National Office

2025 Spring Meeting

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.

Click here for a preview of some of the fantastic speakers and events we have planned. Be sure to look at Tours & Activities and plan your arrival in time for a special CLE opportunity Thursday afternoon.

National Office

New Website and Logo

A few weeks ago, we announced the launch of our redesigned logo and website; we hope you’ve had a chance to click around the new site. Our goal was to create a site that was easier to navigate with a clean and modern interface. We are continuing to upload content such as publications, resources and upcoming events but if you are looking for something in particular and can’t find it, let us know at nationaloffice@actl.com.

As with any new website, there are bound to be a few glitches. Please be patient while we work through any post-launch growing pains – and reach out with any questions or concerns!

In the Spotlight

Peter Prieto

Former Committee Chair Peter Prieto will be presented with the 2025 Judge Learned Hand Award by AJC Miami and Broward. Named after Judge Learned Hand, who served on federal courts in New York for 52 years, the award recognizes distinguished individuals and outstanding leaders in the legal profession who exemplify the high principles for which Judge Hand was renowned.

In the Spotlight

Bob Waterman

Former Iowa State Committee Chair Bob Waterman moderated the ISBA’s 60-minute CLE Webinar “Judicial Retention: Voting on the back of the Ballot,” held October 30, 2024, and available now on YouTube. The panelists were former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Michael Streit, ISBA Past President and Chair of the Independence of the Judiciary Committee, Guy Cook, President of Justice Not Politics, Connie Ryan, Des Moines Register Editorial Board Member, Rox Laird, and current ISBA President Melvin Shaw. The purpose of the Webinar was to clarify the judicial retention process and what a “yes” or “no” vote means, in advance of the November 5, 2024 election.

Heritage Committee

DID YOU KNOW that the College’s most recent female Judicial Fellow is Catherine Henry, who was nominated to the bench by President Biden on June 4, 2024, confirmed by the Senate on December 3, 2024, and received her judicial commission on December 6, 2024. With her confirmation, Judge Henry becomes the 72nd active female Judicial Fellow in the College. 

Furthering the Mission

State and Province Committees

Alabama: On November 8, 2024, the Alabama State Committee, in conjunction with the Cumberland School of Law, presented the Jere F. White Trial Advocacy Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. This program is one of the premier trial advocacy seminars in Alabama and covers all major components of a trial from voir dire through closing arguments. All of the speakers are Fellows of the College. Greg Sankey, the Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, was the guest speaker at lunch. The seminar honors the memory of Jere White and the proceeds support a scholarship which Jere White established at Cumberland.

California-Southern: The Committee is planning a Boot Camp for mid-March in San Diego. The event will feature presentations, demonstrations, and critiques of the various phases of a trial by ACTL Fellows and judges. The fact pattern for the Boot Camp will be the trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. The committee is in the process of selecting a venue and is recruiting volunteers to help with the presentations.

Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania: On November 25, twenty Fellows from Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania came together in Mount Laurel, New Jersey to present a Regional Trial Boot Camp developed by Fellow Paul Mark Sandler featuring the trial of Al Capone for the St. Valentines’ Day Massacre. Over 160 lawyers from all three states attended (either in-person or virtually). The all-day program, which was spearheaded by Immediate Past State Chair Ed Kole, was held in conjunction with each of the state bar associations and covered the range of trial subjects from opening statements, direct and cross-examinations, through closing arguments. The program also featured a panel discussion of District Court judges from all three states. Also in attendance from the College were Secretary Katie Recker, Regent David Ross, Delaware State Chair Peter Walsh, Jr., New Jersey State Chair Eric Breslin, and Pennsylvania State Chair Linda Dale Hoffa.

Florida: The Orlando Fellows are organizing a Boot Camp to be held January 31, 2025 at the U.S. District Courthouse in Orlando. The Regionals for the National Trial Competition, co-sponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association, will be held at Florida State University College of Law the weekend of February 7-9, 2025.

Michigan: On November 19, 2024, the Michigan Chapter presented a well-attended and hugely successful Advanced Trial Skills Program. State Vice Chair Mike Turco put together an impressive line-up of speakers, and one of Michigan’s soon-to-be inductees, William Horton, participated and offered his expertise.

New York-Downstate: Nine Fellows volunteered their time to serve as faculty at a December trial training program held in partnership with the Federal Bar Council. The 2-day program – held in the SDNY - was a huge success, and gave invaluable training to less experienced lawyers seeking to take on pro bono matters in the SDNY and EDNY. 

North Carolina: The North Carolina Fellows have a Boot Camp scheduled for January 25. Fellow Kearns Davis is organizing the event, along with the participation of multiple Fellows who will present opening arguments, directing cross examinations, and closing arguments.

Furthering the Mission

General Committees

Boot Camp Trial Training Program: Boot Camps continue to be organized across the country, with upcoming events scheduled in North Carolina on January 25,  Mississippi on February 25, and in San Diego on March 14. 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 the ACTL Boot Camp to your state or province.

International Committee: If you have contacts in other countries where we might teach, please contact Scott Richardson snr@snr-law.com or Nancy Hollander nh@fbdlaw.com. In 2025, teaching trips will include Singapore in October 2025 (Eric Kraeutler eric.kraeutler@morganlewis.com); Portugal in June 2025 (Scott Richardson snr@snr-law.com or Nancy Hollander nh@fbdlaw.com); Pohnpei, Micronesia in November 2025 (Rick Glaser rickglaser@parkerpoe.com). We are particularly looking for Fellows with contacts in other countries who can join a team in 2025 and lead a team in 2026. Please contact the team leaders above if you are interested in joining a team.



National Trial Competition: The NTC is gearing up for the regional mock trial tournaments in this, the 50th Anniversary year of the competition, which will take place on various weekends in February. This year's problem, drafted by a committee of law school mock trial coaches, involves a head on collision between a passenger car and an 18-wheel tractor trailer. NTC committee members are hard at work recruiting Fellows to serve as presiding and scoring judges. Please consider volunteering. Information about regional competition dates is available here.

Mark Your Calendars

View all upcoming events at www.actl.com/events

President's Travel Log