with a panel at the national press club in washington d.c. this is a little over an hour. everybody got quiet, so i guess we can begin. good afternoon. as dean of the university of alabama law school in pleased today to welcome all of you to the inaugural celebration and presentation of the harper lee prize for the go fiction. now, harper lee of monroeville alabama attended our law school in the 1940s and publish to kill a mockingbird in 1960. the book illuminated the responsibility of lawyers to fight injustice and pair them to represent the wrongly accused. since its publication to kill a mockingbird has influenced generations of college graduates, sparring to practice law atticus finch to go to law school. last year on the occasion of the 50th anniversary we contacted her pearly who graciously authorized this award to honor an author whose work has exemplifies a positive role in society in their power to affect change. prices created in the character for atticus finc