October 10, 2003

U.S. Supreme Court clerk to give Gunderson Lecture at the U

VERMILLION, S.D. – Major General William K. Suter, USA (Ret.), Clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court, will present the annual University of South Dakota School of Law Gunderson Lecture at 4:00 p.m. on October 28th at the Law School courtroom in Vermillion. The event is free and open to the public.

William K. Suter

The Gunderson Lecture, a major annual address at the School of Law, is sponsored by the Law School Foundation in honor of Clark Y. Gunderson, a School of Law faculty member from 1934 to 1963. Gunderson devoted his life to public service and legal education. The lecture is provided through the Foundation trust fund established by the Gunderson family.

Bill Suter has been the Clerk of the U.S. Supreme Court since 1991, the nineteenth person to hold that position. Previously, he was a career U.S. Army Judge Advocate and retired as a major general. He served in numerous positions of responsibility around the world, including appellate judge, deputy staff judge advocate of the U. S. Army, Vietnam, staff judge advocate of the 101^st Airborne Division, commandant of the JAG School, and the assistant judge advocate general of the Army. His military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Parachutist Badge.

"The Law School is delighted to welcome Major General Suter," said Acting Dean John F. Hagemann. "His stature in the legal profession and his insight into the U.S. Supreme Court will certainly provide an interesting lecture that our law students and all of those attending should find of great benefit."

Suter is a graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and the Tulane University School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana. He attended Trinity on a basketball scholarship and Tulane on an academic scholarship. He was on the Tulane Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. He is a graduate of the JAG School Graduate Course, the Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He is a frequent lecturer at law schools, bar association meetings, and civic functions.

The University of South Dakota School of Law provides a high-quality legal education that prepares students for leadership in the administration of justice in South Dakota and for success in private practice, public service, business and other law-related endeavors anywhere.