U.S. Circuit Court Judge Roger L. Gregory to speak at University of Richmond School of Law commencement May 5

Judge Roger L. Gregory, the first African American to hold a seat on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, will be the speaker at University of Richmond School of Law’s commencement May 5.

Gregory was appointed to the 4th Circuit by former President Bill Clinton in December 2000, renominated by former President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate in 2001. He is the only judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals to be appointed by presidents of different political parties.

A native of Petersburg, Va., Gregory graduated from Virginia State University and earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He holds honorary degrees from Virginia Union, Virginia State, Virginia Commonwealth and Widener universities and taught constitutional law as an adjunct professor at Virginia State.

Gregory is a past rector of VCU’s board of trustees and served on Virginia State’s board of visitors. Presently a member of University of Richmond’s board of trustees, he received the School of Law’s William Green Award for Professional Excellence in 2010.

Gregory’s legal career began with the Detroit law firm Butzel, Long, Gust, Klein & Van Zile and continued as an associate with Hunton & Williams in Richmond. In 1982, he co-founded the law firm Wilder & Gregory with L. Douglas Wilder and become managing partner upon Wilder’s election as governor of Virginia.