U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Roger L. Gregory to Speak at College of Law Judicial Conversation Series

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 9, 2015) — The University of Kentucky College of Law is pleased to announce Judge Roger L. Gregory, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, will be the spring 2015 speaker for the Judicial Conversation Series. The event will take place at noon Wednesday, Feb. 18, in the College of Law Courtroom and is free and open to the public.

Judge Gregory is the first African American to sit on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. On Dec. 27, 2000, he was placed on the court by recess appointment of President Bill Clinton. Judge Gregory was re-nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for a lifetime appointment to the court in July 2001. Judge Gregory is the only person in the history of the United States to be appointed to the United States Court of Appeals by two presidents of different political parties.

A graduate of Virginia State University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, Gregory obtained his juris doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1978. He holds honorary degrees from Virginia Union University, Virginia State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Widener University and Saint Paul’s College.

Gregory began his legal career as an associate with the firm of Butzel, Long, Gust, Klein & Van Zile in Detroit, Michigan. He later associated with the firm of Hunton & Williams in Richmond, Virginia. In 1982, he formed the law firm of Wilder & Gregory with former Governor L. Douglas Wilder and practiced law at Wilder & Gregory until his appointment to the bench.

Among his many appointments, Gregory is a past president of the Old Dominion Bar Association. He is a past rector of and has served on the Board of Visitors for Virginia Commonwealth University.  He has served on the Board of Visitors of Virginia State University and as an adjunct professor of constitutional law there. He served on the Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission established by the president and Congress to commemorate that landmark decision.

He has received numerous awards, which include the National Bar Association’s prestigious Gertrude E. Rush and Equal Justice Awards and the National Conference of Christians and Jews (now named the National Conference for Community and Justice) Humanitarian Award. Gregory also received the Thurgood Marshall Award of Excellence, and was awarded the William Green Award for Professional Excellence from the University of Richmond School of Law.

Judge Gregory presently serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Richmond and is an active member of Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Petersburg, Virginia. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Alpha Beta Boulé.

Judge Gregory’s visit is part of the UK College of Law’s Judicial Conversation Series. The purpose of this series is to provide thoughtful and engaging interactions between distinguished members of the judiciary and law students. Previous speakers have included Kentucky Supreme Court Justices Minton (Chief), Abramson, Cunningham, Noble, Scott, and Venters, Chief Judge Tracey Wise of the Eastern District of Kentucky U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and U.S. Tax Court Judge Joseph Goeke. Retired Chief Judge Jennifer Coffman serves as facilitator for the series.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Harder, 859-323-2396, whitney.harder@uky.edu