Kenneth Starr dean of the School of Law can add yet another accolade to his repetroire. The Daily Journal added him to their list of the “Top 100 Lawyers in California.”
Nominated by their peers the Top 100 were honored in a special ceremony held Tuesday.
Although Starr was unable to attend the ceremony he said he is flattered by this recognition: He attributes his success to “hard work and God’s grace.”
“I was deeply honored but don’t take it all that seriously” Starr said. ‘’It’s very nice.”
Starr who transferred from Harding University to complete his undergraduate work at George Washington University admited he was not always set on entering the law field and said he was torn between political science and law.
“I loved political science but I felt a calling to the law and that was confirmed by my experience in grad school Starr said.
I was determined that I wanted to be in a profession that dealt with the real problems of real people.”
Starr then went on to Brown University where he received his M.A. in law in 1969. He describes his experience at law school as “demanding and transformative.”
“It demands a lot of you intellectually and emotionally but in a positive sense. You will never be the same again Starr said.
Over the course of his career, Starr has argued 36 cases involving a wide range of federal and statutory issues.
This includes 25 cases before the Supreme Court. In December 2008, he defended supporters of Proposition 8 in several post-election lawsuits.
Law-school bound students, like junior Joshua Fink, are familiar with Starr’s accomplishments and public stance on controversial issues. I’m not the biggest fan of his policies like his stance on Prop 8 which defined California marriages between a man and a woman. But it wouldn’t completely keep me from going to law school here Fink said.
Among his involvment in a list of history-making trials, Starr also led an investigation into the Clinton v. Jones case, in which Bill Clinton denied having sexual relations with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Starr found his sworn testimony to be false based on evidence provided by White House employee Linda Tripp.
Sophomore and political science major Nick Baranishyn said, I definitely think he desereves it [to be in the Top 100] he’s definitely well qualified. He prosecuted one of our Presidents I think that speaks for how great he is. “
Starr arrived at Pepperdine when the then attorney general of the United States Dick Thornbrugh asked him to judge the school’s Dalsimer Moot Court Competition in 1991.
“I did so and was warmly and hospitably received. That began an enduring friendship Starr said.
In 2004, Starr moved to Malibu and took the position of Duane and Kelly Roberts Dean of Law. He currently teaches a course on constitutional law.
Part of the uniqueness of the law school experience at Pepperdine is this deep commitment to community building including the global community Starr said. [We’re] equipping students to go out into the world and to make significant difference.
As dean Starr said he strives to prepare prospective law students for the world he encourages them to work rigorously no matter what field they pursue.
“You will be much more deeply analytical and focus much more keenly on solving the problems of humanity great or small he said.