"In this select circle, we find pleasure and charm in the illustrious company of our contemporaries and take the keenest delight in exalting our friendships."
- Emil Gumpert, Chancellor and Founder
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Dear Fellows:
The Executive Committee and the National Office staff are hard at work finalizing plans for our Spring Meeting at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui. Registration for the meeting will open on December 5. As I have travelled to various state and province dinners and meetings, whenever I have mentioned the Spring Meeting, there has been real excitement over going to Hawaii. I urge you to register early if you are planning to attend.
President-Elect John Day has organized a wonderful program with fascinating speakers. To whet your appetites with a bit of what to expect, below are a few of the speakers expected to join us in Maui:
Cyntoia Brown Long is an American author and speaker who was convicted of robbing and murdering the person she alleged bought her through sex trafficking. She was 16 when she was sentenced to life in prison, making her eligible for parole at age 67. A Fellow of the College and several other lawyers instead worked to persuade the Governor of Tennessee to commute her sentence to time served after 15 years in prison. She will offer a compelling, firsthand account of the juvenile justice system coupled with the hope that comes through redemption.
David Howman is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Athletic Integrity Unit of World Athletics, the international governing body for track and field athletics. David will discuss the efforts of the Integrity Unit to prevent doping and the use of performance enhancing drugs in international athletics.
Judge Susan Oki Mollway is the first East Asian woman and Japanese American woman ever appointed to a life-time position on the federal bench. Judge Mollway is a Harvard-trained lawyer who was a prominent civil litigator before going on the bench. She will discuss the Army’s highly decorated Japanese American 442nd Infantry Regimental Combat Team (RCT), in which her father served. The 442nd RCT was organized in 1943 as an all-volunteer unit in response to the War Department's call to form a segregated, Japanese American army combat unit during World War II. Many of these soldiers had families held in internment camps while they fought abroad. The extraordinary bravery of these troops is legendary. Twenty-one of their members were awarded the Medal of Honor over the course of their service, including former Senator Daniel Inouye.
Those are just a few of the outstanding speakers scheduled to appear at the Grand Wailea. Set on the beautiful island of Maui, this promises to be an exciting meeting that you will not want to miss!
Hope to see you all there.
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Richard H. Deane, Jr.
ACTL President
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Spring Meeting Registration Opens December 5 | |
Join us March 6-9 at the beautiful Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, where stunning ocean views set the stage for the perfect blend of informative speakers and collegial evening events amidst a tropical, island paradise.
The College is also kicking off its 75th anniversary celebration at the Spring Meeting, with a special gift just for registered attendees. Click here for a preview of some of the fantastic speakers and events we have planned. We expect this meeting to garner considerable enthusiasm, so we strongly encourage you to register early.
Mark your calendars for December 5 and look for more details coming soon!
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New Website and Logo Coming Soon!
A new website and redesigned College logo will be launching in the coming weeks. With a modernized look and improved functionality, the new website represents the College’s commitment to keeping current with changes in technology. Along with that, the new website helps support the College infrastructure and an ever-increasing need for cyber security. The updated logo features a refreshed design that adds depth and versatility while representing the values and mission of the College with clarity and strength.
While we are excited to share with you these new endeavors, we need to wait just a little bit longer. In the meantime, here is another sneak peek of the new logo:
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Brian O’Neill Memorial Fund
In 2022, the Brian O’Neill Memorial Fund was created with this purpose: To provide travel expenses for public service and judicial Fellows who would otherwise be unable to participate in teaching and training lawyers and judges in other countries to advance the rule of law.
Brian O’Neill was a Fellow of the College and served as a Regent. His efforts with the International Committee led to the collaboration of a teaching team of College Fellows and Pacific Judicial Council (PJC) members resulting in the first joint trial practice conference in the country of Palau in November 2015, with eleven Fellows participating. Since then, Fellows have led trial advocacy programs in Guam, Saipan, the British Virgin Islands and Palau again 2022. They have also led programs in Warsaw, Poland; Pretoria, South Africa; Bucharest, Romania; and Merida, Mexico.
Fellows bear the costs of their participation and attendance in these programs. The Brian O’Neill Memorial Fund was created to ensure that we could include public service and Judicial Fellows among those teams. Fellows making donations to the Foundation at actl.com/donate can indicate that they would like their donation to be assigned to the Brian O’Neill Memorial Fund.
Judicial Fellows and Fellows working in public service may apply for funding to support their participation in these international programs. Application documents can be found on our website. Contact the National Office with any questions.
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Boot Camp Trial Training Program: New Chair Jeff Brickman and the committee have taken the initial steps toward putting on Boot Camps in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Kansas and Virginia. For all of our State/Province Chairs who have not already done so, please reach out to Jeffrey Brickman at jeff@jeffbrickmanlaw.com to discuss how you can help bring an ACTL Boot Camp to your local area.
Emil Gumpert Award: The Committee is in its third month of review of the thirty-six applications sent to the College for evaluation. Each member reads every application and is responsible for presenting one or more at the committee’s weekly meetings. The Committee will submit a report and recommendation to the Foundation Board of Trustees and College Board of Regents by February 1.
State and Province Committees
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Mississippi: Several Fellows, including John Banahan, Jessica McNeel, Ed Taylor and David Pitre participated in the MS Judicial Conference held in Biloxi on October 24, 2024. These fellows addressed issued concerning congeniality and professionalism. Additionally, Regent Cal Mayo and Immediate Past Chair Trey Byars served as judges for the Region 7 National Moot Court competition held at the Ole Miss Law School in Oxford, MS on November 15-16, 2024.
New York-Downstate: On October 15, 2024, the Downstate NY Committee, along with the Federal Bar Council and the New York Council of Defense Lawyers, presented The Art of the Jury Trial: Historic Criminal Trials in the Southern District of New York. The program was organized principally by Fellows Fred Hafetz and John “Rusty” Wing. The event was hosted by Immediate Past Chair Mark Cohen and Current Chair Sharon McCarthy and moderated by Judicial Fellow Jed S. Rakoff, United States District Court, Southern District of New York.
The speakers – all Fellows – and the historic trials they discussed are listed below:
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John R. Wing: Mitchell Stans trial (1974)
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Robert B. Fiske: Nicky Barnes trial (1977)
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Patricia Hynes: Rio Rancho trial (1977)
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Charles Stillman: Reverend Moon trial (1982)
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Susan Kellman: Carmine Persico trial (1986)
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Frederick P. Hafetz: Bess Myerson trial (1988)
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Ted Wells: Princeton Newport trial (1989)
To watch a video of the program, click here.
North Carolina: A Boot Camp is scheduled for January 25. Organized by Fellow Kearns Davis the program will include the participation of multiple Fellows who will present opening arguments, directing cross examinations, and closing arguments.
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DID YOU KNOW that Past President Warren Lightfoot (2002-2003) has sculpted a bust of Sandra Day O’Connor that resides in the U.S. Supreme Court? He has also sculpted busts of Justices Ginsburg and Scalia. Past President Lightfoot is a bronze sculptor whose works are displayed not only in the U.S. Supreme Court, but also the Supreme Court Historical Society, the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, High Hampton Historical Museum, and the senate lobby of the Alabama State House. Other commissioned works are in private collections across the country. What incredible artistic talent! | |
Shannon Elkins
Saint Paul, MN
Judge Elkins
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
September 2024
Mary Kay Lanthier
Rutland, VT
Judge Lanthier
US District Court, District of Vermont
October 2024
Mathieu Piche-Messier
Montreal, QC
Judge Messier
Superior Court of Quebec Palais de Justice
October 2024
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Upcoming National Meetings: | |
More events can be viewed on the College website. Click here for the Events Calendar.
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2025 Spring Meeting
March 6-9, 2025
The Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort
Maui, Hawaii
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2025 Annual Meeting
October 9-12, 2025
JW Marriott
Washington, DC
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2026 Spring Meeting
February 26-March 1, 2026
La Quinta Resort & Club
La Quinta, California
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Upstate Illinois Fellows Dinner, Chicago, Illinois: November 7, 2024
Immediate Past President Bill Murphy recently attended the Upstate Illinois Fellows Dinner in Chicago, held at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab. Fellows in attendance enjoyed passed appetizers and a seafood extravaganza at the annual dinner. Those in attendance included Former Regent Patty Bobb, new Regent Terri Mascherin, Former State Chair Dan Boho, and recently inducted Fellow Diane Webster. State Chair Brian Sieve introduced Immediate Past President Murphy, who delivered brief remarks to the attendees. He emphasized the work of the College with the Mentoring Committee as well as the civics education program in partnership with the National Constitution Center.
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Alabama Fellows Dinner and Jere White Seminar, Birmingham, Alabama: November 7-8, 2024
President Deane traveled to Birmingham for the Alabama Fellows Dinner and the Jere White Seminar held the following day. Dinner was held at the Birmingham Country Club. Over seventy people, including Past President Warren Lightfoot and a number of state and federal judges, enjoyed the festivities. Chair McCarthy updated the Fellows on the State Committee's activities, including the successful nomination of four candidates for fellowship over the past year. President Deane spoke about the College's newly approved strategic plan. He then attended the Jere White Seminar on November 8, which was also given financial support this year by the Foundation. The seminar takes place every two years, offering speakers on the components of trial advocacy. The cordiality among excellent adversaries was an important theme. The lunch speaker for the program was Greg Sankey, Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. This was an apt choice for the rabid Alabama and Auburn fans in the audience.
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Idaho Fellows Dinner, Boise, Idaho: November 9, 2024
President-Elect John Day attended the Idaho State Dinner at the Hillcrest Country Club in Boise on November 9. Immediate Past Chair Ray Powers made some introductory remarks and invited President-Elect Day to also speak. He encouraged attendance at the upcoming national meetings in Maui this spring and Washington, D.C. in the fall. President-Elect Day also mentioned President Deane's emphasis on the Boot Camp and Judicial Independence Committees in furthering the College’s mission. To conclude, he acknowledged Chuck Peterson, an inductee who will be inducted at the Spring Meeting in Maui.
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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 city 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.
Delaware
Rodman Ward, Jr., ’83, Wilmington, March 18, 2023
Georgia
Hon. Wallace E. Harrell, ’75, Brunswick, January 21, 2024
Patrick J. Rice, ’83, Augusta, January 4, 2024
Massachusetts
Daniel J. Gleason, ’97, Needham, October 19, 2024
New York
Lawrence Robbins, ’00, New York, November 2, 2024
Oklahoma
John N. Hermes, ’00, Oklahoma City, October 16, 2024
Oregon
Roland Banks, ’95, Portland, April 24, 2024
Douglas Houser, ’85, Portland, September 30, 2024
West Virginia
James F. Companion, ’99, Wheeling, September 18, 2024
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Phone: (949) 752-1801
Email: nationaloffice@actl.com@actl.com
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