Trial Lawyers to Meet in Washington, DC

Ethics and tips for trial lawyers on docket;
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. speak

CHICAGO, April 20, 2008 — The American Bar Association Section of Litigation, the nation’s largest group of trial lawyers, attracted litigators from around the country when it convened for its annual spring conference and ethics centennial symposium in Washington, D.C., April 16-19.

This year’s meeting was held in conjunction with ABA Day in Washington, D.C., when lawyers from around the U.S. met with legislators about key issues facing the profession. Additionally, practice tips were featured in programs cosponsored with the ABA Young Lawyers Division. A highlight of this year’s gathering was a symposium to commemorate 100 years of model rules of professional ethics.


FBI Director Robert Mueller asks: Are Americans more crooked?

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III spoke at the annual networking luncheon on April 17 (Speech Audio/Video Speech Text). Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. delivered remarks at the ethics symposium on April 18.

Three plenary programs examined core legal issues including the clash between the executive and legislative branches of government over the power to wage war; prosecutorial misconduct; and ethics and professionalism in the courtroom, as portrayed in film.

Other high profile speakers included Dana Milbank, Washington Post columnist and author; Judge Paul Michel, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; Judge Jane R. Roth, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; Frederick A.O. Schwartz, senior counsel, Brennan Center for Justice; Thomas Miller, attorney general for Iowa; Barry Scheck, Innocence Project; Stuart Taylor, Jr., National Journal; Eileen Gleason, Public Integrity Section, U.S. Department of Justice; Linda Chatman Thomsen, director, Division of Enforcement, Securities and Exchange Commission; Paul J. McNulty; David Kendall; Lisa Heinzerling, professor, Georgetown University Law Center; Andrew E. Shipley, general counsel, Northrop Grumman Corporation; Cynthia Photos Abbott, senior litigation counsel, Motorola, Inc.; Weining Zou, Beijing, China; Victoria T. McGhee, Shell Oil Company; Nilgun Tolek, OSHA Office of Investigative Assistance; counsel in numerous government agencies and Congressional staff.

“The annual conference provides a rare opportunity for new and seasoned litigators to engage in a stimulating dialogue on the key issues facing litigators with some of the profession’s most skilled judges, advocates and experts,” said Section of Litigation Chair Judith A. Miller of San Francisco, general counsel at Bechtel Group, Inc.

She added, “With a nationally respected faculty, we examined electronic discovery, corporate governance, the subprime market, technology for lawyers, litigation in China and the debate over attorney-client privilege. This year a special series of programs commemorated the 100th anniversary of the first set of comprehensive rules to regulate the legal profession – rules that promote professionalism and our commitment to the highest standards.”

The John Minor Wisdom Public Service and Professionalism Awards were presented where the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank was be the featured speaker. This year’s award recipients are Jayne Fleming of Reed Smith LLP, Oakland, Calif., and Jared Genser of DLA Piper US LLP, Washington, D.C. The award is named for Judge John Minor Wisdom, a scholar and jurist whose tenure on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is best known for its recognition of constitutional rights for all citizens and his courageous decisions to establish the right to vote, implement equal educational opportunity and strengthen the right to effective counsel. Wisdom stood up to threats against himself and his family for his efforts.

Highlights of the meeting included:

Thursday, April 17

  • Opening Plenary: Separate but Equal – The Clash Between the President and Congress Over the Power to Wage War
  • Congressional Investigations: Representing Your Client in This Forum
  • The Subprime Meltdown – Enforcement and Litigation Challenges
  • Plenary: Crossing the Line – Responding to Prosecutorial Misconduct
  • Climate Litigation: The Next Asbestos or the Next Y2K?
  • Internal Investigations and Civil Liabilities: How Cooperating with the Government Impacts Civil Litigation

Friday, April 18

  • Plenary: Real to Reel – Images of Ethics and Professionalism in the Courtroom
  • China, The New Frontier: Resolving Disputes with Chinese Businesses
  • The Litigator’s Toolbox: Presenting Winning Legal Arguments to Trial Judges
  • Ethics Centennial Symposium Programming – Litigators and Clients; Litigators and Each Other; Litigators and the Courts

Saturday, April 19

  • Ethics Centennial Symposium Programming – Litigators and the Public

The ABA Section of Litigation, with more than 76,000 members, includes trial lawyers, judges, and others involved in all aspects of litigation and the dispute resolution process. The section is dedicated to promoting justice both domestically and internationally and enhancing public understanding of and respect for the legal profession.

With more than 413,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.