Greetings to All Fellows:
Despite soaring temperatures in the South and Southwest, catastrophic floods in Vermont, smoky skies everywhere and wildfires in Canada and California (I’m no doubt missing some of the now normal weather phenomena occurring in North America), I still hope that most of you are enjoying the long, lazy days of summer. For me, it’s a time to swim and kayak.
Before my term as President ends, I want to thank our State and Province Chairs for their outstanding work. Twice this year, President-Elect Bill Murphy and I have held Zoom calls with our chairs, and we both have been impressed by their hard work and dedication that frequently goes unnoticed or unrecognized by others in the College. Our chairs are driving our membership and doing a terrific job of trying to find exceptionally qualified trial lawyers who deserve to be Fellows. During our calls, we learned that one of the keys to success for the State and Province Committees was having monthly Zoom calls at a set date and time. Those chairs who kept to a monthly schedule had better results in both finding qualified candidates and completing investigations. After a slowdown during the Pandemic, the number of candidates who will be considered at our Board of Regents meeting in San Diego will be higher than at any meeting since the Spring of 2017—a total of 113 candidates, as compared to 60 candidates in the Spring of 2022. The current numbers are particularly impressive if we take into account the fact that some courts are still catching up with their backlog of criminal trials and haven’t yet tried any civil cases since the Pandemic.
The chairs are also pushing out the message asking Fellows to commit to teaching at least one civics class a year through our new partnership with the National Constitution Center, and they usually are the Fellows most responsible for putting on the fantastic social events that have taken place throughout the year. In addition, the chairs help find volunteers for our moot court and trial competitions. In short, they are the unsung heroes of the College and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. Without new Fellows, this College won’t survive, and we have our chairs and their State and Province Committees to thank for the increase in our numbers.
Finally, I particularly want to thank all of those chairs who are completing their terms. You have been invaluable in your service to the College, and I hope that each of you stays involved and finds new ways to contribute to the mission of the College. Merci and thank you.
Best Regards,
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Susan J. Harriman
ACTL President
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2023 Annual Meeting in San Diego |
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Registration for the 2023 Annual Meeting in San Diego is now open. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy fantastic speakers, bask in the sweeping views of the San Diego Marina, and rock to music beneath the stars at our unforgettable Friday Night event. The ACTL group rate of just $335 +tax ends on August 25* so don’t delay. Click here for more information or to register online.
*unless sold out first
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Survey Feedback Requested |
The College is in the process of selecting a city to host our next European Annual Meeting.
We welcome your feedback on the cities being considered through the survey link below:
Please complete the survey no later than Thursday, August 10.
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Teaching Abroad Survey Reminder |
Two years ago, the “Teaching Abroad” subcommittee of the International Committee circulated a questionnaire which fueled the establishment of a Teaching Abroad program. That program launched in April 2023 with a successful one-week workshop in Warsaw, Poland.
Plans are underway for workshops next year in Pretoria, S. Africa (Civil - April), Bucharest, Romania (Criminal - May), Warsaw again (Civil - May) and more. If you are interested in participating, kindly complete the survey no later than Friday, August 4 using this link:
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National Constitution Center (NCC) Partnership |
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If you're looking for an easy, fun and rewarding way to help further two of the College’s important goals – civics education and outreach to the greater community – the College is excited to announce a partnership with the National Constitution Center to teach civics to students through their Peer-to-Peer Scholar Exchange Program.
The program relies on volunteer judges, attorneys, historians and educators to engage virtually via Zoom with classes of high school, middle school and college students to discuss selected constitutional topics throughout the year. Typical topics include the American Revolution, the structure of the Constitution, Federalism and Separation of Powers, the Bill of Rights, The Fourteenth Amendment, Article III, and Landmark Cases.
The NCC develops the content and the educational materials are of the highest quality. In addition to providing training to new volunteer scholars, the NCC also handles the logistics of scheduling, advertising the programs and matching the appropriate scholar. Because the forty-five minute classes are offered throughout the year and scholars do not have to commit to a presentation until two weeks in advance, the scholar’s time commitment is minimal and flexible, making it ideal for trial lawyers with unpredictable schedules.
There are four upcoming Zoom orientation sessions (you only need to attend one session):
- Tuesday, August 15 at 10am ET
- Wednesday, August 16 at 3pm ET
- Tuesday August 22 at 10am ET
- Wednesday, August 23 at 3pm ET
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Trial Tested: Season Six Available Now |
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Don’t miss Season Six of Trial Tested: A Podcast by the American College of Trial Lawyers. Hosts Vince Citro, Amy Gunn, Mike Herring, Terri Mascherin, Renee Rothauge, and Dave Thomas interview inspiring guests this season, including Judges Patricia Whalen and Mona Lynch, discussing how they helped women judges in Afghanistan escape the Taliban, Fellow Brian Gover, who will be presenting at the upcoming Annual Meeting in San Diego (along with Fellow Tom Curry) about the Canadian “Freedom Convoy,” and more. New episodes release every Thursday.
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Click here to listen now
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Diversity Trial Advocacy Program |
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The third Diversity Trial Advocacy Program will take place in Chicago October 27-29, 2023 at the Chicago offices of Latham & Watkins LLP. You can help ensure the continued success of this program by volunteering to serve as faculty. Please contact Tom Heiden (thomas.heiden@retiredpartner.lw.com) for more information.
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The Communications Committee is looking for Fellows interested in serving on this active committee. This committee serves as an editorial board with respect to the publications of the College (apart from the Journal), including the eBulletin, College White Papers and the website, ensuring publications are of the highest quality and consistent with the high standards of the College. Contact Amy Mrugalski amrugalski@actl.com at the National Office or Committee Chair Rick Straub rstraub@whitlow-law.com for more information.
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Update Your Fellow Profile and Address
for the 2024 Roster
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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, 2023 will be included in the 2024 Roster. Please consider adding your home address, personal email and mobile phone, so we may stay in contact if your information changes and we are not notified. Personal information is not displayed in the directory when firm information exists. Remember to confirm your practice areas, law school attended, and other information in the profile is correct. 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 the National Office.
ROSTER UPDATE FORM: Download the Roster Update form. The completed form can be printed, mailed, emailed, or faxed to the National Office.
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Fellow Lawrence Lustberg will receive the New Jersey State Bar Foundation Medal of Honor on September 26, 2023, which is given to an attorney who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of justice or betterment of the legal profession.
Fellow Joseph LaSala received the Daniel J. O’Hern Award on July 12, 2023, which is given to an attorney who exhibits integrity, competence, high ethical standards, career achievements and service to the Bar.
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State and Province Committees
British Columbia: The Northwest Regional Meeting was held June 22-25 in the city of Vancouver, organized by the British Columbia Province under the leadership of Province Chair Tracey Cohen and Vice Chair Brock Martland. [see trip report below for more]
Colorado: The Colorado Fellows are focusing on a pro bono civil mediation program led by Fellows Jim Lyons and Michael McCarthy. Additionally, their Summer Gathering takes place on August 1 at Cherry Hills Country Club. President Susan Harriman and Regent Dan Folluo will attend.
Florida: The Orlando federal courthouse served as host venue for a Florida ACTL Boot Camp Trial Training Program named in honor of recently deceased Fellow Mark L. Horwitz, who was a member of that committee. Several Fellows (many of whom traveled from across the state) contributed to the program, including Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr., who presided over much of the day and provided access to the federal courthouse.
Iowa: The Iowa State Committee issued a public statement in support of three justices of the Iowa Supreme Court amid public criticism following a controversial split decision. In response, the committee drafted a statement expressing support for the justices, with a commitment to be watchful and protective of the judicial process, advocating against persons and entities who seek to damage the court system based on nothing more than disagreement with judicial decisions. [A detailed article will be printed in the upcoming issue of the Journal]
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Kentucky: On June 23, the Outreach Committee of the Kentucky chapter sponsored an hour of CLE at the annual KBA Convention. The program was entitled “Batson, Equal Protection, and the Ethics of Jury Selection.” Panelists included Fellows David Kramer, John McNeill, and Guthrie True, who were joined by Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Pamela R. Goodwine. This was the fourth consecutive Convention CLE program sponsored by the Kentucky Fellows. Additionally, at the Annual Fellows Dinner in Lexington on June 21, the Fellows recognized and were joined by attorney John Rosenberg of Prestonsburg, recipient of the 2021 ACTL Griffin Bell Award for Courageous Advocacy. At age 91, Rosenberg remains actively engaged in serving the public interest; his remarks emphasized the need for volunteer lawyers to assist the numerous victims of Eric Conn’s disability fraud crimes.
Michigan: The Fellows hosted a Trial Training Boot Camp – Anatomy of a Trial – on June 21 at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. Several judges from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan attended and participated in the Program. The Michigan Fellows would like to thank Fellows Britt Cobb, Mike Turco and Tom Behm for their assistance. Michigan’s annual Black-Tie Dinner takes place on August 18 at the historic Crystal Downs Country Club in Northern Michigan. President Susan Harriman will attend.
New Jersey: The New Jersey Fellows presented their annual Francis X. Dee Award to Fellow and US District Court Judge Christine P. O’Hearn, for her outstanding service to the College and to the practice of law at their Annual Gala at the Park Chateau Estate and Gardens in East Brunswick, New Jersey. The event further acknowledged the College’s participation in the Summer Judicial Internship Project, which provides paid federal court internships for underprivileged law students and pairs them with a mentor from the College. New Jersey has four such mentees, each of whom were recognized at the Gala: Olena Gladkova (intern for Judge Georgette Castner, U.S.D.J.; mentor: State Chair Ed Kole); Abena Ampofo (intern for Judge Rukhsanah Singh U.S.M.J.; mentor: Cathy Fleming); Melissa Velasco (intern for Judge Andre M. Espinosa, U.S.M.J.; mentor: William D. Wallach); and Amanda Craven (intern for Judge Stacey L. Meisel, U.S.B.J.; mentor: Craig Carpenito).
Additionally, Fellows Bill Wallach and Dennis Drasco have organized a seminar entitled “Alternatives to the Court House in a Post-COVID Environment” for Rutgers Law School. Wallach and Drasco will be joined on the panel by former Chief Judge Freda Wolfson, with State Chair Ed Kole serving as moderator.
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Emil Gumpert Award:
Applications Due September 15
Are you aware of an outstanding program whose principal purpose is to maintain and improve the administration of justice? If so, it might be a fit for the College’s Emil Gumpert Award. The Award, given annually, includes a $150,000 grant from the Foundation. Applications for the 2024 Award are due on September 15, 2023. Past recipients have provided services in such areas as sentencing fairness, record expungement and human rights, among others. Learn more here.
This active committee is looking for additional members to help determine the 2024 Emil Gumpert Award recipient. Contact Amy Mrugalski at the National Office for more information about either the application process or serving on the committee amrugalski@actl.com.
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Upcoming National Meetings: |
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More events can be viewed on the College website. Click here for the Events Calendar.
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September 21-24
Marriott Marquis
San Diego California
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2024 Spring Meeting
February 29-March 3, 2024
Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
Phoenix, Arizona
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Northwest Regional Meeting, Vancouver, British Columbia: June 22-23, 2023
On June 22, President Harriman flew to Vancouver to attend the Northwest Regional Meeting at the Fairmont Waterfront. The program began the next morning, and Vice Chair Brock Martland acted as emcee, while British Columbia Province Chair Tracey Cohen and Fellow Michelle Booker, together with Brock Martland, introduced the speakers. David Eby, the Premier of British Columbia, spoke first with a videotaped welcome. There were five additional speakers that morning, including an avalanche specialist and Fellow Merilyn Sandford, who captivatingly spoke about the wrongful conviction of her client. On Sunday morning, the program continued with an additional five speakers. Michael Law, a professor of Public Health, spoke about using drones to deliver health care in Rwanda. Professor Henry Yu discussed the history of anti-Asian racism in Canada and the United States. Fellow Geoff Cowper examined the question whether justiciability is justiciable. Dr. Evan Wood, the Canada Research Chair in Addiction Medicine, gave perhaps the most interesting talk of the program, asking, “What if everything you thought you knew about addiction was wrong?” The evening’s dinner featured President Harriman speaking and recognizing Province Chairs Cohen and Jeff Sharpe, Regent Carey Matovich, Former Regent Paul Fortino and Past President Tom Tongue. President Harriman highlighted the upcoming meeting and some of the scheduled speakers.
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Minnesota Fellows Meeting, Golden Valley: July 13, 2023
President Harriman attended the Minnesota Fellows Meeting, which was held at the Golden Valley Country Club, overlooking the golf course. Regent Greg Lederer and former Regent Kathleen Flynn Peterson were among the attendees. As Fellows enjoyed an open bar and buffet, State Chair Jan Conlin welcomed everyone and introduced President Harriman. President Harriman discussed both the Task Force on Mental Health and the Task Force on Civic Education, and urged everyone present to teach at least one civics class each year as part of the College’s partnership with the National Constitution Center.
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New Jersey Annual Gala, East Brunswick: July 18, 2023
President Harriman joined more than seventy Fellows and guests at the New Jersey Fellows Annual Gala, held at the Park Chateau Estate and Gardens in East Brunswick. State Chair Ed Cole organized the event, whose attendees included Regent Katie Recker and Vice Chair Eric Breslin. President Harriman spoke to the group and encouraged all Fellows to be on the lookout for outstanding trial lawyers who reflect their communities and jury pools. She also mentioned the Task Force on Civics Education and acknowledged the work of Judicial Fellow Christine O’Hearn on that Task Force. Fellows were encouraged to sign up to teach at least one civics class a year. Following President Harriman’s comments, the Frank Dee Award was presented to Judge O’Hearn.
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The 30th anniversary of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Zoom presentation by the Federal Rules of Evidence Committee is now available on the College’s Learning and Resource Center. Fellows are encouraged to share this free resource with colleagues.
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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.
Alabama
Henry “Hank” Self, Jr., ’94, Florence, July 19, 2023
Arkansas
Philip Kaplan, ’04, Little Rock, June 23, 2023
Connecticut
James A. Wade, ’80, Simsbury, July 3, 2023
Illinois
Richard E. Boyle, ’83, Belleville, June 18, 2022
Massachusetts
R. Robert Popeo, ’79, Boston, July 3, 2023
Ohio
Thomas E Jenks, ’80, Miamisburg, June 28, 2023
Gerald Gold, ’75, Bratenahl, April 3, 2023
Tennessee
Thomas I. Carlton, Jr., ’88, Nashville, April 22, 2023
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