A tribute to my friend, Professor Robert A. Burt.

• Author: Iacobucci, Frank
• Position: Yale Law School professor - Testimonial

"Please call me Bo." With those words, spoken some twenty years ago, I was invited into what turned out to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship, with no apologies to Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains in Casablanca.

Our friendship, between an Italo-Canadian originally from British Columbia and an American Jew from Maryland, grew into one of special significance for each of us, both professionally and personally. For our meeting each other, I thank the Yale Global Constitutionalism Seminar and Deans Kronman, Koh, and Post, as well as Professors Paul Gewirtz, Owen Fiss, Bruce Ackerman, Jed Rubenfeld, Judith Resnik, and all others who have inspired, organized, and led what has become the English-speaking world's leading gathering on constitutional issues.

Despite different national, ethnic, religious, geographic, and educational backgrounds, I was amazed at how much Bo and I had in common, obviously through the connection of the law, but I believe more importantly through our similar values-and maybe similar imperfections in our makeup, which drew us closer for collective self-defense! Of course, Bo and I were greatly fortunate to have our spouses Linda and Nancy a part of our circle, as they made up for some of those imperfections and significantly increased the average intelligence of our group.

Bo Burt was so extraordinary that, in these few minutes, I cannot adequately give an accurate portrait of him, or even summarize all that I feel and admire about him. As a result, what I have are some reflections that I have chosen from a treasure chest of rich memories that I shall cherish forever. If I repeat in some ways what others have said, I apologize. (As you may know, Canadians are well known for two things: hockey and apologies. So that is my required apology.) The truth is, it was difficult to prepare these remarks, and I find it even more difficult to deliver them.

Throughout the years of the Constitutionalism Seminar, Bo and I had many contacts on various issues, many of which were coming before me as a judge but were also central to Bo's many interests. Our contact and relationship increased considerably when he suggested that we co-teach an intensive course on topics in U.S. and Canadian constitutional law. I jumped at the opportunity, but as I was retired from the bench and had not taught regularly for some years, I was somewhat apprehensive.

Now we all know there are sayings about situations in which you get to know someone...