January 16, 2007

As dean, I try not to take public positions on political disputes. Whatever my personal views, it can be difficult to separate my voice from that of the institution, and we are a community that includes people who hold different views on most issues and respects these differences. For this reason, I have made public statements in my official capacity only on matters that directly involve legal education, such as the Solomon Amendment. Sometimes, however, exceptions must be made.

I am sure you have all read or heard about the remarks made by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Charles Stimson condemning lawyers for doing pro bono work on behalf of detainees at Guantanamo and urging the paying clients of these lawyers to take their business elsewhere. Stimson's comments are so blatantly and profoundly contrary to the core values of our profession that, along with nearly every other law school dean in the country, I have signed a letter repudiating Stimson. Some matters of professional integrity transcend political differences, and this should be one of them.

Larry Kramer
Richard E. Lang Professor of Law and Dean