giddiness remained.

The Justice spoke nearly the entire time about her close relationship with the late Justice Antonin Scalia, not once mentioning their completely opposite legal viewpoints. She spoke of their joint vacations and personal time behind closed doors of the Supreme Court building with a sharp wit and an under-appreciated sense of humor. An engaging storyteller, RBG had a quiet warmth and magnetism that captivated her audience. She provided inspiring words to the new law students embarking on their legal journey, including a special encouragement to young women. During the question and answer session, she politely maneuvered through the minefield of questions regarding her thoughts about the upcoming Trump v. Clinton presidential election, though there was no doubt that she was eager to see the first female President of the United States.

Though we were told that RBG normally exits immediately to her car after most speaking engagements, she does traditionally stay for a while afterwards when she comes to Georgetown to speak to the students. This could be because of her close relationship to Georgetown, as her late husband Marty was a tax law professor at GULC for several years, or simply because she holds young people just starting out in such high regard.  Students waited eagerly in the student center at the conclusion of the talk, and sure enough, the federal marshals paved a pathway for her to sit and enjoy a glass of wine with the Dean and hold “court” with a gaggle of students surrounding her. As Chief Justice Roberts stated at RBG’s memorial service, “[h]er voice in court and in our conference room was soft, but when she spoke, people listened.”

Spending a year in Washington, DC was the opportunity of a lifetime and I came to the nation’s capital with long bucket list of experiences to which I wanted to be exposed. One of these such opportunities was to attend oral arguments in the Supreme Court. What a remarkable experience to see these intelligent individuals in action deciding the fate of some of the most important issues in our country at the time. I had been told that I had to show up very early to obtain one of the few public seats in the courtroom, so this Southern California girl put on several layers to wait on the early morning of November 1 outside the illustrious American symbol that is the Supreme Court. It was particularly special as I had dressed up as Justice Ginsburg for Halloween the day before, running around “Embassy Row” for an organized scavenger hunt competition across DC. Justice Ginsburg’s voice in the courtroom was indeed soft, but her questions were sharp and passionate.

Justice Ginsburg is gone, but not forgotten. She has inspired myself, and countless others in my own life, let alone the nation and the world.  Such a dainty and proper woman has shown that size does not matter and the loudest voice is not always the strongest. She advocated for herself, even in the face of adversity and discrimination, and believed in doing the same for others who were cast aside or disenfranchised. Generations of lawyers can learn from her the importance of eloquent writing and carefully choosing one’s words. Those who are passed over for a job or a promotion can learn that courage, discipline, and intelligence will win out with dedication, hard work, and self-confidence. Young people can learn that every voice matters, especially when selectively choosing your chances to weigh in, as RBG did writing dissents for only those holdings with which she fervently disagreed.

Americans owe much to Justice Ginsburg, even if they may not realize it or know the extent of her storied and impressive life. The impact of her legal opinions will effect change for years to come and will be studied in law schools across the nation. My short and impersonal experience with her at Georgetown has stayed with me to this day, having a very personal and profound effect. I cannot help but feel that I was standing in the presence of greatness.