In an official statement for The American Law Institute, David F. Levi — president of the ALI and director of the Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law — offered a personal remembrance of his longtime friend and colleague, Associate Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on Friday, September 18, 2020.
“In thinking of her, and trying to catch some aspect of her enormous influence, I would emphasize her professionalism as an appellate judge and Justice. Her opinions were clear and tightly reasoned. That’s part of the craft. But there was something more, symbolized by her long and loving friendship with Justice Scalia. Their friendship seemed such a surprise to many. But why? They were both New Yorkers of a certain age who loved opera, travel, good conversation, and the law. Their disagreements over cases was just part of what made the work so absorbing, and, as Ruth often said, Nino’s dissents made her opinions that much better. In the end, they were both judges, doing their job, enjoying the give and take— a model for the rest of us of professional civility and maturity in divisive times.
We will miss her example, her dedication to justice and the law, and her determination to give her all to her country, family, and profession.”
See also:
“A Friendly Award: Chief Justice Roberts Presents Justice Ginsburg with The Henry J. Friendly Medal at the 2018 ALI Annual Meeting” from the fall 2018 edition of Judicature