KUNR Features ACTL in Story on the Legal Debate Over How Schools Use Title IX
December 21, 2017
In 2011, the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights issued a Dear Colleague Letter that instructed colleges to use a specific standard in their investigations: preponderance of the evidence. It's the standard used in most civil cases, and lawyers generally agree it means whoever has the most evidence on their side -- 51 percent to 49 percent -- wins. Read more.
Reply Briefs Filed as ACTL Continues To Seek Justice For Disabled Veterans
December 13, 2017
The College, through the efforts of the Special Problems in the Administration of Justice (U.S.) Committee, filed reply briefs December 12, 2017 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Many dedicated Fellows have been working to help with the deprivation of due process for veterans in the failure to adjudicate appeals of disability claims in a timely manner. Read more.
North Carolina Chapter Issues Statement On Senate Bill 698
December 6, 2017
The North Carolina Chapter of the College adopted a statement regarding Senate Bill 698 currently before the North Carolina General Assembly. Read more.
ACTL Partners With American Academy of Appellate Lawyers For First Time
December 6, 2017
The Teaching of Trial and Appellate Advocacy Committee partnered with the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers to present a program to public interest lawyers. Read more
Seventy-Eight New Fellows Inducted Into College
September 21, 2017
The College welcomed 78 new Fellows during the Induction Ceremony at the 2017 Annual Meeting in Montréal, Québec. Read the complete list.
NPR Features College in Article on Looking at a Better Way to Handle Campus Sexual Assault
September 20, 2017
Immediate Past President Bart Dalton was interviewed by NPR in an article titled, Is There A 'Better Way' To Handle Campus Sexual Assault? From the article: "Some want [Secretary of Education Betsy] DeVos to convene a diverse committee to help hash out new rules, as the ABA task force and The American College of Trial Lawyers did. But there is even disagreement in what those groups concluded; the ACTL recommended that the standard of evidence should be raised. Read More
ACTL Installs New President
September 18, 2017
The American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), one of the premier professional organizations composed of preeminent trial lawyers from the U.S. and Canada, has installed Samuel H. Franklin, of Lightfoot, Franklin & White, LLC in Birmingham, Alabama, as its 68th President to lead the College during the coming year. The College also elected five new members to its Board of Regents at its 67th Annual Meeting in Montreal. Read more.
Fall 2017 Journal Now Available
September 14, 2017
The latest issue of the Journal is now available. The print version will be arriving in your mailbox soon. The issue introduces 2017-2018 President Samuel H. Franklin and features an article on jury nullification and other Fellow written articles. Click here to view.
Applications Invited for 2018 Gumpert Award
September 6, 2017
Applications are now being accepted for the 2018 Emil Gumpert Award. The deadline is October 2, 2017.
The award was established in honor of the late Honorable Emil Gumpert, chancellor-founder of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Judge Gumpert, throughout his more than half-century career as an eminent trial lawyer, state bar president, and trial judge, substantially and effectively devoted himself to the administration of justice and to the improvement of trial practice.
A single grant of up to $100,000 will be awarded to a program, public or private, whose principal purpose is to maintain and improve the administration of justice. The program may be associated with a court, law school, bar association, or any other organization that typically provides such a program.
Refer to the ACTL website for complete program guidelines. Download the instructions and applications here.
Fellows File Consolidated Briefs in the Federal Circuit on Behalf of Veterans
August 11, 2017
Two briefs were filed yesterday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by Fellows in support of the College's efforts to seek justice for disabled veterans. Read more.
Journal, Annual Report Receive International Award
August 10, 2017
The American College of Trial Lawyers was named the winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the Best House Organ – For Customers (Public Enterprise, Government, Association) category in the 14th Annual International Business Awards today. The College was also named the winner of a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Best Annual Report – Print - Non-Profit or Government Organizations category. Read the full press release.
Richmond Times-Dispatch Runs College Opinion on Campus Sexual Assault Investigations
July 11, 2017
Immediate Past President Michael W. Smith and Regent Elizabeth N. Mulvey co-wrote an opinion titled, "To be fair to all, campus sexual misconduct investigations need reform." It was published on the front page of the Commentary section of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Read the full opinion.
Complex Litigation Committee Publishes New Book
July 10, 2017
The Complex Litigation Committee has published a new book, Demonstrative Aids At Trial. The book is available through the Bloomberg BNA website. Read more details.
Summer 2017 Journal Issue Now Available
June 22, 2017
The latest issue of the Journal can now be
viewed online. The print version should be arriving in your mailbox soon. This issue recaps the speakers and events of the 2017 Spring Meeting in Boca Raton, Florida.
June eBulletin Now Available
June 2, 2017
The June eBulletin was sent out to all Fellows. View the
latest issue here.
College Issues Statement on Defunding Legal Services Corporation
June 1, 2017
The American College of Trial Lawyers has as its mission the improvement of the administration of justice through education and public statements on important legal issues relating to that mission. The College strongly supports the independence of the judiciary, trial by jury, respect for the rule of law, access to justice and fair and just representation of all parties to legal proceedings.
Read more.
New Standards for Campus Sexual Assault Investigations
June 1, 2017
The American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) recommended
new standards for campus sexual assault investigations that would ensure basic fairness for both the complaining party and the accused student. The recommendations are based on the findings of its Task Force on the Response of Universities and Colleges to Allegations of Sexual Violence (the Task Force), which are published in a
new report that is available on the ACTL website.
Read more.
Sixty-Five New Fellows Join College Ranks
March 17, 2017
The College welcomed 65 new Fellows at the 2017 Spring Meeting in Boca Raton, Florida.
Read the full list.
Fellow Receives Griffin Bell Award for Courageous Advocacy
March 9, 2017
Judy Clarke, Fellow and criminal defense attorney, was presented the
Griffin Bell Award for Courageous Advocacy at the Spring Meeting in Boca Raton, Florida on Saturday, March 4, 2017. The award is the highest honor conferred on a single individual by the College. In its 53 years of existence, the award has been extended previously only 14 times.
Read the press release.
Canadian Supreme Court Justice Becomes Honorary Fellow
March 9, 2017
The Honourable Mr. Justice Russell Brown, Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, received Honorary Fellowship from the College at its Spring Meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
Read the press release.