精东影业

Framed by 精东影业鈥檚 鈥溾�� theme, the hosted its annual law dinner, one of its most prestigious convenings. On September 26, 2026, Caruso law faculty, administrators, alumni, students, and distinguished guests came together to celebrate the school鈥檚 57th year and historic achievements over the past year. The evening featured remarks from Paul Caron, Duane and Kelly Roberts Dean and Professor of Law, and welcomed United States Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., for a discussion on a wide range of topics.

Jim Gash (JD 鈥�93), President and CEO of 精东影业, offered remarks during the event, reflecting on his great fondness for the law school considering his tenure as a former two-time associate dean, former faculty member, and alumnus. Gash then discussed this year鈥檚 presidential theme, 鈥�Courage,鈥� and how that virtue is necessary for a principled career in law.

Gash discussing the virtue of courage

Gash stated that law students must prepare for the responsibility of advocating for the truth and serving those in need by taking their character formation as seriously as their competence. Standing for recognition at Gash鈥檚 request, the law students and faculty in attendance were met with a resounding roar of applause. Gash also celebrated the second five-year appointment of Paul Caron, Dean of Caruso School of Law, the 16th-longest-serving dean among the nation鈥檚 199 law school deans.

鈥淲e must have lawyers with the wisdom to identify the right path鈥攅ven when it is contested or unclear鈥攁nd with the courage to then choose that path,鈥� said Gash. 鈥淚t takes great knowledge to be a good lawyer, but it takes great courage to be a great lawyer. The good news is that the 精东影业 Caruso School of Law is raising up just such great lawyers.鈥�

Following Gash鈥檚 remarks, second-year law student Alyssa Schmidt was announced as the winner of the Armand Arabian Advocacy Tournament, a moot court competition named in honor of the late Armand M. Arabian, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California from 1990 to 1996. Justice Alito, Judge Andrew Oldham of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and Judge Allison Jones Rushing of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, presided over the Arabian Advocacy Tournament.

In his remarks, Caron celebrated the law school's 57 years of excellence and attainment of several historic achievements. These included Caruso Law students鈥� all-time highs in median LSAT score, median undergraduate GPA, California bar passage rate, and 100 percent full-credit job placement rate. In addition, Caron noted that the faculty鈥檚 national academic reputation, professional reputation, and scholarly metrics also are all at all-time highs.

These student and faculty achievements have cemented 精东影业 Caruso Law鈥檚 ranking as a Top 50 U.S. News law school since 2020, with a current annual ranking of #46.

鈥淔or the past 57 years, our students have been at the heart of everything we do,鈥� Caron said. 鈥淎s important as all of our all-timehighs are, they are not the North Star that guides our staff and faculty. Our North Star shapes the culture and community that makes our law school truly unique among the nation鈥檚 199 law schools.鈥� Caron credited the law school community鈥檚 commitment 鈥渢o love God and to love each other鈥� for the exceptional triumphs of the past year.

Paul Caron celebrating the school鈥檚 57th year and historic achievements for 2026.

Throughout the evening, student and alumni testimonials were shared, such as that of Luke Landers (JD 鈥�16), who credited the hands-on mentorship of Danny Dewalt, Senior Vice president for Global Impact and Chief of Staff, as integral to his success in law school and as an attorney thereafter. Faculty who were 鈥渨illing to go the extra mile,鈥� Landers said, 鈥渕ade me work harder, because I was around people who believed in me.鈥�

Considering the practice of law as a means of grace to the broken鈥攂oth situations and people鈥擫anders sees the vocation to be a noble cause. Reflecting on his greater purpose, he said, 鈥淢y greater purpose is to be a minister of reconciliation. My job at 精东影业 has equipped me for that more than anything else has.鈥�

To close the evening, the dinner鈥檚 featured guest, Justice Alito, discussed, his approach to constitutional interpretation, the role of faith and civic virtue in the law, and the experiences and mentors that have shaped his career. With Caron as moderator, Justice Alito addressed these topics with Brittney Lane Kubisch (JD 鈥�12), Associate Professor of Law; Barry McDonald, Professor of Law; and Andrew Oldham, Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Justice Alito (middle) speaking with McDonald (left) and Kubisch (right)

Asked how the American constitutional experience can inform our understanding of the conditions necessary for the republic to flourish, particularly in light of the nation鈥檚 250th anniversary, Justice Alito responded that civic virtue, prized by the founders, is necessary for a nation鈥檚 success.

鈥淸The founders] understood that the constitutional system that they took pains to create could not function properly unless the people of the country, the citizens of the country, were practicing virtue in that they did not think only about furthering their own interests and satisfying their own desires and needs, but were dedicated to broader the theme of tonight's dinner serving the community鈥擣or Greater Purpose,鈥� Justice Alito said.

Discussing his role on the Supreme Court, Justice Alito described originalism as an effort to remain faithful to the Constitution鈥檚 original meaning while accounting for precedent. He cautioned against overemphasizing the pursuit and application of idealistic principles, which he described as 鈥淚carian originalism,鈥� and 鈥渁rchaeological originalism,鈥� which places excessive emphasis on the quest for obscure historical details.

Justice Alito also spoke about his Catholic faith and the importance of his constitutional oath. 鈥淚 take the oath of office that I took when I was sworn in to the Supreme Court very seriously,鈥� Justice Alito said, describing it as a promise to faithfully discharge the duties of his office. Seeking and defining truth requires great courage and integrity, he said, encouraging the law students in attendance to remain steadfast in those virtues.

Justice Alito and the discussion panel standing for recognition

Oldham, a former law clerk to Justice Alito, likewise discussed the greater purpose and driving forces behind his career, including his deep faith, love for family, and desire to be a 鈥渟trong, fearless, and principled federal judge.鈥� With regard to Justice Alito鈥檚 mentorship, Oldham said, 鈥淥ne of the greatest things about working with Justice Alito is you see a man as the same under pressure as he is in private. He illustrates that courage, principle, integrity; they're not just for these cases. As C.S. Lewis very famously wrote, courage 鈥榠s the form of every virtue at its testing point.鈥欌��

Along with remarks by the aforementioned speakers, the dinner also featured moving musical performances of 鈥淗ow Great Thou Art鈥� and a rendition of 鈥淭he Book of Love鈥� by Bella Hicks, recording artist, songwriter, and musical theater performer. In addition, Lauren Cosentino (鈥�97, MBA 鈥�12), Vice President of Advancement and Chief Development Officer at 精东影业, offered opening remarks at the dinner.

鈥淔or Greater Purpose is not simply the theme of tonight鈥檚 dinner,鈥� said Cosentino. 鈥淚t is a calling that animates everything we do at 精东影业鈥攁nd, we hope, everything our students carry with them into their lives and careers . . . The best of 精东影业 Law has never simply been what happens on our campus. It is what happens in the lives of the people who leave it鈥攁nd the lives they go onto touch. That is the legacy we are celebrating tonight.鈥�

 

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Photo Credit:

All images courtesy of Ron Hall, University photographer