Chief Judge Lawrence H. Cooke Sixth Annual State Constitutional Commentary Symposium: the State of State Courts: Albany Law School: Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom: Thursday, March 8, 2012, 1 p.m.: welcome & opening remarks.

• Author: Woods, Patrick Arthur

Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Patrick Woods, the Editor-in-Chief of the Albany Law Review. I'd like to welcome you to the Sixth Annual Chief Judge Lawrence H. Cooke State Constitutional Commentary Symposium. This is our spring symposium in our seventy-fifth anniversary year and I could not be more thrilled with the panel of four judges and justices that we have here today. I would like to just start off thanking our fantastic panelists; Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman of New York; Chief Justice Chase Rogers of Connecticut; Utah Chief Justice Christine Durham; and Wisconsin Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson. It's great that they came all the way here for us. This is the sixth State Constitutional Commentary Symposium, and not since our first one in 2007 have we had four chief judges and justices here at Albany Law School, blessing us with their presence. I'd also like to personally thank Chief Justices Durham and Abrahamson, as they were also part of that original panel back in 2007.

I'd also like to take a moment also to thank those who are introducing our panel today. Professor Michael Hutter, Professor Dorothy Hill, our mentor and faculty advisor at the Albany Law Review, Professor Vincent Bonventre, and our incredibly supportive and wonderful Interim Dean and President, Connie Mayer. We at the Albany Law Review are very blessed to have the support of the faculty and staff at this school behind us to the extent that it is.

Without the help of our faculty, without the help of everyone in this school, including those who are not up front--like Christina Sebastian and Vice-President Helen Adams-Keane--events like today simply wouldn't be possible. Finally, before I turn it over to people you actually want to listen to, I need to thank the person whose dedication, hard work, and brilliance made today's symposium, and the truly tremendous book in which it will be transcribed, possible. Nikki Nielson is Albany Law Review's Executive Editor for the State Constitutional Commentary. She has been an inspiration to all of us, someone I am very proud to have worked with, and consider a friend.

Patrick Arthur Woods, Editor-in-Chief, Albany Law Review, J.D., Albany Law School.

Thank you, Patrick. I echo the appreciation expressed. Welcome, Chief Justice Rogers, Chief Judge Lippman, Chief Justice Durham, and Chief Justice Abrahamson. Welcome to our symposium, a unique opportunity to connect with the Chief Justices and Judges of four...