Pepperdine Caruso School of Law Launches Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service
WASHINGTON – Pepperdine Caruso School of Law celebrated the life and legacy of Judge Kenneth W. Starr and the announcement of the Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service on Monday with a dinner that featured a keynote address by the Honorable Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.
More than 250 community members and alumni came together to commemorate the late Judge Ken Starr’s lifetime of public service and the launch of the Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service.
The evening included a performance of the national anthem by Pepperdine graduate, opera singer, and Grammy Award winner Jessica Rivera Shafer and remarks from the dean of Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, Paul Caron; president of Pepperdine University, Jim Gash; chancellor of Pepperdine University, Sara Young Jackson; and chair of Pepperdine’s Board of Regents, Dee Anna Smith.
“I sometimes wonder what historians will think of the United States hundreds and hundreds of years from now,” Justice Alito said to the attendees. "I hope that one thing they will say if they are asked how did the United States contribute to the development of civilization is this: The United States of America taught the world that it is possible for a religiously diverse population to live together amicably, harmoniously, and productively with mutual respect. I am sure that was Ken Starr’s vision for the country he loved and served. And I am sure we all hope and trust that the institute at Pepperdine that bears his name will, among other things, work toward that end.”
The Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service at the Caruso School of Law will elevate scholarly discussions on faith and the law and initiate real-world opportunities to advocate for religious expression and the rights of religious believers from a broad spectrum of faith traditions in public life—a natural development of Pepperdine’s commitment to the intersection of faith, education, and service. Shaped by Starr’s personal and professional guiding values as a legal scholar, public servant, and advocate for principles important to faith communities, students will be trained to navigate complex legal landscapes and make meaningful contributions to society, harnessing both their legal expertise and moral conviction in support of religious liberty. The launch initiates a nationwide search for the endowed chair of the institute.
During renowned legal scholar and distinguished leader Ken Starr’s tenure as professor of law and the Duane and Kelly Roberts Dean of the Caruso School of Law from 2004 to 2010, he made an indelible impact on law school students, alumni, faculty, and staff, as well as the entire Pepperdine University community. His vision and leadership positioned the Caruso School of Law for significant academic and reputational growth on a global stage.
“Ken Starr guided Pepperdine Caruso Law's ascent into the top tier of American law schools and cemented our identity as a preeminent Christian law school. I am thrilled that Ken’s legacy will endure through the work of the institute that bears his name,” said Paul Caron, Duane and Kelly Roberts Dean of the Caruso School of Law. “Ken Starr scholarships will attract talented students who otherwise would not be able to afford a life-changing Pepperdine legal education, and Ken Starr chairs will be filled with nationally recognized scholars and teachers who will shape the law through their research and shepherd our students."
About Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
The Caruso School of Law offers a top-ranked legal education with nationally recognized degree programs committed to the highest principles of professional, ethical, and societal responsibility. With an emphasis on experiential learning, mentorship, faculty accessibility, global justice, and professional formation, Pepperdine Caruso Law offers a juris doctor, two master’s degrees, six joint-degree programs, nine LLM degrees, and five certificate programs. The School of Law houses 10 clinics and five institutes, including the globally recognized Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. Follow the Caruso School of Law on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service
The Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service at the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law was established to provide a venue for scholarship in, and voices for, the traditional American values that former Caruso School of Law dean Ken Starr stood for. The institute’s initiatives in the arenas of religious liberty and the intersection of the law and religion demonstrate Pepperdine’s commitment to its Christian heritage and to training servant leaders in the legal profession.
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