Appleton, Wisconsin--Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler of Milwaukee was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters by Lawrence University Sunday, June 10, at the college’s 158th commencement.

A 1973 Lawrence University graduate, Butler has earned several notable "firsts" during a 30-year career dedicated to public service. He is the first African-American in state history to serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He also holds the distinction of being the first attorney from the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Gov. Jim Doyle appointed Butler to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in August, 2004 to fill the position vacated by Justice Diane Sykes, who left for the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Butler began his judicial career as a Milwaukee Municipal Court judge in 1992 after 13 years with the State Public Defender's Office. He was appointed a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge in 2002.

His work as a jurist has been recognized with numerous awards, among them the 2006 Humanitarian of the Year by the American Federation of Teachers, Local 212, the 2005 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Foot Soldiers’ Award and the Outstanding Citizen’s Award from the Wisconsin Council of Deliberations, Prince Hall Masons. He also is a two-time recipient (2003, 2004) of the Trail Blazer Award presented by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

A former adjunct professor at Marquette University Law School, Butler is a permanent member of the faculty at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nev., which provides continuing education for judges around the nation. He also serves as a member of the bench at the Moot Court Competition at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles.

Outside the courtroom Butler has been involved with a host of state and national organizations, serving as a member of the board of directors for the NAACP, Legal Action of Wisconsin and the Criminal Law Section of the State Bar. He also has worked with the Community Brainstorming Conference in Milwaukee, the Criminal Justice Reforms Task Force and the Urban Initiative Task Force on Public Education.