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L e t u s “ A l l R i s e ”. . .
to Support the Bench
By Amy L. Miletich
Support for the NFJE benefits the entire legal system by ensuring that critical judicial education is provided.
Amy L. Miletich
At a recent legal conference I attended, the audience, which consisted of a couple hundred lawyers, was asked what they considered to be the most important issue facing our profession today. While some expressed concerns with the commoditization of the
practice of law, the attorneys overwhelmingly agreed that the paramount issue is the politicization of the judiciary. Our judiciary and judicial systems are subject to constant partisan attacks. The importance of an independent and educated judiciary cannot be overemphasized, particularly in today’s world.
The National Foundation for Judicial Excellence (NFJE) is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to:
Address important legal policy issues affecting the law and civil justice system by providing meaningful support and education to the judiciary, by publishing scholarly works and by engaging in other efforts to continually enhance and ensure judicial excellence and fairness for all engaged in the judicial process.
Appreciating the need for the fair and impartial education of state appellate judges, DRI founded the NFJE in 2004. DRI continues to provide administrative support to the NFJE and contributes financial support through donations from its members. Without DRI’s support, and that of its sister organizations, the FDCC, the IADC, and the ADTA, as well as support from state and local defense bar associations, individuals, and corporations – the NFJE simply could not survive.
Much of the NFJE’s work is done through its Annual Judicial Symposium. State appellate judges from across the United States are invited as guests of the NFJE for
judicial education and collegial gatherings. In view of the budget restrictions imposed on many judiciaries
in various states, the need and demand for judicial education and support is greater than ever. As with
any charitable organization, the NFJE relies upon the generosity of its donors to support NFJE activities, including the quality of the programming at the Annual Symposium. Support for the NFJE benefits the entire legal system by ensuring that critical judicial education is provided. Everyone is benefitted when our judges are informed and have an opportunity to share their questions and concerns.
Last year’s Judicial Symposium, which was held in Chicago last summer, was excellent. The program featured as its keynote speaker the Honorable Jeffrey Sutton, the author of 51 Imperfect Solutions: States and the Making of American Constitutional Law. The Honorable Robert Bacharach delivered a fascinating
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