Fall 1983 – Issue 30 - Stanford Lawyer - Stanford University

BabcockAwarded anHonorary LL.D.by San DiegoProfessor Barbara Babcockreceived a Doctorof Laws (honoris causa)degree from the Universityof San Diego onMay 22.The degree was con~ferred by USD PresidentArthur E. Hughes duringthe university's lawschool commencementceremonies, where Babcockwas the featuredspeaker.BabcockShe was praised, inthe citation, as a "brilliantscholar, accomplishedlawyer, dedicatedpublic servant,role model for women,and major contributor toour collective nationalsense of justice andequal opportunity."The previous month,on April 5, Babcock presentedan endowed annuallecture at the Cleveland-MarshallCollege forLaw.In her lecture, sheaddressed the difficultquestion, "How can youdefend someone who isguilty?""I tried," she later explained,"to bringtogether my experienceas a public defenderwith the opportunity I'vehad in four years ofteaching criminal procedureto reflect on thisissue."I'm as interested inworking out the answersfor myself as for mylisteners," she added.The text of her lecturewill be published in theCleveland-Marshall lawreview.Babcock joined theStanford Law faculty in1972, after nine years asa defense attorney inWashington, D.C., firstwith Edward Bennett Williams,and then with theLegal Aid Agency of theDistrict (subsequently renamedthe Public DefenderService), whichshe directed from 1968to 1972.In 1977 she returnedto Washington, whereshe served for two yearswith the U.S. JusticeDepartment as assistantattorney general, incharge of the civil division.Professor Babcockteaches introductory andadvanced courses in criminallaw, as well as thefirst-year Civil Procedurecourse. She wasawarded the John BinghamHurlbut Award forExcellence in Teachingby the graduating Classof 1981.•Reagan Names McBride to CrimeCommissionAssociate Dean Thomas F. McBride has beentapped by President R.eagan ~o serve on the newCommission on Organized Crime. , ,The executive order establishing the commiSSionwas signed by the President July 28 in a Rose Gardenceremony attended by McBride and othermembers of the 20-member group,The purpose of the commission, Re,agan said, isto "break apart and cripple the organized syndicatesthat for too long have been tolerated inAmerica."Judge Irving R. Kaufman of the U.S. Court. of .Appeals (2d Circuit) will head the group, which wll~fiold public hearings across the country and submita report on March 1, 1986."We've been given a broad mandat~ by the President,"Judge Kaufman said, "and we Intend to exerciseit."Commission members include former SupremeCourt Justice Potter Stewart and the Chairmen ofboth the Senate and House judiciary committees ­Senator Strom Thurmond and Representative PeterRodino, Jr.McBrideMcBride, who came to the School last Oc~ober asAssociate Dean for Administration, had previouslyheld a variety of oversight positions with the federalgovernment, most recently as Inspector General ofthe Department of Labor. ,(An article by McBride on co~puter us~ In detectingfraud and waste appeared In the prevIous StanfordLawyer issue.)•52Stanford Lawyer Fall 1983