October 2026 eBulletin Now Available

Dear Fellows:

Almost without exception, any conversation beyond “nice to meet you” that I have with a Fellow of any age includes a reference to one or more of the following:  how proud they are of their selection; some level of disbelief as to why they were selected; and the new, year-round friendships that ignore geographic and other boundaries.

Moreover, each of us knows the sacrifices trial lawyers make to reach the top of their profession. Judge Gumpert knew it and incorporated it into the Induction Charge. At the Inductee Luncheon, we acknowledge not only the sacrifices made by those invited to Fellowship, but also those made by their families along the way.

Those observations have caused me to think differently about one of the subjects we discuss frequently at the College: identifying new candidates for Fellowship.

From time to time, each of you hears about the College’s desire to identify new candidates.  Most presidents and state and province chairs mention it at gatherings of Fellows. It is a major topic at the Leadership Workshop, as well as at the Board of Regents and State and Province Committee meetings.

Why do we do so?

One might think it is revenue driven. New Fellows mean more revenue. Revenue allows the continued provision of services to existing Fellows. I am sure that someone, somewhere can give us the gross and net economic benefit to the College of inducting a new Fellow who is 57.83 years of age.

But that is not my motivation for identifying new Fellows. I look at it differently, and my conversations with thousands of Fellows over the years lead me to believe that you do, too.

We look for and extend an invitation to those worthy of Fellowship because they deserve it. Just as we did.

Some years ago, one or more people just as busy as we are today devoted time to identify each of us as a candidate and investigate whether we were worthy of Fellowship.  Imagine how our lives would have been changed – the friendships, events, and opportunities we would have missed – if our body of work as trial lawyers had been ignored and not considered by a state or province committee.

I do not know who proposed me for Fellowship in 2001. I don’t know who did the investigation, nor do I know which opposing lawyers or judges spoke for or against me. What I do know is that in the fall of 2001, I received a letter inviting me to submit a statement of qualifications that ultimately led to my induction in the spring of 2002 in La Quinta.

The people who contributed to that effort changed my life. Not because I have a plaque on the wall that many lawyers would love to have. Not because the honor made my mentor, John T. Conners, Jr., FACTL, proud. And not just because I ended up as the College’s President. Rather, it was because of the enduring friendships I have made along the way – and because it was important to me (perhaps too important) that my peers recognized that I had brought some measure of honor to the profession I love. That I was good enough to be worthy of the honor. That the years of sacrifice I made were worthwhile and recognized by my new peers.

These honest confessions may reflect some character defect or give rise to yet another diagnosis for me in the DSM-V-TR, but the professional recognition from the College was meaningful to me.

Unfortunately, many qualified lawyers do not find their way to our portal. That is our fault, not theirs.

Let me tell you about one Fellow whose story has stayed with me. In the spring of 2020, the inductee class included a gentleman from Ohio. He and his wife were extremely proud of his selection to the College. They were absolutely beaming at the Inductee Luncheon and again later at the formal Induction Ceremony and Banquet. Less than seven months later COVID-19 took Don Moracz’s life.

We almost blew that one. Don was eligible for induction several years before he was identified. He had the trials. He was recognized for his impeccable ethics and professionalism. But his candidacy was not brought forward. Had those involved in his nomination acted just a few months later, Don would have missed his induction into the College. His wife, Molly, would have missed seeing him honored and her contribution to his success recognized. His three children would never have known that his peers had publicly recognized both the quality of his advocacy and his character.

Several times during the past year, I have met a state supreme court justice or trial judge, and afterward the introducing Fellow has said to me, “she was a helluva trial lawyer.” But she is not a Judicial Fellow, because we failed to do the work necessary to have her inducted before she got on the Bench. Busy people failed to do for her what someone else did for them. And we all lost.

So, why do we — why should we — look for and extend a helping hand to those worthy of Fellowship? Because they deserve to be recognized. They deserve to know they are good enough. And they deserve the opportunity to be part of a group of others who have been in the same trenches and fought the same battles, all at a similar cost, to create new friendships that will enhance their lives.

Today you may see an outstanding lawyer in a court hearing. Or a deposition. Or at trial. If they have been in practice for over a decade, pass that name and your experience with the individual on to your state or province chair. Volunteer to assist with an investigation. Help lift another trial lawyer up – you will feel better for it. And you will serve the College in yet another way.

One final, unrelated point. This is my final eBulletin message as President. Thank you to all who serve on our committees and task forces. Thank you to the Regents and Officers who work so hard to do the College’s work. Thank you to the Past Presidents for giving me the opportunity to serve – it is an honor I never expected. Thank you to our devoted staff.  Because of all of you, my wife Joy and I have had a wonderful year that has given us new memories and friendships that will bring smiles to our faces for the rest of our lives.

John A. Day
President

To read the full October eBulletin, click here