Hosted by Georgetown University and runs about one hour 15 minutes and begins with remarks by the universities president. [applause] good afternoon everyone and welcome. Its a pleasure to be with all of you. Azhar Spring Semester draws to a close for our bernstein symposium. I wish to begin by expressing our deepest appreciation to Justice Ruth Bader ginsburg forn joining us here on campus today. Its an honor to welcome her to gaston hall and to hear her reflections this afternoon. I also wish to express our gratitude to the honorable Robert Katzmann, chief judge of u. S. Court of appeals for the Second Circuit, for all his efforts to make this extraordinary symposium possible for our community. I look for to sharing a few more words about judge katzmann in just a moment. Id also like to thank professor Mary Hartnett and professor Wendy Williams from our Georgetown Law Center who will join Justice Ginsburg in conversation today. Ive has a hartman and professor williams are Justice Ginsburgs authorized biographers and coauthors of a recent book, myw own words, published this past year. Finally we should thank all of you for being here today but very special gathering. The bernstein symposium was created to honor the memory of the bernstein. Whose work in the area of regulation and personal andstrae administrative reform continues to influence scholars today. He served as a founding dean of the Woodrow Wilson school of public and International Affairs at princeton, as president of brandeis, and for the last seven years of his life as a professor of politics and philosophy here at our school of foreign service. We are deeply grateful to michael and susan gelman, and all those have generously supported this symposium and enabled us to bring such esteemed guests to campus, including Vice President al gore, journalist tim russert, senator patrick leahy, and justices Sonia Sotomayor and stephen breyer, to take part in this forum which honors doctor burndr. Bernstein many contributo our University Community and to our understanding of the u. S. Political system. S today we have the privilege of welcoming Ruth Bader Ginsburg, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Since her confirmation to the court nearly 25 years ago, shes brought a thoughtful measured approach to her distinguished service on the bench, building consensus and voicing eloquence in dissent. We are deeply honored to have her with us this afternoon to share her insights and reflections with our georgetown community. To introduce Justice Ginsburg is my pleasure to welcome chief judge Robert Katzmann of the u. S. Court of appeals for the Second Circuit. Judge katzmann was appointed to the federal bench in 1999 bydere president clinton, and he began his service as chief judge 14 years later in 2013. Like his mentor in this symposiums namesake, Margaret Bernstein, judge katzmann is also negates member of our georgetown committee, having talk as the walsh professor of government and a professor of law and public policy. He serves on the board of visitors of our law center and is also one of the founders of this symposium. Before his appointment to the Second Circuit, he was a fellow of the governmental studies program of the Brookings Institution and served as president of the governments institute. In 2000 he received the Charles E Miriam award from the american Political Science association. Po in 2003 as being a fellow of the American Academy in arts and sciences and 102011 received the Chesterfield Smith award from the Pro Bono Institute in recognition of his outstanding dedication to pro bono work,no r including programs regardingincn immigration. This award was presented to him by Justice Ginsburg engaged his guidance and expertise when hee served as special counsel pro bono to senator Daniel Patrick moynihan, and then judge ginsburg during her confirmation process to the Supreme Court. It is wonderful to welcome you back to campus this happen. I want to thank you again for your leadership, your generosity and your sustained commitment to community. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming the honorable Robert Katzmann. [applause] its great to be back. Thank you, president degioia, for your generous introduction, for a living proceedings with your presence, and i might add for your efforts to promote understanding on very difficult issues that confront our society. It was Margaret Bernstein said idea that georgetown should create a position that would bridge the campuses between the law Center Downtown and the main campus. Andy worked with the law center to make that a reality. As a beneficiary of that effort i will always be grateful to him. The bernstein symposium brings the campuses together, and our program this afternoon draws upon the talents of the main campus and the Georgetown Law Center faculty. I know that my friend bill trainor, dean of the law school, regrets being out of town today, and we appreciate his participation in previous years. This symposium series is very dear to me and im very grateful to still be part of it, grateful to the Government Department and the distinguished chair charles king for all of his wise counsel. Im also very grateful to all those friends of Marvin Bernstein to make this symposium possible including those that president degioia mention. Now, this is for me this afternoon at particularly special occasion for several reasons. Music as well as being important to me as it is for so many people. What else but music and give a person a sensation both soothing and inspiring, a transporting experience and average associations in its wake in the memory . Be at the notes of beyonce, philip glass, theres some music that speaks to each of us can something universal. So it is a distinct thrill for me to introduce Azhar Bernstein Henri someone who demonstrably understand something about universal values, and someone who, in fact, has performed twice on the opera stage with the Washington National opera at the Kennedy Center, no less. The Washington Post recently praised our guest for not onlyin her performance but for her writing as well, and i quote, her timing, delivery and vitriol which she wrote herself were all even more polished and hit every mark. The headline observed, before adoring crowds, justice prevailed. [laughing] justice writing superb delivery, i think you know where im headed here. Her story was indeed not about the reaction to Justice Ginsburgs reading of a consequential opinion from a Supreme Court bench, or the reaction to one of her wellcrafted speeches to a university or a law group. No, the Washington Post story really was review of it Justice Ginsburg already acknowledged as a variable rockstar in the story, as also come at a quote, an actual opera star. On thursday, march 9, the Kennedy Center opera house was filled with an adoring crowd that roared with adulation for her at every opportunity. Ginsburg rules Washington National opera, another Washington Post headline read. Justice ginsburg is, of course, also a Supreme Court justice, a national icon. Also a [laughing] the subject of books, art, tshirts, and i understand soon a movie Starring Natalie and portman. [laughing] its true. Why is this in fact, so . In part, Justice Ginsburg is celebrated for her impact as a judge on this country size court, the second woman ever on the Court Country size court for her contributions to the lofty feldman, for her methodical, really analyses and concise, elegant prose. An in part no doubt it is because of her trailblazing role before the coming, for coming a judge of womans advocate. I think also its because the American Public admires her character, her values and feel a connection with her. And i witnessed that connection first as president degioia noted in the course of a confirmation journey in the summer of 1993 when she was first thrustt International Celebrity when i accompanied her to capitol hill at the invitation of her senate sponsor, Daniel Patrick moynihan, an experience that i will always cherish. For me the most telling moment of that confirmation came in response to question from a senator kohl of wisconsin. And he asked her, how would she want the American People to think of her . And Ruth Bader Ginsburg replied quietly, i would like to be thought of as a person who cares about people and does the best she can with the talent she has to make a contribution to a better world. That, i think, captures her. She is a person with seemingly limitless capacity for friendship and kindness in ways large and small. No matter the weighty burden of her daily life. She is a friend for the chilly winters of life, someone who places others before her own convenience, as i have observed. Somewhat of conviction and determination, a person with a true sense of the aesthetic, taken by the Simple Pleasures that life has to offer, be it a beloved aria or a horseback ride. And to know her family, her incomparable partner, marty, and are accomplished children and did her entire family is to have a sense of what for her on life blessings. And makes each of us appreciate what is truly important. Justice ginsburg is somewhat of grace, prodigious work habit, yuma, dignity and style. So in Justice Ginsburg the public observed someone from s whom the law is not about abstraction for her life in law has been about working to ensure that each of us can realize his or her potential. For her life can until the most difficult of challenges both professional and personal, but she is always been determined to meet them, to through the obstacles to secure a Better Future for those of us here now, and those who follow. That enduring connection face she established with the American People watched the confirmation hearings was based on their perception that in this age, too often gripped by glitz and self promotion, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was someone whose virtues were and are very real. E early on i could sense thaton connection as persons of all ages asked her for an autograph and she agrees with prejudice. I think its actually very affirming of our country and of ourselves that this intellectual powerhouse woman draws huge crowds and is a fixture extolled in pop culture. The occasion of our marvere Bernstein Program is a recent publication of my own works, which is a collection of Justice Ginsburgs writing. Its a great read and i cant recommend it enough. Indeed, everybody here will get a copy. The book has been widely heralded in book reviews as a collection of thought for writing about perseverance and community and a lot of reflecting an abiding commitmenw to protect outsiders and others as a core american value. As a tonic to the current discourse showcasing the justices astonishing intellectual range from law and lawyers and operative tributes to louis brandeis, when rehnquist and gloria steinem, paying tribute to those who came before and others who work with her. As writing, my own words are in model for all of us. Precise, then read, beautiful structured, like a wonderful piece of music. Joining me in conversation now are Justice Ginsburg and her two colleagues on the project, Mary Hartnett, an adjunct professor at georgia law focuses on International Womens rights, and Wendy Williams, office of law emeritus at georgetown law, best known for her work on the subject of gender and law. Please join me now as we welcomw Justice Ginsburg and our colleagues on stage for a conversation. Both o [applause] [cheers and applause] i have never heard such applause. In a university institution. Thats really extraordinary. Justice ginsburg, if i might begin, why this book of writings and why now . The original plan, bob, is that wendy and mary would write a biography, my authorizedy biography. You started in the year 2004 when you came to me . They came to me and said, someone is going to write about you, so you might as well designate people you trust, and we volunteer. The idea was that they would write the biography and then as a supplement we would have a selection of my writings. 2004 became 2010, and so i suggested, why not let the order, to the book of writings first and then the biography. You were very enthusiastic about it, that i did, so was hillout h publisher. Her of [laughing] someday, someday, maybe they can tell you when their biography will appear. [laughing] its such a best seller as is. There will be some lead time before the book is actually published. No pressure on us. Tell us, wendy and then mary, about the process of gathering and choosing the materials to be published. But first, the forthcoming biography, we cant publish yet because this is ginsburg keeps doing Amazing Things and we want to cover them all. [cheers and applause]e materi selecting materials was a lot of fun, but i have to tell it wasnt easy, and heres why. Justice ginsburg sn extraordinarily prolific writer and speaker, and not just as a Supreme Court justice, not just as a judge, nudges as a law professor or a litigator. Fi for the first piece in the collection we actually went back over 70 years to a piece that Justice Ginsburg wrote when she was in eighth grade. [laughing] it probably will not surprise you to know she was editor of her School Newspaper in Public School in brooklyn, the name of the paper was the highwayt herald, and the piece, the first piece in this book she wrote, came when she was in eighth grade. Other items in the School Newspaper talked about the circus, the school play, but young ruth wrote about the ten commandments, the magna carta [laughing] the bill of rights, thets declaration of independence and United Nations charter, which had just been adopted. [laughing] [applause] oh you could understand the enormity of trying to select just enough to fill a book as opposed to gaston hall. And to wendy and i met with Justice Ginsburg and kind of got a big picture of the shape without the wanted the book to be in, and then wendy and not exchanged 28 draft of an outline and the great thing about working with Justice Ginsburg is she has a phenomenal memory. So we would talk about a particular speech and she would say we might want to consider the version i gave in paris in 2008 where i talked about brown v. Board of education, and so we did. Justice ginsburg has an amazing staff led by kim mckenzie would then go actually find that piece. So we were aided in that. The other fun part about selecting pieces, we also need to select photographs. And so Justice Ginsburg, when to speak at georgetown law last year, came in event of a speech into my office with this literally wallpapered with pictures of Justice Ginsburg at every phase of her life, and of marty and of her family. And so we had a fun time picking out the different photos for the book. And then finally the last part was writing the introduction material, Justice Ginsburg wrote a beautiful introduction to the book. And then wendy and i had a challenge in the writing an introduction to each section if we could just put in the whole chapter wed already written up for the forthcoming biography. We had to winnow out just a few of the key parts, and delete something for the future. S