In Memoriam by Jane Johnson
John Kramer: Where to begin? Any attempt to summarize a life of accomplishment of such titanic proportion is doomed to failure absent several hundred more pages than are available for this dedication. Any effort to capture his life force—his spirit, energy, humor, and heart—challenges the written word as rendered in law reviews. A novel would suffice, or perhaps a film, or a TV reality show: Survivor: Kramer.
One of John Kramer's most memorable incarnations was as dean of Tulane Law School from 1986 to 1996. During his deanship his achievements included, according to current dean Lawrence Ponoroff, “nothing less than transforming Tulane from a primarily regional law school into a nationally recognized and respected institution.” Most mortals would rest content with that one. In the case of John Kramer, it was merely one in a long list of accomplishments in a life as lawyer, activist, scholar, law professor, and dean. In each role, as at Tulane, John Kramer was a transformative force, a visionary unfettered by precedent, a happy warrior, and a leader forcing people and institutions to reorder their priorities and reach their highest and best purpose. In each role, he strove above all to be a “drum major for justice.”
So perhaps the best way to describe John Kramer is simply to let his overwhelming accomplishments speak for themselves.
About the Author
Jane Johnson. Clinical Instructor, Tulane University School of Law. Past Director of the Civil Litigation Clinic and Domestic Violence Clinic, Tulane University School of Law 1974.
Citation
81 Tul. L. Rev. 1 (2006)