The College
Founded in 1950, the American College of Trial Lawyers is the preeminent organization of trial lawyers in the United States and Canada. The College is an invitation-only Fellowship of exceptional trial lawyers who have demonstrated the very highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism and collegiality. Membership in the College is limited to no more than 1% of the practicing lawyers in a given state or province.
The central mission of the College is to strive to preserve and enhance trial practice, civility, professionalism and the administration of justice through the support of an independent judiciary, the rule of law, trial by jury and access to justice. The College is the only organization in which every Justice of the United States and Canadian Supreme Courts has accepted Honorary Fellowship.
Judicial Education Initiative
The vast majority of states mandate continuing legal education (CLE) for judges as well as lawyers. Pennsylvania requires that all judges complete 12 hours of CLE each year, four hours of which must be by way of programs developed and presented by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC).
Since 2018, The College has partnered with the AOPC to develop and present over one dozen CLE programs covering a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from digital evidence and medical malpractice to corporate law, human trafficking and expert witnesses. Fellows have specialized expertise in virtually every facet of litigation and thus provide a deep and broad resource for these programs. Importantly, these programs are developed and presented by College Fellows at no cost to attendees or the state. This initiative is entirely a voluntary undertaking in furtherance of the broader mission of the College.
Judiciary Committee
Working through its Judiciary Committee, the College hopes to replicate in other states the collaborative effort that has achieved such success in Pennsylvania. The initial step in that endeavor is to provide to the appropriate administrative office in each state background information about the College and the Judicial Education Initiative.
For further information about the College, please explore this website or contact John Conti, Chair of the College Judiciary Committee at jconti@dmclaw.com.
Threats to Impeach Judges for Judicial Decisions Undermine the Rule of Law
Throughout its history, the American College of Trial Lawyers (“ACTL”) has stressed the importance to American democracy of an independent judiciary and in several white papers and statements has condemned the growing number of threats and invective made against judges.
Judicial Independence: A Cornerstone of Democracy Which Must Be Defended
Any perceived threat to judicial independence should summon the legal profession to action. Lawyers must constantly remind themselves that judicial independence is critical to a free society and must educate others who may have lost sight of that. Lawyers must recognize genuine threats to judicial independence and, when they arise, call attention to them and confront them.
The Need to Promote and Defend Fair and Impartial Courts
In this report, a sequel to Judicial Independence: A Cornerstone of Democracy Which Must Be Defended, the College looks back at the past decade to evaluate the collective efforts of the College and others in our profession to meet the goals the 2006 Report set out. This report complements the 2006 Report. The two reports should be considered together for a broader understanding of the importance of fair and impartial courts throughout our history as well as today.
Recommendations for a Senate Special Committee on Judicial Nominations
The Fellows of the Judicial Independence Committee have concluded that a significant element in public education is to restore confidence in the confirmation of Justices for the Supreme Court. Having evaluated reforms needed to restore confidence in this process, the committee recommends eleven measures to guide the Senate in securing needed reform.
Statement on Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing
(November 13, 2025) — The American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) notes with concern the Senate Judiciary Committee’s decision to schedule a subcommittee hearing next week focused on efforts to impeach so-called “rogue” federal judges. While it is certainly appropriate for the Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on the operations of the federal judiciary, any suggestion of impeaching judges based on their decisions is simply wrong.
Click below to read the full statement.
Judicial Elections
In April, 2008, the College’s Judiciary Committee proposed a set of Recommended Principles for Judicial Selection and Retention, adopted later that year by the Board of Regents. Of those recommended “Principles,” four in number, the first three are unimpeachable, as was the fourth at the time it was adopted and recommended by the Committee. However, events since that time have combined to produce a veritable “Perfect Storm” of adverse consequences attendant upon judicial
elections that strongly suggest that the College should reconsider and take a position in opposition to selection and retention of judges by contested elections under any circumstances.