Thank you, Dean Alfini, for the kind introduction.

But I must tell this group of graduates and family here today something right off—I am so pleased to be here because I happen to be a big fan of South Texas College of Law.  Yes—my son attended this school, the children of friends have attended this school and my wife was a faculty member here.

So I am happy to be here with you today to congratulate you and your families.  And as a former professor myself, may I congratulate the faculty and the administration.  We are all proud of the class of 2006.

On this occasion, we mark together the end of your formal legal studies.  And we mark the beginning of your career in the important profession of law.  I stand before you as a non-lawyer, an engineer.  But I have become a champion of the enormous importance of the legal profession.  It is that notion—the importance of law and the legal profession—on which I want to speak to you today.

South Texas College of Law has long been recognized for graduating lawyers who are prepared to do something.  I applaud that.  And, in many cases, you have already proven your abilities in the legal realm—through internships, or in mock trials and moot court competitions, where this school has a truly impressive record of success.

I imagine that many of you will stay on to work right here in Texas, and some even in Houston, the center of the global energy business.  Our nation faces significant challenges to our energy security.  As Secretary of Energy I want to encourage lawyers like you to have a role in shaping our necessary shared effort to provide clean, cost-effective, safe and secure energy options for the American people.

Because of President Bush’s strong leadership in this area, we have already taken important steps to setting this country on a path to decreased dependency on fossil fuels and increased diversity in our energy markets.  But there is more to do.

Although the situation is complex, the bottom line is that we need more energy from all sources.  We must use fossil energy, which will continue to dominate world energy supplies for the next several decades at least.

We must increase our use of currently available renewable energy technologies like solar and wind power and develop new ones like cellulosic ethanol, which could offer a more cost competitive alternative transportation fuel than ethanol currently produced from corn.  And we must expand access to safe and emissions-free nuclear power in a way that responsibly manages waste and dramatically reduces proliferation risks. 

Getting new technologies developed and marketed will involve advanced scientific and engineering research in government labs, universities, and elsewhere.  But it also will require political will, complicated policy and regulatory work, and strong industry involvement.  And those are the key areas where you all could contribute. 

Whatever it is that you go on to do—whether here in Texas or elsewhere—in the energy arena, or not—I hope you will always appreciate the truly important role that lawyers play in our society. Not only in terms of handling individual cases or deals, but in allowing our system of government and our economy to function.

You know, on a personal note, I have to tell you that I’ve had a bit of an epiphany about the legal profession since I arrived in Washington. I have known many extremely capable, highly ethical and committed lawyers throughout my life—my wife being first among them. 

But it was not until I came to Washington that I began to understand and appreciate the breadth of impact that the legal profession has had on our nation. 

Democracy demands participation by its citizens.  The lawyer, by the nature of the profession, uniquely participates on a daily basis in the framework that is vital to our freedom. Some take it further and at some point enter public service.

The contributions that lawyers have made to the formation and growth of our democracy have been critical at every stage of our history…and that is still true today.

Texas lawyers like Jim Baker and Bob Strauss have given you some outstanding examples of public service.  And, the current Administration has many very able Texan lawyers:  Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, White House Counsel Harriet Miers, my own Deputy Secretary at the Energy Department Clay Sell, as well as many others at all levels and in all Departments.

These fine professionals all demonstrate certain attributes that I have observed both as a CEO and in my work in government.

First, in my view, the best lawyers I’ve known are those who always remain focused on and committed to the facts.  A true appreciation for the importance of factually accurate information – data, if you will – is something that an engineer like me shares with lawyers like you.

Secondly, fine lawyers help determine sound approaches to a problem, and then thoughtfully, and with integrity, help a client realize a goal.

When I have sought out a general counsel or a legal advisor whether in industry or government, the type of person that has been most valuable is a lawyer who, while he or she may specialize in one area, is able to apply his or her analytical skills to a broad range of problems and policy areas.

And finally, I’ve always found that the fine lawyers are those who are not only skilled at the practice of law, but consistent in the practice of civility. I’ve always been impressed with lawyers who treat both adversaries and allies with courtesy and respect, even under the most severe pressure.

I can also tell you that the qualities I have outlined do not exist only in lawyers with grey hair and years of experience.  I have met many young lawyers who have made remarkable contributions to organizations and the public good–even early in their careers.  Because, what it all comes down to is a deep reverence for the law and good judgment—and those are things that can’t be taught.  They must be within you.

A lawyer with good judgment and a reverence for the law is the highly valued lawyer—one with integrity, courage, pride and honor.  The truth is, lawyers today are grappling with the challenges that will shape America’s future…challenges to our security and safety, challenges to our well-being and environmental health, and challenges to our future economic growth and competitiveness.

And this is especially true for lawyers working at all levels of government.  I sincerely hope that each of you will consider spending some of your career in service to your country.

For myself, I can say that while I enjoyed my career in the private sector and my years in academia before that, the opportunity to serve in this Administration is a great privilege.

Working with the dedicated men and women of the U.S. government to tackle serious problems on behalf of the American people is rewarding and a true honor.  Government service can offer you tremendous opportunities to garner experience and make a real contribution. You would benefit, but our nation would benefit even more from your service.

But, let me also say this: it is not just lawyers, in and of themselves, who help to make our system of government function; it is the foundation of laws on which they depend.  My time in Washington has further strengthened my belief in the critical importance of the rule of law as a bedrock of our political system, and of our economy as well.

As I have traveled around the world – whether to Eastern Europe, the Middle East or Asia – I have seen, time and time again, that a system of fairly developed and fairly applied laws is absolutely necessary for democracy to flourish.  And—as importantly—for economies to succeed.

Successful nations must ensure these fundamental covenants with their citizenry: transparency in decision-making at all levels of government . . . a stable regulatory and judicial environment . . . adequate protections for physical and intellectual property . . . and systems for rooting out corruption, including a free media and an active civil society.

And, of course, they must also have a cadre of passionate, engaged, highly ethical legal professionals to defend the rule of law. That is your role wherever you choose to practice.

Judge Learned Hand spoke of the “spirit of liberty” found in the hearts of the people that is necessary for a successful legal system.  We as a people have that spirit—perhaps being best demonstrated today by the young men and women serving so honorably in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So today, as you begin your individual roles as lawyers, may I, as a non-lawyer, ask you to remember the importance of law and your profession. You are responsible for upholding and defending the most fundamental principles of our republic:  freedom, truth, justice, and fair and equal treatment.  In short, it is up to you to uphold our greatest American promise of liberty and justice for all.

I want to end with a short vignette.  I graduated from college in 1960—a long time ago.  My university had a tradition of marching the graduating class through a serpentine pattern—so you would pass each classmate and have the opportunity of saying goodbye to them one last time.  In that serpentine march the University included the 50-year class.  They led the parade.

In the bumping that inevitably occurs on such occasions there were stops and starts to the process.  At one point I halted for a moment in front of a man who I had never seen before or since.  He was a graduate of the class of 1910.  He looked at me and said, “work hard…but save some time for some fun.  Because, before you know it, you will be standing here where I am.”  Then the parade resumed, and I never saw hi again.  I do not know who he was.

It is now almost 50 years later.  Soon I hope to be preparing for my own 50^th reunion.  And I would offer to you the same advice offered to me by that Cornell graduate of 100 years ago:  Work hard.  But save some time for some fun.  Because before you know it, you will be standing right here where I am.

Thank you.  God bless you and your families.  And good luck!

Location:
South Texas College of Law
Houston, Texas

Media contact(s):
Craig Stevens, (202) 586-4940