美国杨百翰大学法学院院长在中国政法大学法学院建院40周年庆祝大会上的致辞

在中国政法大学法学院

建院40周年庆祝大会上的致辞

美国杨百翰大学法学院院长

Gordon Smith

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make a few remarks as a representative of international friendship law schools at this 40th Anniversary Celebration. The China University of Political Science and Law is renowned throughout the world for high-quality faculty, students, and alumni, and I am honored to participate in this event. My own law school was founded in 1973, and we are celebrating our 45th anniversary this year. We are excited to have a relationship with CUPL.

The Latin word spīro — often translated “to breathe” — is a component part of many modern English words. For example, conspire comes from roots meaning “breathe” and “together”; perspire comes from roots meaning breathe through; expire from breathe out; and aspire from breathe on. But my favorite spīro derivative is the word inspire, which combines roots meaning breathe into. At BYU Law School, I strive to inspire our students with a simple but profound idea: lawyers can change the world for the better. We refer to this idea as inspiring leadership.

As I have discussed inspiring leadership with my colleagues at the Law School, I have focused on three simple words: excellence, teamwork, and innovation. 

Inspiring leadership demands excellence. We aspire to be a great law school, to be a source of great ideas and a training ground for great professionals. 

Inspiring leadership demands teamwork. When done right, legal education can teach empathy, that is, the ability to see and feel as another. While most notions of leadership involve a central heroic individual guiding a group of admirers, inspiring leadership is a collective endeavor. In our best moments at the Law School, we learn and serve together. 

Inspiring leadership demands innovation. BYU Law School has become known as one of the most innovative law schools in the nation, and we value new ideas as inherently good and important. Law has the capacity to advance peace, justice, and opportunity, and inspiring leadership toward these ends requires innovation.

The essence of inspiring leadership is a willingness to bring our knowledge, skills, and effort to the service of our community. We can accomplish that when we demand excellence of ourselves and those around us, when we work together in true collaborations, and when we explore innovative approaches to providing legal services. CUPL is in a position to train such leaders, people who will generate and implement ideas that change the world.