He is "a lawyer's lawyer--a brilliant andpragmatic legal scholar and practitioner and anice guy," said Dershowitz.

"He is not someone who brings a particularideology with him," said Andrew L. Kaufman '51,Fairchild professor of law. "I think he is thekind of person who decides each case one at a timeand individually... and not coming from anyparticular part of the political and ideologicalperspective."

Breyer still teaches one or two courses a yearat the Law School, usually in anti-trust oradministrative law, according to Clark.

However, he is unlikely to continue teaching.As Clark said, "I think his new duties will beall-consuming."

In the late 1980s, Breyer was a top candidateto become dean of the Law School.

He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard LawSchool in 1964. He joined the Law School facultyin 1967.

Colleagues say Breyer is perfectly suited forthe Supreme Court.

"I think he will bring to the Court a legalmind that will be easily a match for anyone on theCourt so he will contribute intellectually," Boksaid. "He is very intelligent, full of goodhumor."

'Very Bright'

"He is very bright, he is welltrained, he hasgreat judicial experience and he brings anexpertise to the court that will complement thevirtues of the people already there," Clark said.

And Breyer's former teacher, Langdell Professorof Law, Emeritus, Erwin N. Griswold, said Breyermeasures up to his other three former students whoare already on the court--Ginsberg, Anthony M.Kennedy and David H. Souter.

"I think he will be a fine justice, and willplay whatever kind of law the law calls for,"Griswold said