The M. Margaret McKeown Federal Bar Association in partnership with the Berkeley Judicial Institute along with American Board of Trial Advocates and the Ninth Judicial Circuit Historical Society will host a discussion entitled: “Stress and Duress: Past and Present Challenges to the Judicial Branch.”

Wednesday, July 16th in person at the U.S. District Courthouse, 700 Stewart Street, Seattle, 19th Floor (zoom option available)

Doors open at 2:30 p.m.

Event begins at 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. A wine and cheese reception to follow in the Jury Assembly Room. Registration link provided in the attached flyer.

Event description:

Presidential speeches, threats of (and actual) impeachment, court packing plans, and other efforts to diminish the role of judges all have been part of judicial history. Recently, swatting, pizza deliveries, and unrestrained social media rhetoric have been added to the list. Join our distinguished panel as we look at historical and current challenges to the judiciary and their very real impact on judges and the rule of law. Is what we are experiencing now qualitatively or quantitatively different from what occurred in the past? And how has the quest for justice been affected?

Faculty:

Hon. J. Michelle Childs: Judge Childs serves on the bench of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She is the most recent past President of the Federal Judges Association, and has herself been the recipient of an unsolicited and “alarming” pizza delivery to her home. In 2010, she was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina until her appointment to the D.C. Circuit. Judge Childs is a member of the ABA Administrative Law Council, a fellow in the Litigation Section, and a member of the Committee on the American Judicial System. Formerly, she was the Chair of the American Bar Association’s Judicial Division and the Secretary of the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section. She is also a member of the American Law Institute and its Council, having served as an Advisor to the Restatement (Third) of Employment Law. And she recently joined the 2022 class of Rodel Judicial Fellows.

Prof. Michael Gerhardt: Prof. Gerhardt serves as the Burton Craige Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at UNC Law School and recently was elected Chair of the UNC faculty as a whole. Gerhardt is the author of nine books and leading treatises on impeachment, appointments, presidential power, Supreme Court precedent, and separation of powers. He has written more than a hundred law review articles and dozens of op-eds in the nation’s leading news publications, including SCOTUSblog, The New York Times, and Washington Post. Prof. Gerhardt has testified more than 20 times before Congress, including during the Clinton impeachment proceedings and was called by the House Judiciary Committee during President Trump’s impeachment proceedings. Prof. Gerhardt has served as an impeachment expert and commentator for CNN, Fox, and MSNBC.

Prof. Marin Levy: Prof. Levy is a law professor at Duke Law School. She is currently the Faculty Director of the Bolch Judicial Institute and previously served as the Director of Duke’s Program in Public Law. Her work has been published in the Yale Law Journal, University of Chicago Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Cornell Law Review, and California Law Review, among other scholarly journals, and has been discussed in The New York Times, Washington Post, Atlantic, and other public outlets. She has testified before Congress and the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Moderator: Hon. Jeremy Fogel. Judge Jeremy Fogel serves as the Executive Director of the Berkeley Judicial Institute, a center at Berkeley Law School whose mission is to build bridges between judges and academics and to promote an ethical, resilient and independent judiciary. Prior to his appointment at Berkeley, he served as Director of the Federal Judicial Center in Washington, DC (2011-2018), as a United States District Judge for the Northern District of California (1998-2011), and as a judge of the Santa Clara County Superior (1986-1998) and Municipal (1981-1986) Courts. He was the founding Directing Attorney of the Mental Health Advocacy Project from 1978 to 1981.

Registration link: STRESS AND DURESS program.pdf

Applications for nationwide injunctions against government programs and regulations present difficult challenges for both district and circuit judges and are the subject of continuing public controversy. This panel will explore: the history of nationwide injunctions; the legal doctrines upon which parties seeking and opposing such injunctions rely: some of the practical considerations judges are called upon to weigh, including applicants’ choice of forum, the nature and extent of the relief sought: the appropriate role of judges in shaping public policy; and what possible options might address current concerns.

Speakers:
Hon. Milan D. Smith, Jr.
Circuit Judge, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Hon. Jon Tigar
District Judge, Northern District of California

Prof. Mila Sohoni
Professor of Law and the John A. Wilson Distinguished Faculty Scholar
Stanford Law School

Moderator:
Hon. Jeremy D. Fogel
Executive Director, Berkeley Judicial Institute
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law

Click here to access the on-demand CLE video of this program.

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS:

The M. Margaret McKeown Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington Nominations Committee is accepting applications for three open Lawyer Representative positions for the Western District of Washington to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference. The annual Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference brings together the nearly 800 judicial officers and attorneys in the district to discuss important issues and programs to improve the administration of justice.  Past Lawyer Representatives have found this to be a very rewarding and fulfilling professional experience, as well as an exceptional opportunity to work closely and collaborate with federal judges. All attorneys admitted to practice in the Western District of Washington are encouraged to apply.

There are nine lawyer representative positions for the Western District of Washington, each serving staggered terms. The three new Lawyer Representatives will serve from January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2028. Geographic diversity is considered as is the need to balance the selection between those with Civil, Criminal, and Bankruptcy practices. Finally, the Court is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. People of color, indigenous people, LGBTQ individuals, women, and gender non-conforming individuals are encouraged to apply.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The annual Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference is held in the summer of each year. They are also eligible to participate in various Ninth Circuit and District Court liaison activities and committees throughout the year. If elected Chair of their class, they serve on the Lawyer Representatives Coordinating Committee (LRCC) for the Circuit and they participate in at least two additional meetings outside the District such as the Conference Executive Committee, Chief District Judges Annual Meeting, or the Chief Bankruptcy Judges Annual meeting. Locally, Lawyer Representatives also assist the federal judiciary to organize its Annual Meeting of the Western District of Washington, held each year in the spring.

This link provides more information about the role of a Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/lawyer-representatives/ 

Those who most enthusiastically embrace the role will gain the most from their service. 

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants should submit a cover letter and the attached application. Your cover letter should be no more than 500 words and include background information about yourself, your thoughts regarding improving the administration of justice within the District and the Ninth Circuit, as well as your ability to commit the time necessary to fulfill the duties of appointment.

Please also include three references with your application materials, any involvement in Federal Bar Association committees or other associated experience along with any significant case work in the federal courts or related work.

Applicants must submit all the materials above to be considered for one of the three openings. Kindly read the “HOW TO APPLY” section carefully.

Application materials should be submitted no later than June 30, 2025 to:

business.FBAWDWA@gmail.com

Applications will be screened, and appointments to the three-year term will be made by the U.S District Court Judges in the Western District of Washington. Successful applicants will be notified by the Nominations Committee Chair.

For questions any about the application process, please contact Cynthia Jones, M. Margaret McKeown FBA Nominations Committee Chair at cjones@joneslegalgroup.net. 

• LAWYER REPRESENTATIVE APPLICATION 2025.docx