The Bench and Academia

I am touched, Chair, by the invitation to deliver the keynote address at your meeting. A keynote address is supposed to set the key for the occasion. It should be filled with wisdom and jurisprudential philosophy. However, I imagine that most of you would prefer an address that sounds more like background music – allowing you to ignore it and to enjoy your wining and dining. Therefore, if what you are about to hear is not set in the A Major key but rather in F Minor, consider that I am not only hard of hearing, I am also tone deaf.