10/16/00--Boston College Law School has announced that Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall has accepted the school's invitation to speak at its 2001 Commencement activities, which are scheduled to take place on Friday, May 25th.

Chief Justice Marshall is the second woman to serve on the Supreme Judicial Court in its over-300 year history, and the first woman to serve as Chief Justice.

"We are honored that the Chief Justice of Massachusetts's highest court, and the leader of all the judiciary in this state, has agreed to be our commencement speaker," said Associate Dean for Administration Michael Cassidy. "It will make the ceremony particularly noteworthy and memorable for our graduates. The varied accomplishments she has achieved in her distinguished legal career are something for our graduates to emulate."

A native of South Africa, Chief Justice Marshall graduated from Witwaterstrand University in Johannesburg in 1966. That same year she was elected as President of the National Union of South African Students, and served in that capacity until 1968 when she came to the United States to pursue her graduate studies.

After receiving her master's degree from Harvard University, and her J.D. from Yale Law School, Chief Justice Marshall was an associate, and later a partner, in the Boston law firm of Csapler & Bok, and was a partner in the Boston law firm of Choate, Hall & Stewart. Before her appointment to the Supreme Judicial Court, she was Vice President and General Counsel of Harvard University. First appointed as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court in November 1996, she was named as Chief Justice in September 1999 by Governor Cellucci, and began her term on October 14,1999, following her confirmation by the Governor's Council.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the oldest appellate court in continuous existence in the Western hemisphere. It has jurisdiction over appeals from the departments of the Trial Court. The Massachusetts Constitution also gives the Supreme Judicial Court general superintendence authority over the entire Massachusetts Court System and all attorneys.