"It is not enough to graduate people with wide horizons who believe in the pursuit of happiness," said Nader. "This pursuit must also include the pursuit of justice."

Raj K. Goyle, a third-year HLS student, helped to bring Nader to campus.

"Ralph is one of us," Goyle said, referring to Nader's time as a student at Harvard. "His words can be looked at as a how-to manual for Harvard Law School students on how to effect change."

Goyle added, "Rather than refuse to challenge the world he saw, he took what he learned at Harvard Law School and moved society towards his vision of social justice."

Nader also outlined his belief that Harvard can become a leader in the fight for a just society.

"It's time to use Harvard's status and prestige, its brainpower as well as its endowment to help create institutions of systemic justice," he said.

Nader has already started this path in helping to establish the Appleseed Foundation. The organization, started in 1993 by members of the 1958 HLS graduating class, describes its mission as "attacking the causes of injustice and patterns of abuse in order to strengthen justice and make democracy more productive."

Through 13 public interest law centers in 12 states that address "causes of problems instead of symptoms," the Appleseed Foundation hopes to help bring back the pursuit of justice to public interest work.