remarks now from the seventh circuit chief judge easterbrook. this is about 15 minutes. [applause] >> thank you. the most significant factor about the last year is the 15 courts of this circuit are handling their business promptly and in good order. in the world where failings of government make headlines, it is good to emphasize the successes. first, and most importantly, the court of appeals, the district courts, the bankruptcy courts, and the courts of the circuit are current with their work. that is not to say that some cases do not take too long or that there is no room for improvement, but we can be proud of our everyday performance. this is possible, in part, because caseloads have remained reasonably steady. bying the 1970's, cases rose about 30% per year. during the 1980's, the rate was about 5%. during the 1990's, the rate was about 2%. during the last decade, there has been a decline both in appeals and and pilings from the district court. your appeal were filed last year -- fewer appeals were filed last year than in 2000. the bankruptcy business and remains b

and when judge easterbrook asked me if i would come and speak at this event, i thought -- i thought of how terrific, i love chicago and i love the seventh circuit. it would be my honor to do so. and i thought that i would speak about my job as solicitor-general and tell you about what it is like to have the second best job in the united states. but in light of -- in light of recent vents, i thought that won be right thing to talk about. the only appropriate subject tonight is justice stevens and his extraordinary career. [applause] really all you need to know about justice stevens is what he told you about -- my exchange with him earlier today, when i was coming out here & looked at the program and i saw, that the program has remarks by justice stevens and drace by kagan and i sort of thought, as the order, and i thought that does not make any sense at all. you know, said that, communicated that to his chambers and i said it again to him here. and he would have -- none of it. and he just insisted that you know, he was just a -- humble supreme court justice retiring after 35 years and -

. >> but i was introduced at that conference by judge easterbrook, and the judge introduced me as having the second best legal job in america. he went on to say the first best legal job in america was to be the deputy solicitor general, and paul clement has done both. his more than seven years of service in the office of solicitor general is actually the longest period of continuous service in that office since the 19th century. he has argued over 50 cases before the united states supreme court. he is one of the incredibly tiny group of people who can claim they have argued more cases than they have years on the planet. did you reach cases or 40 years first? >> 40 years, unfortunately. >> too bad. 50 cases, and more than the number, paul complement is known at the supreme court and across the supreme court bar as simply the gold standard in supreme court argument. the solicitor general's following pool is always questioning that. are you as good as paul clement , and the answer is going to be invariably no. this is a fabulous panel, and we will get right to it. the way we are going to wo

when judge easterbrook first asked me to speak, i thought, how terrific, i love the seventh circuit. it would be my honor to do so. i thought i would speak about my job as solicitor general can tell you about what is like to have the second-best jump in the united states. in light of recent events, i thought that would not be the right thing to talk about. the only appropriate subject tonight is justice stevens and his extraordinary career. [applause] really, all you need to know about justice stevens is what he told you about my exchange with him. earlier today, when i looked at the program and i saw "remarks by justice stevens" and "address by elena kainandkagan" by elenae none of it. he said that he was just a humble supreme court justice who was retiring after 35 years. the solicitor general should give the speech. we are going to try to turn the tables a little bit and make sure that the focus remained on justice stevens tonight. the justice stevens, i think this will embarrass you greatly -- i hope it will -- but that is what we will do. if you read the newspapers, justice stev