Summer 2003 – Issue 66 - Stanford Lawyer - Stanford University

BRHJ'~ 7STANFORDLAWYERBriefsWHAT A DOLL!HI EF JUSTICE WI LLIAJII H. R EIINQUIST '52 (AB '48, AM '48) hasreceived many honors, but none perhaps as curious as the bobbleheadthat mysteriously appeared in his chambers in May. Although only eightinches tall, the ceramic figurine captures his likeness, right dOl-vn to thefour gold stripes on his judicial robes and the solemn expression on hisface. One of the doll's creators, Ross Davies, describes it as being kindof "cute," while still projecting a stately presence.Davies, an assistant professor at George Mason University School of Law, isthe editor-in-chief of The Green Bag, a nonprofit humor journal about the law andthe legal profession, to which a number of StanfordLaw School faculty have contributed. As ofJune,only two prototypes of the doll existed, butDavies plans to produce about 1,000, and sendcomplimentary copies to those readers whoalready subscribe.Rehnquist can be added to the list of dignitariesand celebrities-including PresidentGeorge W Bush, Sammy Sosa, and OzzyOsbourne-who have been immortalized as bobbleheads.But the Rehnquist doll is unusual for itsscholarly attention to detail: its base has a mapfrom Rehnquist's eloquent 1979 opinion in Leo Sheepv. U.S. regarding 19th-century railroad easements inWyoming; its hands hold a book markedVolume 529 of the Court's reports, whichincludes a notable Rehnquist ruling on acriminal procedure matter that involved agreen bag (it held a brick of methamphetamine);and the ChiefJustice isportrayed wearing the tie that hedonned to preside over President BillClinton's impeachment proceedings.Davies declines to reveal how thebobblehead suddenly appeared inRehnquist's chamber, other than admittingthat he felt it would be disrespectful tocirculate the doll wltil Rehnquist had receivedone. Davies was confident that Rehnquist, whoby reputation has a good sense of humor,would appreciate it, and indeed, the ChiefJustice sent Davies a note of thanks.So is Davies now finished with the dollbusiness? "Stay tuned" was all hewould say. After all, there's anotherStanford Law School graduate on theCourt who might look quite fetchingas a bobblehead.ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS36 Sandra Day O'Connor '52Remembering Thurgood Marshall40 Karl ZoBell '58Defending Dr. Seuss53 Fred Phillips '71A Breath of Life57 Jacqueline Stewart '76Exploring Lake Michigan's Riviera60 Christina Fernandez '78Working for the Ultimate JudgeCOLE EARNS TENUREMarcus Cole,a bankruptcy andcorporate reorganizationlawexpert, wasawarded tenurein March. ANational Fellowat the Hoover Institution, he joined theLaw School faculty in 1997 after practicingat the Chicago law firm of MayerBrown. He teaches contracts amongother subjects.JUDGES CONFERENCEMore than 30 federal trial judgesattended lectures by Stanford Law professorsat the Law School in May, hearingabout an array of SUbjects, fromcloning to securities fraud. One judgeremarked that it was the best seminarhe'd attended in 16 years on thebench. The Hon. Fern Smith '75, directorof the Federal Judicial Center, theevent's sponsor, credited the strongprogram to Dean Kathleen M. Sullivan,who said, "It's very easy to produce awonderful program when you have awonderful faculty."