October 2025 eBulletin Now Available

Dear Fellows:

It has been my great honor to serve as the College’s 75^th President. As a young lawyer in Atlanta, I had heard of the College and knew that Griffin Bell, Chilton Varner, and Jack Dalton were all Fellows. It was beyond my imagination to ever think that I might be a part of such esteemed company. So, with no thought of the College, like every other Fellow, I put my head down and did the work. The work was especially important to me because my first job as a trial lawyer was serving as an Assistant United States Attorney. Dorothy Kirkley, my first supervisor, was a Fellow in the College. She taught me just what a privilege and responsibility it was to represent the United States. She was a model for me of ethics, professionalism and civility. I had the good fortune to have these core tenets ingrained into my professional life from the start.

So, it is with gratitude and humility that I thank the College for the honor of serving as its President. To be entrusted with this role by such a distinguished body of peers—individuals who represent the very best of our profession—has been both inspiring and intimidating. Living and practicing in Atlanta, home to four Past Presidents of the College, I am keenly aware of the legacy of excellence, integrity, and dedication that each Past President has upheld. I hope in some measure to have done the same.

The College’s mission—to maintain and improve the standards of trial practice, to ensure the fair and just administration of justice, and to support the independence of the judiciary—is more important now than ever before. In many ways it seems as if the United States is at a crossroads in its path toward a more democratic society. Constitutional norms once thought to be inviolate appear to be seriously at risk. Relations with our closest ally, Canada, are deeply strained. In the face of these challenges, the College has tried to honor its tradition of collegiality and yet find its voice to speak out in defense of the Rule of Law and in support of an Independent Judiciary. I hope that will continue.

I am proud to be part of an organization that not only voices its principles but lives by them. Our Fellows bring a level of professionalism and civility to the pursuit of justice that elevates the profession as a whole. It has been an honor to represent this community of thoughtful advocates from the U.S. and Canada.

Finally, I want to thank my firm, Jones Day, for its unwavering support throughout my service to the College. Without that support, I would never have been able to take on the duties of the President. I look forward to seeing everyone in Washington as we celebrate the 75^th Anniversary of the College.

Richard H. Deane, Jr.
President

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