USC Law grads drawn back to campus — but not for hoops

When two USC Law grads recently returned to campus, it wasn’t to catch a Gamecocks basketball game.

Judge A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr., a 1989 graduate, and Judge William B. Traxler Jr., a ’73 alumnus, were joined by Chief Judge Albert Diaz, all members of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, to hear a series of cases for the court before a standing-room-only audience March 28 at what is now known as the Joseph F. Rice School of Law, a news release says. The three-judge panel heard cases — Donna Ard v. Martin O’Malley, U.S. v. Herbert Diaz, and Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. v. Argonaut Midwest Insurance Co. — that involved Social Security, criminal charges and insurance.

“[S]tudents were given the opportunity to attend arguments and after the hearings could ask the judges questions. Students were interested in the judges’ opinions on presentation style, how they approach their decisions, and how to succeed in the legal profession,” the release says.

The hearing was held in its Karen J. Williams Courtroom, which is named for a 1980 alumna of USC Law. Appointed to the 4th Circuit in 1992, she was the first woman to serve there and the first to become its chief judge, holding the position from 2007 to until her retirement in 2009.

“It’s fitting that we heard arguments in the courtroom named for our colleague,” Diaz said in the release. “She left an indelible mark on the legal profession, and we’re grateful to be here today.”

Students should invest time in preparing their cases and be ready to answer any questions, Traxler said.

Quattlebaum urged them to seek trial opportunities.

“Look for experiences to get on your feet,” he said in the release. “Some of those things are hard to come by. When you get to a firm, look for opportunities, like pro bono work, to improve your craft and develop your skills.”