"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
December 2022
Greetings to all Fellows,

Since I last wrote, I’ve been delighted to meet Fellows at College events in Missoula, Montana, Vancouver, B.C., Calgary, Alberta, Rhode Island and Alabama. Our Leadership Workshop was in Newport, Rhode Island from October 26 to October 29. Newport, a city established in 1639, welcomed us with beautiful Fall weather and sparkling waters. The Viking Hotel, the site of our Workshop, was only a stone’s throw from the oldest synagogue in the country and, in my remarks at the Workshop, I quoted George Washington’s speech on religious freedom addressed to the congregation of that synagogue in 1790 (“to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance”). As Robert F. Kennedy later said, “Ultimately, America’s answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which our heritage of religious freedom has inspired.”

Our keynote speaker for the Workshop was Past President Joan Lukey, who told the College leadership that, in times of ideological differences that have created a vast chasm between the factions, organizations like our own are more relevant than ever as courts increasingly become the venue for resolving ideologically based disputes. We had a session on the need for diversity, inclusion and belonging. I stressed the fact that, it’s not enough to simply admit into our ranks, young lawyers, women and people of color, but we also need to ensure that all Fellows feel included and want to belong to, and be active in, an organization like the College. Following up on Past President Lukey’s theme, our final session began with a talk by Chair of the Admission to Fellowship Committee William Hubbard, who is Dean of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the co-founder and Chair of the Board of the World Justice Project. William cited some sobering statistics, including the fact that the rule of law declined 64% in countries between 2015 and 2022. The factors that were considered in the World Justice Project’s rule of law survey were: (1) constraints on government powers; (2) absence of corruption; (3) open government; (4) fundamental rights; (5) order and security; (6) regulatory enforcement; (7) civil justice and (8) criminal justice. The numbers in the US, unlike Canada, had fallen just as precipitously as the worldwide figures. After hearing William’s remarks, we had a lively discussion of how to keep the College relevant—both in terms of electing to fellowship lawyers who are young and diverse and in protecting the rule of law. We all agreed on the need to improve Civics education in the US for persons of all ages. Judicial Fellow Judge Karen Townsend and Regent Carey Matovich spoke about a program from Judicial Fellow Don Malloy at the University of Montana Law School and the federal courthouse in Missoula, inviting local Civics teachers to attend his criminal calendar, lectures and mock demonstrations. Others spoke of Justice O’Connor’s Civics program. College leaders are working to find a meaningful way to follow up on that discussion.

On November 10, 2022, I had the privilege of introducing Fellow Michael Jones as keynote speaker at the Pro Bono Symposium, an event sponsored by the College in conjunction with the Association of Pro Bono Counsel. Mike, a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Kirkland & Ellis, is the great grandson of an enslaved person, Floyd Washington, who was a soldier with the 76th Infantry, U.S. Colored Division. More than 150 years after his great grandfather experienced segregation, Mike took on the most challenging and most rewarding case of his career to continue the battle against segregation. In Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education v. Maryland Higher Education Commission, Mike and his team at Kirkland joined forces with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in the pro bono representation of a coalition of students and alumni from Maryland’s historically Black colleges and universities, suing for failure to dismantle the remnants of its former segregated high education system. The case involved two trials, each one seven weeks long, five mediations, each multiple weeks long, an appeal before the Fourth Circuit and three legislative hearings. During the symposium, Mike eloquently described the difficulties of the case and the narrow path he had under the civil rights law to make a claim. He spoke about the fact that Maryland was historically a slave state with an official policy to maintain the black schools as inferior and described how he and his team used all tools at their disposal to reach a settlement of $577 million.

Mike’s keynote address was only the start of a terrific and inspiring program. Distinguished Pro Bono Fellow Terri Mascherin moderated a panel of lawyers who spoke about the types of pro bono cases that they look for in order to provide their young lawyers with valuable court and trial experience while simultaneously helping their communities. They each echoed the fact that there is no better training tool than pro bono work, while adding that it helps with the retention of young associates. As Fellow Doug Mitchell put it when moderating a panel of corporate counsel, “This type of work feeds the soul.” It’s hard to imagine that anyone has done more pro bono work in his or her career than Distinguished Pro Bono Fellows Committee Chair Kimball Anderson, who was interviewed as part of the symposium. Kimball’s pro bono representation started early in his legal career and ranged from working on cases during the AIDS crisis, to abolishing the death penalty in Illinois, to freeing someone from prison who was wrongfully convicted. He is currently bringing a class action on behalf of those who are subject to extreme isolation in the Illinois prison system. In concluding the Symposium, Mark Surprenant, the chair of our Access to Justice and Legal Services Committee, noted that 92 percent of low-income people in need of legal aid could not get it. Mark motivated us all by saying, “We can make a choice between indifference or making a difference.”  

The dedication and commitment to our mission by our state, province and general committee chairs and the Pro Bono Symposium are just a couple of the many reasons why I’m so honored to be President of the College.

Best Regards,
Susan J. Harriman
ACTL President
2023 Fellowship Dues
Your 2023 Dues Statement has now been mailed. Dues can be paid online using the button below or by locating the Pay Dues button on the home page at www.actl.com.
ANNOUNCING THE FORMATION OF AN ARBITRATION COMMUNITY
The College invites all Fellows with an interest in domestic and international arbitrations, as an advocate or as an arbitrator, to join the newly organized Arbitration Community, a virtual meeting place for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of best arbitration practices. In addition, the Community will help educate Fellows who are skilled trial lawyers into the significant substantive and procedural differences between domestic and international arbitrations as well as the fundamental differences in style between trials and arbitration hearings. We plan to meet quarterly and to write papers on important arbitral topics which we will make available to all interested Fellows. If you would like to join the Arbitration Community Group, please email AMrugalski@actl.com.
ACTL Podcast
Season Four Now Available
Listen on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcast app.
All six episodes of Season Four of Trial Tested: A Podcast by the American College of Trial Lawyers are now available. Join hosts Amy Gunn, Mike Herring and Dave Paul as they bring you fascinating interviews with Past Presidents Earl Silbert and Andy Coats; Annual Meeting speakers Kati Marton, Lord David Pannick and Boma Alabi; and Fellow and author, Rick Friedman.

Pro Bono Symposium
In partnership with the Association of Pro Bono Counsel, the ACTL hosted a Pro Bono Symposium on November 10, 2022, entitled Doing Well by Doing Good: Enhancing Your Career as a Trial Attorney with Pro Bono Service. We had over 160 Fellows and Non-Fellows register for this free, three-hour virtual CLE Program. Our speakers, presenters, and panelists did an excellent job in all respects. In light of this Symposium and the 2021 Canadian Pro Bono Symposium in which we participated in partnership with The Advocates’ Society, the College has become an even stronger voice for the importance of pro bono legal service and meaningful access to justice for all Canadians and Americans. Special thanks to all of who attended the Symposium and to the following Fellows, Non-Fellows, and ACTL staff for everything they did to make this Symposium a success: Susan Harriman, Michael Jones, Former Canadian Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell, Kimball Anderson, Douglas Mitchell, Joseph Tate, Terri Mascherin, John GilliganDiane Menashe, Alistair Dawson, Dara Sheinfeld, Barbara Butterworth, Veronica Davis, Bergita Thelstad, Tiffany Graves, Dennis Maggi, Amy Mrugalski, Sarah Stokes, and Kim Klingaman.

If you were unable to attend the live webinar, the entire program is now available through the Learning and Resource Center*. Please click here to view now. You can also forward this link to anyone you feel might be interested in learning more about Pro Bono service. Access is free; new viewers simply need to create a free account to watch the video.

*Please note: CLE credit is not available with the recorded program.
The 2023 Spring Meeting will take place February 23-26 in Miami, Florida at The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne. Registration opens December 2. Please check your email tomorrow for more information and the link to register online.
Fellow Frank Chernak was named one of Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2022 Veterans of Influence. The program recognizes military veterans who have made their mark on Greater Philadelphia’s business community. 

“America is the land of the second chance – and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life.” 
--George W. Bush
Imagine, if you can, how you would feel if you had, in a punishable moment of weakness, committed a non-violent crime, served your time as a model prisoner, and worked consistently during your incarceration to make yourself a better person. Imagine that the time that you have already served would, in the eyes of any reasonable person, constitute payment in full of your debt to society. Finally, imagine that your sentence – perhaps a state mandatory minimum — provides you with no opportunity to petition for release. You need and deserve a second chance, but none is offered.

About two years ago, the state of Arizona recognized the inherent unfairness in such a scenario. Arizona’s leaders could have experienced a moment of discomfort and just swept the problem back where it had long resided: under the rug. Instead, the legislature took the time and put in the effort to design a novel statutory framework that included multiple prongs, including the return of substantial discretion to the courts. Among the arrows in the courts’ quiver was the ability to order the issuance of something called a “Certificate of Second Chance,” as uplifting a name as one can imagine. The procedures put in place allowed eligible incarcerated individuals to demonstrate that they had earned the right to be free, if they could just find the way to work their way through the myriad new rules bounded by extraordinary opportunities.

Enter the Arizona Justice Project (AJP), an organization founded in 1998 to represent indigent Arizona inmates whose claims of innocence or manifest injustice have gone unheeded. In response to the promising new Arizona legal landscape, the AJP expanded its mission slightly, to encompass the needs of the inmates who were now eligible to seek their freedom as a result of their personal efforts and the new framework. In particular, the AJP established a special program called Sentencing Fairness Program – A Legal Right to A Second Chance. The Emil Gumpert Committee selected the AJP's new program in 2021 for the prestigious award and the $100,000 (now $150,000) grant, funded by your donations through the ACTL Foundation. 

This past summer, the AJP provided the Gumpert Committee with its one-year update on the progress of the Sentencing Fairness Program, and the uses to which the grant was put. AJP Executive Director Lindsay Herf summed it up beautifully:     

“In the past year, we began to see the impact of the work inspired by this program that created a path to freedom for those who had been promised a meaningful opportunity at release. Over the past twelve months, dozens of impacted individuals had an opportunity to appear before the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency, acting as the parole board, to show how they had transformed their lives and why they have earned a chance at release on parole... [A]s parole hearings began, hope was restored for many incarcerated individuals and for their families who have been awaiting their loved one’s return home.”

The Gumpert Award, funded by your donations to the ACTL Foundation, enabled the AJP to provide legal teams comprised of staff lawyers and law students, as well as pro bono lawyers recruited by the AJP, to represent many individuals at the parole hearings, and, through the AJP Re-Entry team, to help prepare individuals for re-assimilation into society upon release.
This very successful program is one of several “second chance” grants funded by the Foundation in the last two years. The results have been favorable and uplifting. In the words of legendary baseball player Pete Rose, whose great career was regrettably tainted by a betting scandal:

“If somebody is gracious enough to give me a second chance, I won’t need a third.”

The same words could easily be uttered by the beneficiaries of the AJP’s Sentencing Fairness Program.

Please remember the Foundation in your year-end charitable giving. Because justice can’t wait...    

Joan A. Lukey
President, ACTL Foundation
State and Province Committees

Arizona
Arizona Fellows held their annual Jenckes competition, the closing argument competition between the state’s university law schools. This year's competition was held at the ASU Sandra Day O'Connor law school in Phoenix. The team from ASU won this year in what was an excellent competition. (at right: winning team from ASU)

British Columbia
The BC Fellows held a dinner gathering at the Vancouver Club on October 18th. We were fortunate to be joined by President Susan Harriman and Regent Carey Matovich. The 2023 Regional Meeting will be held in Vancouver on July 20-22, 2023 and the BC Committee has begun planning for this event. 

California (Southern)
Under the leadership of State Chair Gerry Klein, the previously moribund UCI mock trial program has been revived. Two College Fellows are helping coach the team and they are in the process of creating an intramural program to begin next semester.

Colorado
The Fellows are currently recruiting judges to assist with the virtual trial competition on February 2-5, 2023 and will hold their annual Winning at Trial CLE in Denver on February 22, 2023.
Delaware
On October 6, State Chair David Ross organized a half day moot court/appellate advocacy training for public service lawyers. The event was attended and judged by three of Delaware’s five Supreme Court Justices, led by Judicial Fellow and Chief Justice CJ Seitz. Past President Bart Dalton participated along with several Fellows. The program ended with drinks, dinner and remarks from both Chief Justice Seitz and Justice Gary Traynor.
Georgia
This fall, the Georgia Outreach Committee completed professionalism programs at all five of the law schools in Georgia: Emory, Georgia State, UGA, John Marshall and Mercer. This represents the first statewide outreach initiative in many years and was very well received. The programs used the College’s vignettes for panel discussion by Fellows and special guests. One panelist, a justice on Georgia’s Supreme Court, was so impressed that she requested access to the vignettes for a future program she is conducting with other judges. Each program included a luncheon or reception sponsored by Fellows. Georgia Vice Chair Virgil Adams chaired the subcommittee. Other members were Fellows Chris Clark, Beth Tanis, Fred Bergen, Chuck Boring, Claudia Saari and Bill McKinnon.

Mississippi
On October 27, 2022, Mississippi Fellows participated in the Mississippi Judicial Conference, held at the Golden Nugget Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. The conference consisted of Circuit, County, Chancery, and Appellate Court Judges from across the state. Fellows Phil Abernethy, John Banahan, Tim Holleman, and Ed Taylor put on a program where lawyers enacted a skit in which they arrived to court wholly unprepared. The program prompted a lot of laughter, but, also drove home the fact that such conduct by unprepared lawyers is not that unusual, and wastes the Court’s time and efficiency. The program prompted good discussion on how this type of unprofessional conduct could be prevented and how to improve the judicial process for all involved.

New Jersey
On August 17, the Fellows held their Annual Gala at the Park Chateau in East Brunswick, NJ. At that event, Fellow Dennis Drasco was presented the Francis X. Dee Award for outstanding service. Over sixty people attended, including [Past] President Mike O’Donnell and Regent Katie Recker. As part of the NJ ACTL Mentorship initiative, NJ Fellows Dennis Drasco and Peter Torcicollo will be mentoring two students from Rutgers Law School for this school year. Fellows Bill Wallach, Dennis Drasco, Bob Stahl and Cathy Fleming were all involved in moving this initiative forward. As part of the NJ Pro Bono initiative, State Chair Ed Kole solicited donations of old electronics to be provided to PAR Recycling, a not-for-profit company, which employs those persons who have paid their debt to society and teaches those individuals life skills to succeed via the recycling of electronics. Numerous NJ Fellows have provided such donations, and we are continuing to seek such donations.

New York (Downstate)
As part of the Federal Bar Council’s Access to Counsel Project, and in partnership with NITA and the Downstate New York Chapter, an intensive NITA Trial Skills Training program for attorneys who represent or agree to represent civil pro se litigants in the SDNY and EDNY is being offered December 7. This program will focus on direct and cross examinations and impeachment. For more information click here.

North Carolina and South Carolina
The North and South Carolina Fellows will hold a joint meeting February 10-12 at the Montage Palmetto Bluff Resort in Bluffton, SC. Over seventy-five members of the College are expected to attend. The keynote speaker will be Linda Dunikoski of the Cobb County District Attorney's Office. Ms. Dunikoski was the lead prosecutor in the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial, which resulted in the conviction of three self-appointed vigilantes charged with his death.

Oregon
The Fellows are holding their annual holiday dinner on December 7, which President Susan Harriman and Regent Carey Matovich will attend. The guest speaker will be the Honorable Martha Walters, Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court and Judicial Fellow. She will be retiring from her position as chief judge at the end of this year. It is noteworthy that the leadership at this annual dinner consists of all women – a tribute to them and to the progress the College is making toward diversity.

Washington
Over fifty Fellows attended the annual dinner at the Rainier Club in Seattle on November 3, 2022. The Fellows welcomed Past President Mike O’Donnell and his wife, Brett O’Donnell, along with Regent Carey Matovich for an evening of socializing, and introduced three new candidates from Washington who are awaiting induction.
 
General Committees

Beverley McLachlin Access to Justice Award
The committee is continuing its search for potential nominees. The Award, named for The Honourable Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, is to be awarded to a judge or a member of the bar in the United States or Canada, whether or not a Fellow of the College, who has played an exceptional role in creating and promoting access to justice. The Award will recognize innovative measures or extraordinary personal commitment and professional dedication which have enhanced access to justice in the United States or Canada. Please send any information regarding potential nominees to David Ross, dross@ramllp.com.

Boot Camp Trial Training Programs
The Boot Camp Committee continues to plan and present its one-day trial training programs with the enthusiastic leadership and participation by Fellows around the country. Very recently programs were presented in Phoenix under the leadership of Mick Rusing, Las Vegas under the leadership of Tammy Peterson, Detroit under the leadership of Michael Turco and Chicago under the leadership of Timothy Tomasik. The boot camp docket includes many more programs in the future. If you would like to help plan a boot camp program in your jurisdiction or serve on the faculty, please contact committee chair Paul Sandler.
 
Judicial Independence
The committee has recommended an “Open Letter” to the United States Senate, aimed at reforming confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominees. As part of the preparation of the Open Letter, committee members have reached out to individual Senators on the Committee on the Judiciary, asking to collaborate in finding the best path to this reform. The committee also plans to reach out to others involved in the confirmation process such as the DOJ, White House Counsel, and former judges. The Board of Regents approved the committee’s proposal at the Fall Meeting. The committee will provide an Open Letter to the Board for approval before sending to the Senate. Once approved, the College will simultaneously release the Open Letter to media outlets.
 
Legal Ethics and Professionalism
The Committee continues to work on an update to the white paper "Attorney-Client Privilege Update: Current and Recurring Issues." The Committee also is launching a new project preparing guidelines for ethical issues that arise at trial. 
 
Samuel E. Gates Litigation Award
The Gates Award is given to “honor a lawyer or judge, whether or not a Fellow of the College, who has made a significant, exceptional and lasting contribution to the improvement of the litigation process.” The Committee received several nominations this year and has met to discuss the group of nominees over the past several months. The Committee is in the process of recommending an individual for this prestigious award to the Board of Regents and Past Presidents for their consideration at the Spring Meeting in February, 2023. The Committee is presently accepting nominations for the next cycle of the committee’s work; all nominations received will be considered following the Spring Meeting in Key Biscayne. Nominations should address the criteria stated above and specific contributions the nominee has made to the improvement of the litigation process. Letters supporting the nomination are valued and welcomed by the committee and should be sent to pjhickey1@msn.com and to Marvin_Quattlebaum@ca4.uscourts.gov.
The College recognizes extraordinary individuals and their important contributions to the law through the awards described below. A nominator need only submit a letter of support, and the award committee will complete an investigation before deciding whether to recommend the person to the Board of Regents. Please consider nominating a worthy recipient. You may send your letter to nationaloffice@actl.com or directly to the committee chair indicated below.
Beverley McLachlin Access to Justice Award
The Award, named for The Honourable Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, is to be awarded to a judge or a member of the bar in the United States or Canada, whether or not a Fellow of the College, who has played an exceptional role in creating and promoting access to justice. The Award will recognize innovative measures or extraordinary personal commitment and professional dedication which have enhanced access to justice in the United States or Canada. To view the previous recipient and submit a proposal for the Committee to consider click here.

Chair: David E. Ross
 
Sandra Day O'Connor Jurist Award
The Award is to be given from time to time to a judge in the United States or Canada, whether or not a Fellow of the College, who has demonstrated exemplary judicial independence in the performance of his or her duties, sometimes in especially difficult or even dangerous circumstances. To view previous recipients and submit a proposal for the Committee to consider click here.



Thurgood Marshall Equality and Justice Award
The Thurgood Marshall Equality and Justice Award, named for the revered lawyer, civil rights advocate and first Black Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, is to be given from time to time to an individual who has been a champion of justice and equality in all forms, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation or other form. The candidate must possess vision, courage, and fortitude, and must have stood steadfast in the passionate and effective pursuit of equal justice under the law. The inaugural award was presented to the late Rep. John Lewis at the College’s 2021 Annual Meeting in Chicago. To submit a proposal for the Committee to consider click here.

Brent A. Tingle
Westford, Massachusetts
Judge
Massachusetts Superior Court
November 2022

Upcoming National Meetings:
February 23-26
The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne
Florida
2023 Annual Meeting
September 21-24
Marriott Marquis, San Diego California
More events can be viewed on the College website. Click here for the Events Calendar.
Virginia Fellows Dinner, Richmond: September 28, 2022

President-Elect Murphy and his wife, Pat, spent the evening of September 28 attending the Virginia State Committee dinner at the lovely Jefferson Hotel in Richmond. President Harriman was unable to attend the first few state meetings directly following her installation due to an ongoing trial. Approximately twenty Fellows and fifteen guests attended this first post-COVID live event, although there were several cancellations, confirming that COVID is not gone. Dinner was held at the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing on the James River. State Chair Terrence Graves invoked a blessing and after dinner President-Elect Murphy made a few remarks. He described the Rome meeting and encouraged all to attend the Spring Meeting in Key Biscayne. A common theme of all speakers was to encourage the completion of investigations to allow as many quality and diverse prospective candidates to be submitted to the Board. Regent Moose Phillips confirmed that need.  
Michigan Fellows Social Gathering, Traverse City: September 30, 2022 

On September 30, President-Elect Murphy and Pat traveled to Traverse City. Outgoing Chair Dan Scully and Peggy were outstanding hosts. The Michigan dinner was held the following day at the Garvey Wedding Barn, which is owned and operated by Fellow Bob Garvey and his wife, Kathy. The dinner was well attended and included Regent Cheryl Bush and incoming State Chair Tom Behm. The event was a nice social affair. The Michigan committee has made a good effort to maintain regular meetings, either in person or by Zoom and is poised to continue to do great things under the leadership of Tom Behm and Vice Chair Judy Susskind.
Upstate New York Fellows Dinner, Syracuse: October 6, 2022

President-Elect Murphy filled in again for President Harriman, who was still in trial, at the Upstate New York Dinner in Syracuse. Fourteen Fellows attend the cocktails and dinner at the Bellevue Country Club. State Chair Kevin Hunt asked President-Elect Murphy to speak and he again reported on the Rome meeting and encouraged attendance at the spring meeting. The new Regent, Bernard Amyot, also spoke, and all stressed the importance of diligence in recruitment and the thoroughness of investigations. More quality candidates are needed, and more efforts need to be made to identify diverse candidates.
Vermont Fellows Gathering, Middlebury: October 12, 2022

Immediate Past President O’Donnell attended the Vermont Fellows Gathering on October 12 while President Susan Harriman continued in trial. The gathering took place at the stunning Waybury Inn, made famous as the setting of The Bob Newhart Show. State Chair Mary Kay Lanthier, a public defender working tirelessly for the College without an assistant, hosted an outdoor cocktail party, followed by a beautiful dinner for around twenty Fellows. Past President O’Donnell addressed the group, thanking State Chair Lanthier and Former Regent Ritchie Berger, a Burlington resident, for their service to the College. Past President O’Donnell described the highlights from the Annual Meeting in Rome and encouraged attendance at both annual and spring national meetings, starting with the Spring Meeting at The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne. He outlined College initiatives, including the Trial Tested Podcast, the Just The Beginning internship, along with the first diversity training program in Chicago and international training program in London. Past President O’Donnell also described the successful Forum on the Rule of Law, as well as the Judicial Independence Committee's study of the Senate confirmation process, with the goal of making respectful recommendations for improvement.
Indiana Fellows Dinner, Indianapolis: October 14, 2022

On October 14, 2022, Immediate Past President O’Donnell traveled to Indianapolis to attend the Indiana Fellows Dinner at the Woodstock Country Club. Approximately forty Fellows and guests attended the event. He was seated with the Immediate Past Chair Tony Patterson, Chair Steve Langer, and Indiana Supreme Court Justice Derek Molter and his wife Katie. He described a number of College programs including the Just The Beginning internship, first international boot camp, the first diversity training program in Chicago, the fourth season of podcasts, and the work of the Judicial Independence and Judiciary Committees on improving the Senate confirmation process. He also encouraged those present to attend the meeting in Key Biscayne next February. After dinner, Justice Molter spoke, encouraging the Fellows to provide him and the Court with any ideas for improvements as the Fellows represented the best of the best of the Indiana trial bar.
Montana Fellows Dinner, Missoula: October 15, 2022

President Susan Harriman made her first official College trip to Missoula, Montana, where she spent a wonderful evening dining at The Keep Restaurant with a number of Montana Fellows. The event was hosted by Immediate Past Chair John Crist. President Harriman spoke about the highlights of the Rome meeting, the upcoming Spring Meeting in Key Biscayne, and gave a strong pitch for Montana to grow its ranks, asking everyone to think of who might be qualified to be a Fellow. She discussed the upcoming Pro Bono Symposium, “Doing Well by Doing Good,” and reminded everyone that part of the College’s mission is to maintain and improve the standards of trial practice. President Harriman also heard about an impressive program run by Judicial Fellow Dan Malloy at the law school and federal courthouse, in which he invites civics teachers from around the state to come to Missoula for a two-day seminar involving lectures, mock demonstrations and observing some of his criminal calendar.
British Columbia Fellows Dinner, Vancouver: October 18, 2022

President Harriman attended the British Columbia Fellow Dinner October 18, 2022, hosted by Province Chair Tracey Cohen at the Vancouver Club. Twenty Fellows attended the event, including two Fellows recently inducted in Rome. President Harriman discussed the Rome meeting and particularly the highlights, including the Baths of Caracalla evening event. She encouraged attendance at the upcoming Key Biscayne meeting, where the College will be conferring honorary fellowship on Canadian Supreme Court Justice Mahmud Jamal. President Harriman also encouraged attendance at the November 10 virtual Pro Bono Symposium, “Doing Well by Doing Good,” about enhancing one’s career through pro bono service. Nurturing young legal talent through the regional competitions toward the Sopinka Cup was also a topic for discussion. Regent Carey Matovich described the extensive investigation process, from telephone calls to Board presentations. Then Province Chair Tracey Cohen and Vice Chair Brock Martland spoke about the planned June 2023 British Columbia regional conference. President Harriman reiterated the importance of growing the ranks of Fellows to reflect the population of attorneys practicing in British Columbia.
Alberta Fellow Dinner, Calgary: October 19, 2022

On October 19, 2022, Regent Carey Matovich again joined President Harriman and embarked on a quick flight from Vancouver to Calgary for a visit with the Fellows there. About twenty Fellows (another Fellows-only event) attended the dinner. President Harriman began by acknowledging Former Regent and current Advocacy in the 21st Century Committee Chair Mona Duckett and all that she has done for the College. Next, she spoke on several topics, including the Annual Meeting in Rome, the upcoming Spring Meeting in Key Biscayne, and the College’s continued efforts to locate qualified candidates that reflect the population of lawyers in our communities. President Harriman urged the Fellows to remember that part of mission of the College is maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice and suggested that they become involved in the regional competitions that feed into the Sopinka Cup. She also asked that all Fellows commit to helping nurture up and coming legal talent. 
Washington Fellows Dinner, Seattle: November 3, 2022

Regent Carey Matovich joined Immediate Past President O’Donnell and Brett for the Washington Fellows Dinner dinner. Sixty Fellows and guests met at the The Rainier Club, an old, beautiful Club in downtown Seattle. After cocktails and dinner, State Chair Corrie Yackulic introduced President O’Donnell for comments. After thanking Regent Carey Matovich for her service to the College, he spoke about a few recent programs, including the Just The Beginning internship, an International Boot Camp Trial Training Program, the Diversity in the Courtroom Program for diverse lawyers, the work of the Advocacy in the 21st Century Committee, and the ACTL-Marshall Scholars Forum on the Rule of Law at the Supreme Court last May. Finally, he explained the current status of the Judicial Independence Committee’s review of the Senate confirmation process, hoping it will diminish the negative impact recent such hearings have had on the public’s confidence in our judicial system. Diversity in the College was also discussed. There has been much improvement, but much opportunity remains. 
Alabama Fellows Dinner/Jere F. White, Jr. Trial Advocacy Institute: November 2, 2022.

President Harriman attended the Alabama Fellows Dinner and the Jere F. White, Jr., Trial Advocacy Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. Past President Sam Franklin and his wife Betty served as hosts. President Harriman was impressed with the diversity of the group of Alabama Fellows. Alabama Chair Frank Stakely emceed the meeting and Fellow Kendall Dunson gave the invocation. Jere White, one of the founders of Lightfoot, Franklin & White, died on October 3, 2011, at the age of 56, and he and his wife Lyda donated money for fellowships to his alma mater, Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. The Jere F. White, Jr, Trial Advocacy Institute was started by the Lightfoot firm in his memory. There were more than 200 attendees at the Trial Advocacy Institute, and the proceeds went to fellowships for students at Cumberland Law School. Other than the panel entitled “What Judges Want from Lawyers,” all of the presenters were Fellows. The program started with Voir Dire, then Opening Statement, then Direct Examination, Cross Examination and a tribute to Jere White. The presentations on opening, direct and cross all included a talk from the perspectives of both plaintiffs and defendants.
Nebraska Fellows Dinner, Omaha: November 4, 2022

President-Elect Murphy filled in for President Harriman at the Nebraska Fellows Dinner. The Happy Hollow Country Club, on the outskirts of Omaha, provided a lovely setting. Outgoing State Chair Susan Sapp organized the dinner and program, which was well attended by fifty Fellows and guests. Diversity was the topic of most of the discussion. Three of the four most recent Fellows in Nebraska are female. The speaker, Dana Washington, is an African American attorney serving as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Boys Town. Washington recounted her own struggles gaining acceptance as one of the few African American women attorneys in Nebraska and during her talk she urged the Fellows in the room to be more aggressive in promoting diversity and inclusion in their law firms and to become supportive allies with the women and African American attorneys that they recruit and hire.
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.

California
John H. Baker, ’83, Fresno, October 15, 2022
Robert E. Currie, ’84, Newport Beach, October 21, 2022

Connecticut
Phillip C. Potter, Jr., ’83, Greenwich, September 29, 2022

Idaho
P. Craig Storti, ’99, Boise, March 4, 2022
Richard E. Hall, ’91, Boise, October 6, 2020

Illinois
William J. Kunkle, Jr., ’89, Indian Head Park, November 19, 2022

Iowa
James R. Snyder, ’84, Cedar Rapids, October 5, 2022

Kentucky
Ronald M. Sullivan, ’87, Owensboro, November 8, 2022

Maryland
Benjamin R. Civiletti, ’77, Lutherville Timonium, October 16, 2022

Massachusetts
Lawrence L. Cameron, ’71, Falmouth, November 6, 2022

Michigan
Eugene Driker,’81, Detroit, Sept. 29, 2022

Minnesota
James S. Simonson, ’81, Minneapolis, October 10, 2022

Nevada
David W. Hagen, Jr., ’82, Reno, September 28, 2022

New York
Gerald T. McDonald, ’86, Rome, November 9, 2022
Edward Z. Menkin, ’12, Syracuse, March 31, 2022

Oklahoma
Michael C. Stewart, ’85, Edmond, November 22, 2022

Ontario
Terrence O’Sullivan, ’98, Toronto, August 19, 2022
Charles F. Scott, ’98, Toronto, August 30, 2022

Quebec
Guy Gilbert, KC, ’81, Montreal, October 13, 2022

Tennessee
Lloyd S. Adams, Jr., ’80, Knoxville, September 10, 2022
Louis F. Allen, ’84, Memphis, November 14, 2022
Walter W. Bussart, ’91, Nashville, October 25, 2022

Texas
F. Walter Conrad, Jr., ’95, Houston, Sept 24, 2022
Donald W. Griffis, ’95, San Angelo, October 3, 2022
Carol S. Vance, Jr., ’89, Houston, June 24, 2022

Virginia
Robert F. Horan, Jr., ’83, Fairfax, October 28, 2022
G. Marshall Mundy, ’85, Roanoke, October 31, 2022

Washington
George Kargianis, ’86, Bellevue, 2022

West Virginia
Lester C. Hess, Jr., ’89, Wheeling, November 17, 2022
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