Sunshine, Fellowship in Phoenix
Remembering Leaders of the College
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The rather harsh winter weather at the start of 2018, touching even those of us here in the Deep South, has me thinking of the upcoming Spring Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, March 1-4, 2018. In addition to the great venue at the historical Arizona Biltmore, President-Elect Jeff Leon has planned a most interesting program, including an appearance by Chris Wray, Director of the FBI. In addition, we are offering a two-hour CLE ethics program on Thursday afternoon, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., dealing with the ethical and legal issues of counsel’s use of social media to investigate jurors. Please be aware that the Arizona Biltmore has sold out of rooms during our Spring Meeting dates.
Registration is still open if you would like to stay at another area hotel. Please see the section immediately after my letter for more meeting details.
Betty and I continue to enjoy our travels and have a very busy schedule for January and February. We were saddened by some significant losses at the very end of 2017, including Past President Charlie Renfrew from San Francisco, Former Regent Ray Brown from Mississippi and Jane Morris, wife of Past President Jimmy Morris from Virginia. Charlie and Ray contributed immensely to our Fellowship and the leadership of the College, and both will be greatly missed. More information on the life and great career of Charlie Renfrew will be forthcoming in a future issue of the
Journal.
Our State and Province Committees continue to work hard and do excellent work, and I encourage each of you to scroll through this issue in order to learn just how much is being done, throughout the year, to promote our mission.
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Samuel H. Franklin
President
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2018 Spring Meeting Heads To Arizona
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President Franklin and the Board of Regents hope Fellows will make plans to attend the meeting. Click
here to download a copy of the brochure.
As part of the Spring Meeting, the College is pleased to offer 2 ethics credit hours of Continuing Legal Education on Thurs., Mar. 1, from 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm. This interesting and dynamic Professional Program will explore and expound on the ethical and legal issues of counsel’s use of social media to investigate jurors.
We are pleased to have also two confirmed two new speakers. Professor John Q. Barrett of St. John's University School of Law in New York City is writing a biography of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice and Nuremberg prosecutor
Robert H. Jackson
(1892-1954). To read his biography,
click here
. Jason Schechterle will share his incredible story of survival and transformation as he calls himself “the luckiest person alive.” To read his biography,
click here
. President-Elect Jeffrey S. Leon, LSM has planned an exciting program of speakers. The list of speakers includes: author Mark Bowden, best known for authoring
Black Hawk Down.; Michelle Bratcher Goodwin, director of the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy at the University of California, Irvine School of Law; the Honorable Diane J. Humetewa, U.S. District Court, District of Arizona; Fellow Michael Koskoff; the Honorable Barbara J. Pariente, Florida Supreme Court, recipient of the Sandra Day O'Connor Jurist Award; The Honourable Mr. Justice Malcolm Rowe, Supreme Court of Canada, who will be receiving Honorary Fellowship; Honorable Greg Stanton, mayor of the city of Phoenix; and Honorable Christopher Wray, director of the FBI. David C. Roberts, senior director of water resources at the Salt River Project and Thomas Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources will discuss water storage and delivery in Arizona.
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2017 Montréal Meeting Speaker Videos, Photos Available
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- Jay Bilas, Emmy nominated college basketball analyst, co-host of ESPN's College GameDay, College Gamenight and CBS Sports' Coverage of the NCAA Tournament
- Kate Bolduan, Broadcast Journalist, Anchor, CNN
- 2017 Emil Gumpert Award Presentation: Rose Cahn, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, San Francisco, CA
- Inductee Responder Louis Charette
- The Right Honourable David Johnston, CC, CMM, COM, CD , Governor General of Canada
- Honorable Myron H. Thompson, United States District Court, Middle District of Alabama
Event photos taken at the meeting are also now available. Click
here to be taken to the Shutterfly site hosting these photos. You may view the photos, but you must log in to Shutterfly in order to save or download the photo.
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Add a Face To Fellow Name
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Thank you to those Fellows who have uploaded a photo to their account on the College website. Adding a photo is a useful way to connect with other Fellows and humanizes our Fellows who can be found throughout North America. To learn how you can upload a photo,
click on the link here to watch a short instructional video.
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2018 Spring Polling Reminder
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Attention all State and Province Committee Chairs who poll during the spring cycle: The deadline for candidate proposals is March 15, 2018. Please be aware that the following states and provinces are part of the 2018 spring poll: Arkansas, Atlantic Provinces, British Columbia, California (Northern), California (Southern), Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ontario, Quebec, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
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Fellows Find Friends in Guam - Hafa Adai!
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After a year of extensive collaboration with the Honorable F. Philip Carbullido, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Guam, Former Regent Brian O’Neill and ten Fellows flew at their own expense last month to Hagåtña, Guam to stage a three-day trial practice workshop from January 17 to January 19. Why Guam? The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has jurisdiction in Guam. The Guam Superior Court has jurisdiction over cases arising under Guam law. As one might expect, Guam judicial officers and lawyers share many of the same concerns and challenges, along with aspirations to improve the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics and the administration of justice. After leading a
similarly themed workshop in Palau in 2015
, O’Neill reached out to Justice Carbullido. In 2017 O’Neill assembled a panel of Fellows with specific expertise and practices and sent a draft agenda to Justice Carbullido and the Judicial Council of Guam. The Council not only agreed to host the ACTL workshop, but graciously invited neighboring commonwealths and confederations to attend. Over 100 people participated in the ACTL workshop, including judicial officers, attorneys general, public defenders, and lawyers from Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Republic of the Philippines. Justice Carbullido has already asked O’Neill to return to Guam for another educational workshop in 2020.
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Mississippi Fellows Present At Mississippi Trial & Appellate Judges Fall Conference
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On Thursday, October 26, 2017, members of the Mississippi Chapter presented a program titled “Courtroom Demeanor and Control: Abusive Cross Exam; Inadmissible Evidence at Trial; and Improper Closing Argument” to the Mississippi Trial & Appellate Judges Fall Conference in Jackson, Mississippi. Fellows used the Judicial Demeanor and Courtroom Control Practices video, available on the
College YouTube channel
, prepared by the Federal Judicial Center and ACTL as the basis for the role playing. Mississippi State Committee Chair John G. Wheeler introduced the program while Fellow Roy D. Campbell III moderated the program. Mississippi State Committee Vice Chair J. Cal Mayo, Jr. coordinated the program along with Campbell. The following Fellows presented during the program: Abusive Cross Exam: Phil B. Abernethy, William M. Dalehite, Jr. and Ex Officio of the Mississippi State Committee David W. Mockbee; Inadmissible Evidence at Trial: David L. Ayers, William R. Purdy and former Mississippi State Committee Chair Stephen L. Thomas; Improper Closing Argument: R. David Kaufman, William Liston III and Walter C. Morrison IV. The program received positive feedback and requests to return to the conference next fall for another program.
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National Moot Court Regional Winners Head To
Final Rounds in New York
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Following regional competitions in 14 cities in November 2017 involving over 110 law schools across the U.S., teams from 30 law schools are headed to the final rounds of the 68
th
annual National Moot Court Competition in New York City. The final rounds were held January 29 to February 1, 2018 at The House of the New York City Bar Association. The College has been a proud co-sponsor for decades with the New York City Bar of this prestigious national appellate advocacy competition. A list of past competition winners can be found
here
. Schools competing in the finals this year are:
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This year’s moot court problem presents two issues of significant constitutional importance. The first concerns the First Amendment in the realm of retaliatory arrests and the second concerns the Fourth Amendment as it applies to standing of unauthorized drivers operating rental cars to challenge searches.
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New Mexico Chapter Hosts Regional Round of NTC
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The National Trial Competition Regional Round for Region 4 is being held February 8-11, 2018 in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico School of Law. New Mexico Fellows Nelson Franse and John Pound have recruited several volunteer judges for the competition, including many New Mexico Fellows, several sitting judges and a number of outstanding local litigators. The New Mexico Fellows will host a reception for all of the volunteer judges and the many individuals who helped organize the competition.
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Ontario Fellows to Present Spring Symposium
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On Wednesday, April 25, 2018, Ontario Fellows and
The Advocates’ Society
will present the “The Advocate Matters” 17
th
Annual Spring Symposium, a continuing professional development and networking event for civil litigators at the
Carlu
. The practical program, running from 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature the latest developments, strategies, tools and tips. The following Fellows will be participating: J. Thomas Curry; Canadian Foundation Director Sandra A. Forbes; Scott C. Hutchison; Jessica Kimmel; Jonathan C. Lisus; Guy J. Pratte and Benjamin Zarnett. Click
here to register
.
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The College recognizes extraordinary individuals and their important contributions to the law through three 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.
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Griffin Bell Award for Courageous Advocacy
To receive and investigate recommendations and information relative to outstanding courage demonstrated by trial lawyers in unpopular or difficult causes, and where appropriate to recommend an award.
Samuel E. Gates Litigation Award
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.
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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. A nomination form can be
downloaded here
.
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NATIONAL MEETINGS
2018 Spring Meeting
Phoenix, Arizona
March 1-4, 2018
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2018 Annual Meeting
New Orleans, Louisiana
September 27-30, 2018
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REGIONAL MEETINGS
Region 6 Regional Meeting
Oxford, Mississippi
April 20-22, 2018
Third Circuit Regional Meeting
Wilmington, Delaware
May 18-20, 2018
Southwest Regional Meeting
Lake Tahoe, California
June 8-10, 2018
Northeast Regional Meeting
Portland, Maine
June 22-24, 2018
STATE / PROVINCE MEETINGS
South Carolina Fellows Retreat
Bluffton, South Carolina
February 1-4, 2018
New Jersey Fellows Dinner
Hamilton Township, New Jersey
February 3, 2018
Oklahoma Fellows Meeting
San Pancho, Mexico
February 8-11, 2018
Utah Fellows Dinner
Salt Lake City, Utah
February 24, 2018
LAW SCHOOL COMPETITIONS
Gale Cup
Toronto, Ontario
February 16-17, 2018
Sopinka Cup
Ottawa, Ontario
March 16-17, 2018
National Trial Competition
Austin, Texas
April 4-8, 2018
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North Carolina Fellows Meeting
Charleston, South Carolina
March 15-18, 2018
Québec Fellows Dinner
Montréal, Québec
March 20, 2018
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Mark your calendar now to attend one of the College’s upcoming gatherings.
More events can be viewed on the College website.
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of San Antonio, Texas was a 2017 recipient of the
Women's Leadership Award
presented by the
San Antonio Business Journal
. The award recognizes her role as a female attorney, leadership in the profession and dedication to community service.
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of Boise, Idaho has been named a
2017 Leader in Law
by the Idaho Business Review by a committee of former honorees and a representative of the University of Idaho College of Law, for her professional achievements, leadership in the profession and community and volunteer work.
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of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was recognized with the
"Drum Major for Justice Award"
from the Allegheny County Bar Association. He is honored for the "extraordinary community work he has done with the Catholic Diocese in Pittsburgh to ensure that diverse students attending predominantly African American Catholic Schools have an opportunity to gain hands on experience in the legal field."
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Arkansas, November 30: With 3 annual consecutive-night State dinners, Region Six now competes with the famous Italian Christmas Eve tradition Feast of the Seven Fishes. The first night’s holiday season dinner, held in Little Rock, Arkansas at the historical Capital Hotel with its large (huge!) elevator reputedly made for President Ulysses S. Grant to bring his horse up to his in-residence room, provided a warm, decorated setting. 19 Fellows and their guests joined President Franklin, his wife Betty, Regent Tom Hayes and
Arkansas State Committee Chair Jim Julian in avoiding discussions of Alabama politics or Alabama football and focused on fellowship, ACTL action and especially recruiting new Fellows with an eye toward demographics and diversity.
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Mississippi, December 1: Some 38 Fellows greeted the Franklins after a Tom Hayes-led tour from Little Rock to Ridgeland, Mississippi through rural Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta and on to the city’s Jackson Country Club. Former Regents Ray Brown and Christy Jones joined the holiday party. (Ray Brown, who passed away Christmas Day, let slip that he would shortly be inducted into the first Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame Class.)
Mississippi State Committee Chair John Wheeler introduced new Fellows and the new Dean of the University of Mississippi Law School, Susan Hanley Duncan. President Franklin followed his successful script from the Arkansas dinner and avoided offending his hosts with undue claims of the prowess of Alabama football versus Ole Miss football.
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Louisiana, December 2: Louisiana opened its arms to our current president for Dinner Three of the spectacular Region Six Trifecta Hospitality at Restaurant August, a John Besh award-winning restaurant next to New Orleans’ spectacular Windsor Court Hotel. About 42 Fellows and Past President Gene Lafitte and his wife, Jackie, broke bread and hoisted toasts as hosts to the President and Regent at the end of their holiday season travels.
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Oregon, December 13: The Sentinel Hotel, a new site for the Oregon Fellows Dinner, played host to the Franklins, Past President Tom Tongue, Regent Mona Duckett and 44 Fellows and their guests. With Mt. Hood in the distance, Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Balmer spoke to the gathering about the historic role of lawyers as statesmen. President Franklin’s shared remarks, which complimented Former Regent Paul Fortino for his Communications Committee and
eBulletin work and “lasered in” on the College’s diversity efforts – ably reflected in the make-up of the
Oregon State Committee.
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Washington, December 14: The
Washington State Committee, always in competition with Oregon, achieved a gentlewomanly tie this year with a lovely reception and dinner at the Sunset Club, a
Women Only club in Seattle. President Franklin and Betty flew in to Seattle early to break the failed travel history record of Past Presidents Mike Smith and Bart Dalton for getting to a connecting airport but not making a landing in Seattle for the actual event. Former Regent Paul Fortino and new Regent Mona Duckett did not pass up a second night’s great meal on the last leg of this two-state presidential swing. The affair, staged by State Committee Chair Rebecca Ringer, included remarks by several Fellows old and new. A
ttendees welcomed soon to be inducted Fellow Felix Luna, shared fond memories of recently deceased Fellow Jim Connelly and heard from several Fellows about their work on various committees. Of special note, Judicial Fellow James Robart, who was unfairly attacked by President Trump, went out of his way to thank President Franklin and the College for recent
support of both him and the federal judiciary in general.
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San Francisco, January 6:
College Presidents, past and present, gathered in San Francisco for a memorial service in honor of Past President Charlie Renfrew who died on December 14, 2017. The January 6, 2018 service, at a filled-to-capacity St. Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church, was a brief celebration of Charlie's life with a moving eulogy of his career, sense of humor and keen sense of justice delivered by long-time family friend and Fellow John Keker. Barbara Renfrew and three of their sons invited all to join them for a reception afterward at the Golden Gate Club in the Presidio, where the boys shared both humorous and touching memories of their father. Fellows and spouses in attendance included President Franklin and his wife, Betty; Past President Bob Fiske; Past President Mike Stout; Past President Tom Tongue and his wife, Andrea; Past President Chilton Varner and her husband, Morgan; Past President Bob Byman and his wife, Jane; Past President Fran Wikstrom; Past President Mike Smith; and Eileen Dalton (standing in for Past President Bart Dalton who recently had hip surgery). Current officers attending included President-Elect Jeff Leon, Treasurer Doug Young, Secretary Rodney Acker and his wife Judy together with Regent Susan Harriman, Former Regent Rob Goodin and his wife Susie, and Former Regent Chuck Dick and his wife Anne.
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San Francisco, January 19: The Northern California Fellows rolled out their red carpet for the Franklin’s trip to their annual dinner at the San Francisco City Club on Jan. 19, 2018 attended by some 50 Fellows and another 40 spouses and guests. Regent Susan Harriman introduced President Franklin and resurrected his high school yearbook football team photo in a football which displayed his current age as number 30. In brief remarks, President Franklin spoke of the loss of Past President Charlie Renfrew, encouraged Fellows to visit the still new
National Office in Newport Beach and emphasized again the College’s efforts on diversity and inclusion. Treasurer Doug Young gave a wonderful toast to Charlie and provided copies of Fellow John Keker's memorial service eulogy delivered earlier in the month. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a former member of Congress and the son of working-class immigrants from Mexico, gave a key note address focusing on his office's first year of action including a review of pro-active litigation designed to ensure that our federal government adhered to the rule of law. His remarks were well-received by the audience. Other Fellows in attendance included Former Regents John Martel, John Cooper and Rob Goodin, retired federal Judge Fern Smith, as well as Valerie McGee (senior in-house counsel for Safeway and a board member of one of the country's historical black colleges). Both before the dinner and afterward, the Franklins were treated to many of the sights unique to San Francisco.
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Tri-State Regional Meeting, Savannah, January 25-28: The Franklins headed to Georgia for the Tri-State Regional Meeting, a meeting they have not missed since President Franklin’s induction in 1992. It was the first time the meeting was held in Savannah at the Mansion Hotel on Forsyth, and it did not disappoint. About 100 Fellows and 75 spouses or guests from the states of Alabama, Florida and Georgia attended, including Past President Jack Dalton and his wife, Marcie; Past President Chilton Davis Varner and her husband Morgan; Former Regent Rufus Pennington and his father Fellow Carl Pennington; Regent Rick Deane; and
Foundation Trustee and Chair of the
Legal Ethics and Professionalism Committee Gene Pettis. The two-day program was ably moderated by Regent Deane, former Georgia State Committee Chair Pat O’Connor and Fellow Wade Copeland. Ashby Pate, who spoke during the
2016 Spring Meeting in Maui, opened Friday’s session with a presentation on the need for human connection. Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the Bowl Championship Series, spoke on his memoir,
Riding With the Blue Moth, about the cross-country bicycle journey he undertook in the aftermath of his son’s death. Friday morning concluded with a detailed presentation on Abraham Baldwin, who served as one of Georgia’s representatives to the Constitutional Convention and was a signer of the Constitution. The Friday night “dine around” allowed groups to feast at some of the city’s finest restaurants. Saturday’s program started with Judge Glenda Hatchett, a familiar face from presiding over nationally syndicated shows, who spoke on the fact that she is a beneficiary of the dream described by Dr. Martin Luther King. Joe Beck, author and intellectual property lawyer from Atlanta, followed with a talk on a book he wrote which suggests that the Atticus Finch story in Harper Lee’s
Mockingbird may have been based upon a murder trial that his father defended in Troy, Alabama in 1939. Fellow Mike Cody was the final speaker. He represented Dr. King on the last two days of his life when Dr. King went to Memphis to lead a march to aid garbage workers in their strike – an excellent presentation by a Fellow who was involved in an important moment in history.
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The following Fellows have been elevated to the bench in their respective jurisdictions.
Teresa M. Caffese
San Francisco, California
Effective November 2017
Judge
San Francisco Superior Court
Robert W. Leurer
Regina, Saskatchewan
Effective November 2017
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Her Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan
The College extends congratulations to these Judicial Fellows.
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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 state or province 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.
Raymond L. Brown
, ’79, Fellow Emeritus, Gautier, Mississippi, December 25, 2017
John Rogers Carroll
, ’90, Fellow Emeritus, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 2, 2018
George Anderson Cumming, Jr.
, ’89, Fellow Emeritus, San Francisco, California, August 23, 2017
William Frank Day, Jr.
, ’87, Fellow Emeritus, Belle Fourche, South Dakota, January 2, 2018
Howard Wesley Dobbins
,
’77, Richmond, Virginia, December 25, 2017
Jack Francis Dunbar
, ’84, Fellow Emeritus, Oxford, Mississippi, December 20, 2017
Larry Bruce Franklin, ’84, Louisville, Kentucky, January 14, 2018
Robert James Henderson
, ’80. Jackson, Wyoming, December 11, 2017
Bynum Merritt Hunter,
’70, Fellow Emeritus, Greesnboro, North Carolina, January 18, 2018
Deborah Ann Johnston
, ’98, Greenbelt, Maryland, November 1, 2017
Hon. Thomas N. O’Neill, Jr., ’81, Judicial Fellow, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 16, 2018.
Bert Raphael, Q.C., LSM
, ’88, Fellow Emeritus, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, November, 15, 2016
Past President Charles Byron Renfrew
, ’81, San Francisco, California, December 14, 2017
Donald L. Schoenwald
, ’99, Fellow Emeritus, Syracuse, New York, December 19, 2017
Douglas Omar Smith, Jr.
, ’76, Fellow Emeritus, Fort Smith, Arkansas, November 27, 2017
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Newport Beach, California 92660
Phone: (949) 752-1801 • Fax: (949) 752-1674
Copyright © 2018 American College of Trial Lawyers, All rights reserved.
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