The American Inns of Court and Georgetown University Law Center will present a Symposium on the Status of the Legal Profession: Facing the Challenges of the 21st Century Thursday, March 31 through Saturday, April 2 at Georgetown University Law Center, 600 New Jersey Avenue, NW in Washington, DC.
The program begins on Thursday with a welcome reception at 6:00 p.m. at the historic Dolley Madison House. On Friday the seminar begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. followed by a gala reception at 6:00 p.m. On Saturday the symposium begins at 9:00 a.m. and adjourns at 1:45 p.m.
The symposium will offer a unique opportunity to consider the challenges to the legal profession in the 21st century. Building on the friendship between distinguished members of the bench and bar in the United States and the UK, the event will be memorable, featuring fascinating speakers and topics relating to the practice of law and the administration of justice.
The keynote speakers are Supreme Court Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Sandra Day O'Connor (ret.). The UK will be represented by Lord Nicholas Phillips, president of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom; Lord Anthony Clark, justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom; and John L. Murray, chief justice of Ireland.
One of the highlights is The Lawyer's Image and the Media presented by Fred Thompson, an actor and former U.S. Senator, who will discuss the role that the news media, popular entertainment, and the profession itself have played in the public's perception of the legal profession. Other speakers include Craig Turk, private practice co-head writer, and Mark Curriden of Vinson & Elkins LLP.
Another seminar will focus on ethics and professionalism and the government lawyer and will be led by Michael Chertoff, former secretary of Homeland Security and the Rt. Hon. Baroness Scotland of Asthal, Middle Temple and former attorney general of England and Wales.
A panel will discuss professionalism and civility on the bench and address the need for collegial relationships among members of the judiciary and the need for judges to treat the public and members of the bar with civility and courtesy. Among the panelists are Hon. Donald W. Lemons, Virginia Supreme Court; Rt. Hon. The Lord Clark of Stone-Cum-Ebony, Middle Temple/ Supreme Court of the United Kingdom; and Hon. David B. Sentelle, U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.
For information about fees and available CLE credits, visit CLE Events on The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel website at www.metrocorpcounsel.com.
To register, visit www.innsofcourt. org/symposium.