June 2022 eBulletin Issue 37

In This Section

June 2022

Dear Fellows:

As I complete two thirds of my term as President, I am grateful for the extraordinarily warm welcome Brett and I receive at every location in our travels. Just this past week, Brett and I enjoyed wonderful meetings and dinners with the Fellows from Missouri and Southern California. In between, we spent three days in Washington, DC at the Supreme Court of the United States for a Forum on the Rule of Law. The College was honored to join the Association of Marshall Scholars as we welcomed delegates from the US Supreme Court, the UK Supreme Court, top jurists and a barrister from the UK, as well as a remarkable group of US Judges, College Fellows, and Marshall Scholars. Chief Justice Richard Wagner of Canada was also able to join us for the opening reception and dinner at the US Supreme Court.

The Marshall Scholarship was founded by Britain after World War II as an expression of gratitude for the many benefits it received from the implementation of the Marshall Plan. Since then, some of our best and brightest students have benefited from the scholarship.

ACTL Executive Committee Members Immediate Past President Rodney Acker, Secretary Rick Deane, and Secretary-Designate John Day accompanied us, along with Past President Doug Young. The Forum included a special group of Justices and Judges. As Justice John Paul Stevens said: “It is the confidence in the men and women who administer the judicial system that is the true backbone of the Rule of Law.”

The panelists addressed a broad spectrum of topics including: the Rule of Law, Free Speech and the Internet, Independent Judiciary, human rights, civil liberties, climate, virtual justice and jurisprudence in a post-Pandemic world, and the separation of powers. I shared with the group that our Judiciary and Judicial Independence Committees have been asked by the Executive Committee to explore potential suggestions to the US Senate for improving the confirmation process for judges, particularly for the United States Supreme Court. Unfortunately, US Senators from both sides have contributed to the degradation of this critical process causing the diminishment of the public’s confidence in our judicial system. Hopefully, we can propose useful modifications to our friends in the Senate for their consideration.

Over the years, the College has sponsored several Legal Exchanges between the US Supreme Court and the top jurists in the UK, even before the establishment of the UK Supreme Court in 2009. We have treasured this special relationship as we continue working to strengthen our respective systems and learn from each other. As our world faces challenges both old and new, continued legal discourse between the United States and the United Kingdom is vital to improving access to Justice, ensuring civil liberties, and providing guidance on critical legal issues in a post-Pandemic society. Through programs such as this Forum, our two countries have the opportunity to reach our common goals through thoughtful discussion and dialogue. The College is grateful for this partnership, and we look forward to many more events like this one in the future.
Rule of Law Group Photo_raw image

Unfortunately, the day before the Forum started, there was a leak of the Dobbs draft opinion regarding abortion rights and suggesting that the Court majority might be positioned to overrule Roe v. Wade. The leak has resulted in demonstrations by citizens on both sides of this issue and many statements from elected politicians. This was to be expected since the issues surrounding the decision in Roe have divided our country for decades. For several days the protests grew outside the Supreme Court. We have all seen reports of protesters assembling outside the homes of several of the Justices and protesters also intruding on religious services in various churches around our country.

All Americans are entitled to express their strongly held feelings based on their beliefs and life experiences. The First Amendment protects the free speech rights of all our citizens. However, protests and picketing at locations designed to intimidate the Justices if they do not rule in a certain way on a particular issue also threaten the independence of the Judiciary. The Rule of Law requires Judges to exercise independent judgment based on the facts and legal arguments that are presented to them without undue influence or apparent efforts to intimidate them. Some state and federal statutes expressly prohibit protests targeted at Judges in close proximity to the courthouses where cases are pending and near the homes of the Judges. These laws are based on protecting and preserving the ideals of judicial independence as well as the peace and tranquility of a person’s home. It should go without saying that while thoughtful criticism of a judicial ruling is fair and may be productive, no Judge should be threatened or bullied based on a court decision. In fact, it has long been recognized that criminal statutes limiting the free speech rights of protesters that target Judges in the vicinities of their courthouses or outside their homes are consistent with fundamental First Amendment principles. Nearly 60 years ago, Justice Goldberg wrote for the Court in Cox v. Louisiana that a statute prohibiting protests in the near proximity of a courthouse was constitutional. His reasoning remains persuasive today:

“Liberty can only be exercised in a system of law which safeguards order. We reaffirm the repeated holdings of this Court that our constitutional command of free speech and assembly is basic and fundamental and encompasses peaceful social protest, so important to the preservation of the freedoms treasured in a democratic society. We also reaffirm the repeated decisions of this Court that there is no place for violence in a democratic society dedicated to liberty under law, and that the right of peaceful protest does not mean that everyone with opinions or beliefs to express may do so at any time and at any place. There is a proper time and place for even the most peaceful protest and a plain duty and responsibility on the part of all citizens to obey all valid laws and regulations.”

The protests at Justices’ homes, along with the obstruction of religious services, are not consistent with First Amendment principles governing the time, place, and manner of peaceful protests. More importantly, such protests are not consistent with the principles of judicial independence that are central to the core mission of this College. Full opportunity can and should exist for the exercise of our rights to freedom of speech and expression and everyone has a right for their views to be heard. But it is my sincere hope that our citizens will find ways to engage in robust and fulsome debate on the important issues of our day, no matter how divisive, without resort to inappropriate intimidation and harassment.

Brett and I look forward to upcoming trips to visit Fellows throughout the United States and Canada. In the meantime, the eBulletin continues to share the stories of our Fellows doing important work and sustaining our fellowship.

Best regards,

Michael L. O'Donnell
ACTL President

Get Involved!

Committees are critical to fulfilling the mission of the College. They work to identify candidates for Fellowship, publish timely white papers, support advocacy training, and much more. College Committee terms generally begin and end in conjunction with the Annual Meeting each fall, and appointments for the upcoming term are made during the summer. If you are interested in serving on a College committee, visit our Get Involved page where you can learn about committee service. From there, you can also fill out our Get Involved form online and we will work to get you appointed to one of the committees that interests you. Please reach out to Amy Mrugalski, amrugalski@actl.com with any questions.

Registration is open for the 2022 Annual Meeting in Rome. This spectacular event will include incredible speakers, unique experiences and unforgettable social events. Space is limited; please click here to register now and join us at this historic destination.

ACTL Podcast

Season Three Launches This Summer!

Season Three of Trial Tested: A Podcast by the American College of Trial Lawyers launches with all new episodes this summer. Join hosts Amy Gunn, Mike Herring and Dave Paul as they bring you captivating interviews with Marie Heinen, David Boies, ACTL Past President Warren Lightfoot and more.

Download Seasons One and Two on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite listening app.

Emil Gumpert Award Announced

2022 Gumpert Award presentation President Mike O’Donnell, accompanied by Past President Fran Wikstrom, presented Clean Slate Utah and its First Step Expungement Program with the 2022 Emil Gumpert Award on May 17. The organization helps low-income Utahns clear their criminal records and access new opportunities. Clean Slate Utah began its work in 2019, when its leaders helped advocate for the passage of a law to automatically expunge at least one criminal record of more than 450,000 Utahns. The Emil Gumpert Award is the highest honor conferred by the College on a single organization annually, recognizing programs whose principal purpose is to maintain and improve the administration of justice with a $100,000 grant. Information on how to apply for the 2023 award will be available on the ACTL website this summer. Notification will be sent when applications open and Fellows are encouraged to refer worthy organizations to apply. More information can be found at www.actl.com/gumpertaward.

✦ Update Your Fellow Profile and Address for the 2023 Roster ✦

Please take a moment to make sure your Fellow Profile is up to date. Contact information is used in the College Roster and the directory on the website. Updates submitted by Sept. 1, 2022 will be included in the 2023 Roster. This year we are also asking that you consider adding your home address, personal email and mobile phone, so we may stay in contact if offices close down again in the future. Personal information is not displayed in the directory, unless directed by you. Remember to check your practice areas, law school attended, and other information in the profile. Address and Profile updates can be accomplished in one of two ways:

ONLINE: It’s fast, easy and immediately shows in the online directory. Just log in at www.actl.com. Click on My Account, then select Fellow Profile. The edit button next to the section heading allows you to make changes in that section. Firm address changes can only be made by sending the new information to National Office.

ROSTER UPDATE FORM: Download the Roster Update form. The completed form can be printed, mailed, emailed, or faxed to the National Office.

For assistance, please contact the National Office at nationaloffice@actl.com or 949-752-1801.

Fellow Sarah Chapin Columbia has been named Litigator of the Year in Massachusetts as part of the Managing IP Americas Awards on April 7, 2022. Now in its 17th year, the Managing IP Awards program covers several IP practice areas and more than 50 jurisdictions. The research for the program consists of information obtained from firms, IP practitioners, and clients through interviews and online surveys.

Fellow Fred David Gray was presented with an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from The University of Alabama during the School of Law commencement ceremony on May 8. Gray is a civil rights pioneer and one of the most prolific civil rights lawyers in the history of Alabama and the United States. In 1963, he played an indispensable role in the legal desegregation of public education not only in Alabama, but throughout the United States, when he successfully represented Vivian Malone and James Hood in their pursuit of enrollment at UA. During his illustrious career, Gray represented the plaintiffs in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., participants in the Selma March, and the participants and families in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study class-action lawsuit.

Distinguished Pro Bono Fellow Joseph Tate was honored during the Region 13 Regional Meeting on April 9 in Philadelphia. Tate is among the eight inaugural members of the Distinguished Pro Bono Fellows program and continues to serve on the Distinguished Pro Bono Fellows Committee. Tate was recognized because of his extraordinary work for and through Community Legal Services (CLS). For more than twenty years, Tate has contributed his services to that organization as well supporting his alma mater, Villanova Law School.

Boot Camp Trial Training Program

Several Boot Camp Trial Training Programs have bee Houston Boot Camp 2

n held across the country in 2022, most recently in cities such as Houston, Denver and Orlando. On April 21, Houston presented a program under the leadership of David Weinstein and Murray Fogler. Following the Houston Program, the College presented the boot camp in Denver on May 12 under the leadership of committee member and Legal Ethics and Professionalism Committee Vice Chair Carolyn Fairless. It was presented in the ceremonial courtroom of the United States District Court before over 75 young lawyers. According to one young lawyer: The program was “terrific.” Then on May 13, the program was presented in the ceremonial courtroom of the United States District Court in Orlando under the leadership of committee member Mark Horwitz. This program brought another large attendance by young lawyers eager to learn. Judicial Fellow Judge Skip Dalton was active in the program.

With the ongoing success of the Boot Camps, the program continues to grow and expand, with a virtual program recently conducted in partnership with the United Kingdom and a new 12-month program being held virtually over the lunch hour in partnership with Maryland area bar associations. Several additional Boot Camps have been scheduled for in-person programs in 2022 including dates in Chicago, Washington D.C., Phoenix and Detroit.

For information on scheduling a Boot Camp in your area, contact Committee Chair Paul Mark Sandler at pms@shapirosher.com.

“It’s Very Hard to Give Away Money”

If anyone had told me that I would be quoting billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk in this column, I would have been, at very least, skeptical. But this is one instance in which he has hit the mark on something that is on the collective minds of your Foundation Trustees. “When it comes to donations, I’d say it is very difficult to give away money effectively,” Mr. Musk said in an interview with the CEO of Insider’s parent company. “If you care about the reality of doing good and not the perception of doing good, then it is very hard to give away money effectively.”

You can be assured that the U.S. Foundation is committed “to the reality of doing good”; and we would very much appreciate the assistance of all Fellows in achieving that objective. As we approach the end of our fiscal year on June 30, we find ourselves with available grant funds still in the coffer; and they will still be there in the coming fiscal year. In saying that, I feel compelled to make two points clear:

First, we are extremely proud of the grants that we have made in this fiscal year on your behalf. To name just a few of the grantees, they include: Just The Beginning, a pipeline organization that works with the Judicial Resources Committee of the United States Judicial Conference to run the Summer Judicial Internship Diversity Project; School Justice Project, which provides legal representation to incarcerated and detained youths with learning disabilities who are in need of special education assistance; Trial Practice Institute of the National Criminal Defense College, which trains public, federal and military defenders, among others, to ensure principled and highly competent representation of criminal defendants; and the public interest fellowships developed by ACTL Fellows in conjunction with the Southern University Law Center. In addition, of course, and of great importance, we fund the ACTL’s Emil Gumpert Award, which this year went to Clean Slate Utah, a first step expungement program for individuals who deserve and are entitled to have their records expunged in order to reopen employment, educational, and housing opportunities that were previously denied to them.

Second, the Trustees will not deviate from the Foundation’s missions, which match those of the College itself, with a particular focus on maintaining and seeking to improve the administration of justice. As a result, we receive, but respectfully decline, many grant applications that do not quite fit our mission, or our practical self-imposed applicant guidelines, e.g., organizations that are too large to benefit materially from a Foundation grant, or organizations that are too loosely structured to persuade us that a stated objective can actually be met.

We are quite sure, as you probably are, that a multitude of organizations exist that match our formal and practical guidelines. One need only read or watch the news to be aware that needs are growing. Economic circumstances have exacerbated such issues as housing security, while world circumstances have increased the flow of immigrants. Many affected individuals are in great need of legal representation, and many of the organizations that serve them are in dire need of additional funds.

Our Fellowship numbers in the thousands. If just a few of us would take the time to consider organizations in our own venues that could put to good use the financial resources that we offer in furtherance of the administration of justice, together we could ensure that the beginning of our new fiscal year will present the Foundation with a broad swath of worthy applicants.

Will you be among those who will help?

Because justice can’t wait . . .

Joan A. Lukey

ACTL Foundation President

State and Province Committees

Florida:

State Chair Scott Richardson participated in a program with two federal judges at the University of Florida Law School on April 8, 2022. The program was entitled “Practicing with Professionalism: Summer Success”. It was an hour-long session with first and second-year law students who intend to intern in public sector offices during the summer. The topics ranged from substantive, such as how to respond when assignments are given, should you ever turn down an assignment, how to ask questions, how to seek and respond to feedback; and the practical, such as how to dress, how to address your supervisor or superior, or how to address a judge.

Kentucky

April 11, the Diversity Sub-Committee Kentucky 3 sponsored an event in Lexington to share information about the College with current law students of color attending the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law. Fellow Pat Moloney of Sturgill Turner hosted the gathering during which six Fellows from Lexington spoke about our fellowship and the rewards of trial practice. Many members from the Black & Latino Law School Associations at UK Law attended, as did Senior Assistant Dean Danny Murphy. They were joined by members of the John Rowe Chapter of the National Bar Association as well as Court of Appeals Judge Pamela Goodwine and Fayette District Court Judge Melissa Moore Murphy.

Missouri:

The Missouri Fellows enjoyed a retreat April 29th and 30th at Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, Missouri. The retreat was well attended, and it was a true privilege to have President Michael O'Donnell and Immediate Past President Rodney Acker both present and speaking to our Fellows. Additionally, Heritage Committee Chair Kent Hyde gave an overview of the work and mission of the Heritage Committee to the Missouri Fellows.

New Jersey:

On April 8-10, New Jersey, along with Delaware and Pennsylvania, hosted the 3rd Circuit Regional Conference in Philadelphia at the historic Masonic Temple. On July 14-15, the New Jersey Fellows will be hosting its Summer Trial Advocacy Institute in cooperation with the NJ Institute of Continuing Legal Education at the NJ Law Center. Almost 40 Fellows are slated to participate. On August 17, the New Jersey Fellows will host its Annual Gala at the Park Chateau in East Brunswick, NJ, and will be presenting the Frank Dee Award for outstanding service to Fellow Dennis Drasco. Details on registration to follow. On October 18, 2022, the New Jersey Fellows will provide a seminar on Professionalism in Trial Practice at Seton Hall Law School.

Downstate New York:

The committee is co-sponsoring a deposition training program on June 1, 2022, in collaboration with the Federal Bar Council (FBC) Access to Justice Project and NITA. Several Fellows will be serving as faculty for the program. This is a great training opportunity for lawyers without extensive deposition experience and the committee is hopeful that those who participate will consider taking on a pro bono matter in connection with the FBC Access to Justice project.

Pennsylvania:

A highly successful Third Circuit Regional Meeting took place in Philadelphia over the weekend of April 8-10. A record 95 attendees, including President Michael O’Donnell and his wife Brett, enjoyed the two-day event, beginning with a welcome reception Friday evening where Fellow Ralph Wellington’s jazz band provided entertainment. Saturday’s program and dinner were at the Masonic Temple, a spectacular architectural venue. Featured speakers included Delaware Senator Chris Coons (introduced by Past President Bart Dalton) and the Honorable Michael Chagares, Chief Judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

General Committees

Advocacy in the 21st Century:

The committee is working to create two different seminar programs. One program would utilize the services of professional actors to educate Fellows on the differences between live and remote video appearances and help us be more effective advocates during virtual hearings, depositions, trials, and appellate arguments. The second is more of a nuts-and-bolts program, focusing on the use of virtual software in preparation for depositions, hearings, and trial, including the preparation for and effective use of documents in virtual proceedings. These programs are still in the development stage. The Committee is also examining the creation of a clearinghouse for surveys, studies, and court opinions related to virtual proceedings.

Boot Camp Trial Training Program:

The committee continues to present its programs to eager young lawyers in Federal Court Houses: Houston, April 21 under the leadership of David Weinstein and Murray Fogler; Denver, May 12 under the leadership of Carolyn Fairless; Orlando, May 13 under the leadership of Mark Horwitz. The Committee's one-year virtual program in Maryland convenes virtually the second Thursday of each month for one year. Maryland Fellows and Judges are enthusiastic members of the faculty. The June session marks the halfway point. Attendance averages about 100 more or less monthly.

Heritage:

Past Committee Chair Ron McLean is writing an article for the next issue of the Journal, featuring the life and times of Fellow Bob Warford, who also was the former guitar player for Linda Ronstadt.

National Trial Competition:

Twenty-eight members of the National Trial Competition Committee travelled to Fort Worth Texas to help judge the Finals of The National Trial Competition co-sponsored by ACTL and the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) at the end of March and first days of April. The competition was in-person for the first time in three years. We were fortunate to be joined by President O'Donnell and Past Presidents Rodney Acker and Doug Young as well as Fellows from the Dallas-Fort Worth area in our judging tasks. Thirty teams, the Regional Champions, participated. Each team had the same fact pattern to work from, a criminal problem authored by committee member Marty Jones. Teams had to be prepared to switch sides, sometimes representing the State of Lone Star and other times, the defendant. Two teams from UCLA Law School were in the finals. The winning team was made up of Regina Campbell and Enrico Trevisani. Ms. Campbell was chosen outstanding advocate. Last year's NTC champion also came from UCLA. The Committee was impressed with the level of advocacy demonstrated by all the competitors as well as the collegiality demonstrated. All of us came away believing that our profession will be in good hands if these law students decide to become trial lawyers.

Sopinka Cup:

The Sopinka Cup Trial Advocacy Competition was once again held virtually on March 18 and 19, 2022, featuring a criminal trial with teams from law schools across Canada demonstrating outstanding advocacy. This year’s winning team members are Rayene Bouzitoun and Sophie-Anne Roy of the Université d'Ottawa (Civil Law French). Congratulations is also extended to the second-place team, Jenna Bragg, Jason McNiven, Christopher Utigard, and Sarah Bree, from the University of Saskatchewan and third place team, Alden Spencer and Mark Browne from the University of New Brunswick. Mark Browne was also recognized as Best Overall Advocate. The Sopinka Cup Planning Committee has newly appointed a subcommittee to review the Governance of the Sopinka Cup Trial Advocacy Competition. We anticipate a report from the Governance Subcommittee following conclusion of its review.

Teaching of Trial and Appellate Advocacy:

The first ACTL Diversity Trial ACTLgroup

Advocacy program was held May 20-22, 2022, in Chicago. Led by Committee Chair Thomas Heiden, the program was designed to help equip the next generations of outstanding diverse trial lawyers so that the lawyers trying cases better mirror the diversity in our society and in our courthouses. A full capacity group of 50 diverse lawyers from across the country attended and here is just some of what they said:

“It was the best training I have ever had”
“As a first-generation college student and new lawyer, your training was invaluable for my career”
“I am impressed and inspired”

The faculty consisted of Fellows who volunteered their time, including Regent Joe Caldwell, as well as participation from Past President Douglas Young and President Mike O’Donnell. Latham & Watkins’ Diversity Leadership Committee hosted the event on-site and provided additional support. Both faculty and attendees expressed a desire to make this an annual event. To read the write-up from Ross Todd at Litigation Daily about the Program, click here.

The College recognizes extraordinary individuals and their important contributions to the law through the awards described below. A nominator need only submit a letter of support, and the award committee will complete an investigation before deciding whether to recommend the person to the Board of Regents. Please consider nominating a worthy recipient. You may send your letter to nationaloffice@actl.com or directly to the committee chair indicated below.

Griffin Bell Award for Courageous Advocacy

Awarded only when appropriate to honor outstanding courage demonstrated by trial lawyers in unpopular or difficult causes. The award is one of the highest honors conferred by the College upon an individual trial lawyer and recognizes lawyers who have persevered in pursuit of an important cause despite substantial personal danger, fear, unpopularity, opposition or other difficulties. To view past recipients, click here.

Chair: Stuart P. Miller

Samuel E. Gates Litigation Award

To honor a lawyer or judge, whether or not a Fellow of the College, who has made a significant, exceptional and lasting contribution to the improvement of the litigation process. The person selected might be a trial practitioner, a judge, a teacher, a writer, a legislator, an administrator, or initiator of organizations or programs, or some other person whose work has been substantively significant or who has inaugurated or advanced significant programs. To view past recipients, click here.

Chair: Paul J. Hickey

Thurgood Marshall Equality and Justice Award

The Thurgood Marshall Equality and Justice Award, named for the revered lawyer, civil rights advocate and first Black Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, is to be given from time to time to an individual who has been a champion of justice and equality in all forms, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation or other form. The candidate must possess vision, courage, and fortitude, and must have stood steadfast in the passionate and effective pursuit of equal justice under the law. The inaugural award was presented to the late Rep. John Lewis at the College’s 2021 Annual Meeting in Chicago. To submit a proposal for the Committee to consider click here.

Chair: Gregory K. Wells

Karen Frink Wolf

Portland, ME

Judge

U.S. District Court of Maine

April, 2022

Claudia P. Premont

St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, QC

Justice

Superior Court of Quebec

April, 2022

NATIONAL MEETINGS

Colosseum outside square
2022 Annual Meeting
September 15 - 18, 2022
Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
Rome, Italy

2023 Spring Meeting
February 23 - 26, 2023
The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne
Florida

REGIONAL MEETINGS:

Tri-State Regional Meeting
(Alabama, Florida, Georgia)
June 9-12, 2022 (rescheduled from January, 2022)
The Windsor Court Hotel
New Orleans, LA

Region 12 Spring Fling
(Atlantic Provinces, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island)
June 10
Boston, MA

Northwest Regional Meeting
(Alberta, Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington)
July 7 to 10, 2022
The Hotel Alyeska
Girdwood, AK

STATE MEETINGS:

Texas Fellows Luncheon
June 10, 2022
Houston, TX

New Brunswick Fellows Meeting
June 13, 2022
TBD

Nova Scotia Fellows Meeting
June 14, 2022
Halifax, Novia Scotia

Newfoundland & Labrador Fellows Meeting
June 15, 2022
St. Johns, Newfoundland & Labrador

Kentucky Fellows Meeting and Dinner
June 15, 2022
Owensboro, KY

Quebec Fellows Dinner
June 16, 2022
Montreal, QC

South Dakota Fellows Meeting
June 22, 2022
Rapid City, SD

Minnesota Fellows Meeting
July 26, 2022
Golden Valley, MN

OTHER MEETINGS Please click here for a listing of all upcoming events.

National Trial Competition, Ft. Worth, Texas: March 31-April 3, 2022

The competition started with over 300 teams from over 100 law schools. President O’Donnell and Brett attended the final rounds. Annually, this is one of the highlights of the activities of the College. This year was no different, except being mostly in person, finally, was sensational. The 2022 national champions and runners-up teams were both from UCLA School of Law. The Runner up team was Natalie Barson and Stephen Johnson, and the Champion team was Regina Campbell and Enrico Trevisani. Ms. Campbell received the Best Advocate Award.

3rd Circuit Regional Meeting, Philadelphia: April 8-10, 2022

Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania hosted 3rd_Circuit_Regional_Apr2022

President O’Donnell and Brett for the 3^rd Circuit Regional meeting at the Masonic Temple of Philadelphia. State Chairs of Delaware (David Ross), New Jersey (Ed Kole) and Pennsylvania (John Conti) served as co-hosts. The one hundred Fellows and Guests represented the highest turnout ever for the regional event.

The list of speakers for the Saturday meeting was phenomenal. Highlights included Past President Bart Dalton introducing US Senator Chris Coons. The Honorable Michael A. Chagares, Chief judge of the 3^rd US Circuit Court of Appeals discussed the Pandemic and its impact on the Courts. The Honorable Karen M. Williams, USDC New Jersey and Maurice Q. Jones, Founder of PAR Recycle Program, spoke about the integration of formerly incarcerated individuals with jobs, housing and life skills. William Markham, Executive Director of Project One Vet at a Time, spoke about pro bono legal services available to vets. The program concluded with Former Regent Dennis Suplee presenting Fellow Joe Tate as a Distinguished Pro Bono Fellow.

Region 6 Regional Meeting, New Orleans: April 22-24, 2022

Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) hosted President O’Donnell and Brett at the iconic Windsor Court Hotel. Immediate Past President Rodney Acker and Judy were also in attendance. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards provided keynote remarks at the cocktail reception, attended by ninety Fellows and Guests. The after-dinner band, Kermit Ruffins and the Barbeque Swingers, provided entertainment. The Saturday morning General Session was opened by Louisiana State Chair James Brown. An excellent lineup of speakers included Mayor Mitch Landrieu; Damon Hewitt, the President and Executive Director of Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; and Don Washington, Former Director of the United States Marshals Service.

President O’Donnell recognized the 2020 Emil Gumpert Award recipient, the Women’s Prison Project. The program works to end the practice of punishing and incarcerating domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking survivors through law reform, training and education. Due to the pandemic, a public ceremony to give the award had not previously been held.

Northern California Fellows Dinner: April 28, 2002

The beautiful Claremont Club NorthernCalifornia_Apr2022

in Berkeley, California hosted President O’Donnell, Brett and the Northern California Fellows Dinner on April 28, 2022. About ninety Fellows and guests attended the reception and dinner. Rich Schoenberger, Northern California State Chair, hosted and provided and a terrific reception, dinner and speaker lineup. Regent Mike Shepard introduced President O’Donnell, who, in turn, recognized Past Presidents Doug Young and Rodney Acker. Our next president, President-Elect Susan Harriman of San Francisco was also acknowledged. Fellow John Keker received the inaugural Honorable Charles B. Renfrew Award. President O’Donnell commented on many of the College activities and reminded all Fellows of the forty general committee as ways to serve. The final speaker of the evening was astrophysicist and astronomer Alex Filippekno. He has been named professor of the year at Berkeley an unprecedented nine times. He described the history of black holes and even described the first photo of a black hole. After the meeting concluded, Fellows were invited to view the stars through a telescope set up by Professor Filippenko.

Missouri Fellows Meeting, Big Cedar Lodge: April 29-May 1, 2022

President O’Donnell was joined by Immediate Past President Rodney Acker, Judy and Brett at the Big Cedar Resort outside of Branson, Missouri. Missouri State Vice Chair John Simon hosted the event. Regent Greg Lederer joined the group, along with Missouri Supreme Court Justice Brent Powell, for dinner at the Top of the Rock, a spectacular restaurant with expansive views at the top of the property. The following morning the Fellows conducted their Annual Meeting. Justice Powell spoke about recent changes in court technologies. President O’Donnell was provided time to speak and he thanked the newly appointed John Simon as State Chair, and recognized Regent Lederer for his service. Various College initiatives were discussed and then Rodney Acker joined President O’Donnell for a lively question and answer session. The evening reception and dinner were again at the Top of the Rock, where the guest speaker was Washington Post columnist David Von Drehle.

Southern California Fellows Dinner: May 6, 2022

President O’Donnell and wife, Brett, CaliforniaSouthern2_May2022

traveled to Los Angeles to attend the Southern California Fellows Dinner at the California Club on May 6, 2022. California-Southern Chair Gerry Klein hosted, and they were joined by Past Presidents Doug Young and Rodney Acker and their wives Terry and Judy. Executive Director Dennis Maggi also attended. The winning and runner-up mock trial teams from UCLA were invited to the event and received their plaques. They were excited to join the Fellows and guests for the formal dinner. After dinner, Regent Peter Akmajian introduced President O’Donnell for remarks. After thanking those in attendance, plaques were awarded to the top two teams for the National Trial Competition. Following the presentation, Past Presidents Doug Young and Rodney Acker joined President O’Donnell at the podium to answer questions from the attendees. This historic moment might be the first time three College presidents fielded questions at a State or Province meeting.

The College has been notified of the passing of the Fellows listed below. The date after each name notes the year of induction into the College, and the date following the state or province is the date of his or her passing. A tribute to each will appear in the In Memoriam section of a subsequent issue of the Journal.

British Columbia

John D. McAlpine, Q.C., ’82, Vancouver, March 23, 2022

California

B. Clyde Hutchinson, III, ’02, Oakland, May 1, 2022

District of Columbia

Thomas Abbenante, ’10, Washington, May 6, 2022

Florida

James F. Moseley, ’77, Jacksonville, March 28, 2022

William J. Sheppard, ’99, Jacksonville, April 9, 2022

Hawaii

Edmund Burke, ’85, Kailua, February 23, 2022

Illinois

Thomas W. Alvey, Jr., ’92, Belleville, March 24, 2021

Kansas

Roger D. Stanton, ’81, Prairie Village, March 4, 2022

Louisiana

Timothy J. McNamara, ’87, Lafayette, May 4, 2022

Missouri

Kenneth Heineman, ’99, St. Louis, September 12, 2021

Robert G. Russell, ’97, Warrensburg, April 17, 2022

Nevada

Thomas R. C. Wilson, II, ’83, Reno, March 28, 2022

New Hampshire

James C. Wheat, ’02, Manchester, April 6, 2022

New Mexico

Patrick A. Casey, ’05, Santa Fe, April 5, 2022

Newfoundland and Labrador

Derek J. Hogan, ’21, St. John’s, May 7, 2022

North Carolina

Ronald J. Dilthey, ’88, Raleigh, March 26, 2022

Pennsylvania

Paul H. Titus, ’95, Pittsburgh, February 19, 2022

Quebec

Harvey W. Yarosky, ’82, Westmount, April 15, 2022

Rhode Island

Michael P. DeFanti, ’87, Barrington, April 11, 2022

Texas

Larry P. Boyd, ‘04, Houston, July 18, 2020

Virginia

John T. Hazel, Jr., ’72, Broad Run, March 15, 2022