Rex E. Lee
Encyclopedia
Rex Edwin Lee from St. Johns, Arizona
was a Constitutional
lawyer
, a law clerk
for former U.S. Supreme Court
Justice
Byron White
, and the United States Solicitor General
under the Reagan administration. He argued 59 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. A Latter-day Saint (Mormon
), Lee was an alumnus and the tenth president of Brigham Young University
.
he again became acquainted with Janet and they got married the following year.
Lee graduated first in his class from the University of Chicago Law School
in 1963. From law school he went to Washington, DC, to serve as law clerk to Byron White
, then Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. From Washington, DC, he returned to his home state of Arizona, where, as a partner in the Phoenix law firm of Jennings, Strouss & Salmon
, he established himself as a lawyer of promise. Within four years of graduating from law school (and before he had taken a deposition in any lower court civil proceeding) Rex argued his first case in the United States Supreme Court. In 1972 Lee left his burgeoning legal career to become the founding dean of the J. Reuben Clark Law School
at Brigham Young University. He served as the first dean of the School, and is considered personally responsible for recruiting many members of the exceptional charter class.
Lee entered public service, first on the invitation of Attorney General Edward H. Levi
to be an Assistant Attorney General
in charge of the Civil Division
in the United States Department of Justice
from 1975 to 1976, and then as Solicitor General of the United States from 1981 to 1985. As Solicitor General, Lee had the opportunity to focus on the legal effort he enjoyed most: briefing and arguing cases in the United States Supreme Court. Lee built a unique and enduring reputation as a man committed to principle. At the time of his death, in a hospital bed, he was preparing to argue his 60th case before the Court.
After resigning as Solicitor General, Lee returned to Brigham Young University in 1986. Shortly thereafter, he was diagnosed with cancer. Following a year of medical treatment and therapy, Lee recovered, for a time, and was named president
of BYU. He served the university community with distinction from July 1, 1989 through December 31, 1995, leaving the position two and one-half months before he died. An annual race is held in his honor at BYU to raise proceeds for cancer research.
Current U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito
served as an assistant to Solicitor General Lee from 1981 to 1985, where Alito argued 12 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Rex E. Lee's son, Mike Lee, later became a law clerk to Justice Alito, then a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
, and in 2011 became a United States Senator
from Utah. Rex E. Lee was a first cousin of Mo Udall
and Stewart Udall
.
Lee and his wife Janet had seven children.
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
was a Constitutional
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for former U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
Justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
Byron White
Byron White
Byron Raymond "Whizzer" White won fame both as a football halfback and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Appointed to the court by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, he served until his retirement in 1993...
, and the United States Solicitor General
United States Solicitor General
The United States Solicitor General is the person appointed to represent the federal government of the United States before the Supreme Court of the United States. The current Solicitor General, Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 2011 and sworn in on June...
under the Reagan administration. He argued 59 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. A Latter-day Saint (Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
), Lee was an alumnus and the tenth president of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
.
Biography
Lee served a mission for the LDS Church in the Mexican Mission. He first met Janet Griffin, whose father was the Treasury Attaché of the US embassy in Mexico City while there. When Lee returned from his mission and enrolled at Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
he again became acquainted with Janet and they got married the following year.
Lee graduated first in his class from the University of Chicago Law School
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School was founded in 1902 as the graduate school of law at the University of Chicago and is among the most prestigious and selective law schools in the world. The U.S. News & World Report currently ranks it fifth among U.S...
in 1963. From law school he went to Washington, DC, to serve as law clerk to Byron White
Byron White
Byron Raymond "Whizzer" White won fame both as a football halfback and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Appointed to the court by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, he served until his retirement in 1993...
, then Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. From Washington, DC, he returned to his home state of Arizona, where, as a partner in the Phoenix law firm of Jennings, Strouss & Salmon
Jennings Strouss
Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, P.L.C. is a 100-lawyer law firm based in Phoenix, Arizona. Offices are located in Arizona , and in Washington D.C....
, he established himself as a lawyer of promise. Within four years of graduating from law school (and before he had taken a deposition in any lower court civil proceeding) Rex argued his first case in the United States Supreme Court. In 1972 Lee left his burgeoning legal career to become the founding dean of the J. Reuben Clark Law School
J. Reuben Clark Law School
The J. Reuben Clark Law School is a professional graduate school located in Provo, Utah at Brigham Young University. Founded in 1973, the school is named after J. Reuben Clark, Jr.—former U.S. Ambassador, Undersecretary of State, and LDS Church General Authority—and its charter dean was former...
at Brigham Young University. He served as the first dean of the School, and is considered personally responsible for recruiting many members of the exceptional charter class.
Lee entered public service, first on the invitation of Attorney General Edward H. Levi
Edward H. Levi
Edward Hirsch Levi was an American academic leader, scholar, and statesman who served as United States Attorney General. He is regularly cited as the "model of a modern attorney general," the "greatest lawyer of his time," and considered, along with Yale's Whitney Griswold, the greatest of...
to be an Assistant Attorney General
United States Assistant Attorney General
Many of the divisions and offices of the United States Department of Justice are headed by an Assistant Attorney General.The President of the United States appoints individuals to the position of Assistant Attorney General with the advice and consent of the Senate...
in charge of the Civil Division
United States Department of Justice Civil Division
The United States Department of Justice Civil Division represents the United States, its departments and agencies, Members of Congress, Cabinet officers and other Federal employees...
in the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
from 1975 to 1976, and then as Solicitor General of the United States from 1981 to 1985. As Solicitor General, Lee had the opportunity to focus on the legal effort he enjoyed most: briefing and arguing cases in the United States Supreme Court. Lee built a unique and enduring reputation as a man committed to principle. At the time of his death, in a hospital bed, he was preparing to argue his 60th case before the Court.
After resigning as Solicitor General, Lee returned to Brigham Young University in 1986. Shortly thereafter, he was diagnosed with cancer. Following a year of medical treatment and therapy, Lee recovered, for a time, and was named president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of BYU. He served the university community with distinction from July 1, 1989 through December 31, 1995, leaving the position two and one-half months before he died. An annual race is held in his honor at BYU to raise proceeds for cancer research.
Current U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito
Samuel Alito
Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. is an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He was nominated by President George W. Bush and has served on the court since January 31, 2006....
served as an assistant to Solicitor General Lee from 1981 to 1985, where Alito argued 12 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Rex E. Lee's son, Mike Lee, later became a law clerk to Justice Alito, then a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts for the following districts:* District of Delaware* District of New Jersey...
, and in 2011 became a United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Utah. Rex E. Lee was a first cousin of Mo Udall
Mo Udall
Morris King "Mo" Udall was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Arizona from May 2, 1961 to May 4, 1991...
and Stewart Udall
Stewart Udall
Stewart Lee Udall was an American politician. After serving three terms as a congressman from Arizona, he served as Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969, under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B...
.
Lee and his wife Janet had seven children.
External links
- A Concurrent Resolution on the Death of Rex E. Lee from the Arizona State Legislature website
- Supreme Court Justices Pay Tribute to the Late Rex E. Lee from the Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
website - Loving Rex Lee, A Personal Remembrance from the Brigham Young University website
- Rex E. Lee Law Society at the University of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
- A Lawyer Looks at Rex Lee, by Dr. James McClellan, which appeared in the March–April 1984 Edition of Benchmark Magazine