The Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Lecture

Justice Hughes had one of the most distinguished legal careers of the 20th century, serving as Governor of New York, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, presidential candidate, U.S. Secretary of State, Judge of the Permanent Court of International Justice, and Chief Justice of the United States. He also served as NYCLA’s eighth president (1919–1921).

In a message read at the 1930 dedication of NYCLA’s building, Hughes emphasized that the true value of a bar association lies not in its facilities, but in its commitment to legal excellence, integrity, and public service.

For more than half a century, speakers in this lecture series have reflected those same ideals.