Chilton Davis Varner and Her Husband, Morgan Varner CHILTON DAVIS VARNER 62Nd President of the American College of Trial Lawyers
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issue 70 fall 2012 THE BULLETIN Sandra Day O’Connor Chilton Davis Varner and her husband, Morgan Varner CHILTON DAVIS VARNER 62nd President of the American College of Trial Lawyers See article on page 4 >> American College of Trial Lawyers THE BULLETIN Chancellor-Founder Hon. Emil Gumpert contents (1895-1982) OFFICERS From the Editors ...................................................................... 3 Thomas H. Tongue, President Chilton Davis Varner, President-Elect Paul D. Bekman, Secretary Meet Chilton Davis Varner ....................................................... 4 Philip J. Kessler, Treasurer Gregory P. Joseph, Immediate Past President Fellows to the Bench ............................................................. 11 BOARD OF REGENTS National Office Staff Changes ............................................... 11 Rodney Acker William J. Kayatta, Jr. Dallas, Texas Portland, Maine Awards and Honors ............................................................... 11 Paul D. Bekman Philip J. Kessler Baltimore, Maryland Bloomfield Hills, Michigan The Passing of Frank Cater Jones ........................................ 12 Robert L. Byman Michael F. Kinney Chicago, Illinois Omaha, Nebraska 2013 Spring Meeting, Naples Florida .................................... 15 Bartholomew J. Dalton Jeffrey S. Leon, LSM Wilmington, Delaware Toronto, Ontario Third Circuit: Fair Trial and Free Press ................................ 16 James M. Danielson William H. Sandweg III Wenatchee, Washington Phoenix, Arizona Southeastern States Meet at Sea Island ............................... 24 John M. Famularo Michael W. Smith Lexington, Kentucky Richmond, Virginia Puerto Rico CLE: The Lost Art of Talking ............................... 26 Samuel H. Franklin Thomas H. Tongue Birmingham, Alabama Portland, Oregon 2012 Annual Meeting in New York ......................................... 29 Trudie Ross Hamilton Chilton Davis Varner Waterbury, Connecticut Atlanta, Georgia David J. Hensler Francis M. Wikstrom For the Record ....................................................................... 30 Washington, District of Columbia Salt Lake City, Utah Gregory P. Joseph Douglas R. Young Rusty Hardin Speaks of Roger Clemens ............................... 32 New York, New York San Francisco, California Corn-Revere Speaks of First Amendment ............................. 34 EDITORIAL BOARD Solicitor General Verrilli to Address Fellows ........................ 36 Andrew M. Coats (Chair) Oklahoma City, OK Stephen M. Grant (Chair) Toronto, ON Elizabeth K. Ainslie Philadelphia, PA In Memoriam ......................................................................... 39 Catharine Biggs Arrowood Raleigh, NC Lisa G. Arrowood Boston, MA Carol Elder Bruce Washington, DC Richard C. Cahn Huntington, NY-D Lynne D. Kassie Montreal, QC Timothy D. Kelly Minneapolis, MN Robert F. Parker Merrillville, IN Paul Mark Sandler Baltimore, MD G. Gray Wilson Winston-Salem, NC Samuel H. Franklin (Regent Liaison) Birmingham, AL EDITORIAL STAFF Ann F. Walker, JD, Deputy Director, [email protected] Amy Mrugalski , Project Coordinator, amrugalski @actl.com Liz Doten, Design Director Dennis J. Maggi, CAE, Executive Director American College of Trial Lawyers 19900 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 530, Irvine, California 92612 T: 949.752.1801 F: 949.752.1674 Email: [email protected] www.actl.com Copyright ©2012 2 2THE THEBULLE BULLETIN TIN 3 FroM THE Editors Welcome, Bienvenue, Willkommen. In the musical, Cabaret, we received a delightful invitation to join in a celebration. At The Bulletin, Fellows are invited to celebrate the end and the beginning of an era. The Bulletin owes much of its current appeal to the dedicated and steady stewardship of Past President E. Osborne (Ozzie) Ayscue, Jr. Devoting much time and energy, Ozzie has brought vigor to the College’s voice, and it is all-the-better for Ozzie’s efforts. Along with a bright, fresh look, we have a new Editorial Board, whose members’ names are listed on the previous page. We have enlisted Fellows from across the continent to bring commitment and passion to a journal dedicated to College affairs, advocacy and trial concerns and to the personal side of who we are and what we do. We aim to forge a new role in this, our first, Fall Issue. As we retain the aspects of The Bulletin with which you are familiar, we will continue to capture the best moments and most-profound thoughts of our Annual and Spring National Meetings. The Bulletin is intended for Fellows who have attended the national meetings and for those unable to join us. We will recapture the topics covered and the depth of the speakers’ presentations. The Bulletin remains an invaluable resource, not only for remembering the issues of interest featured at our meetings, but also to remain current on the College’s business and relevance. No publication, especially one with the breadth and scope of The Bulletin, exists in a vacuum. We need your help and seek contributions from all Fellows. To capture your comments, opinions and news, we need to know what is happening in your area and at your regional and state or province meetings. We are interested in thought-provoking articles, whether substantive, procedural, acadeic, judicial or practical. Your participa- tion will take The Bulletin in interesting directions and make it crackle with currency. If you are interested in joining The Bulletin’s Editorial Board or in making a contribution, please let us know. In this issue, you will find an array of commentary and news, from the fascinating profile of incoming President Chilton Davis Varner, to teasers about the 2012 Annual Meeting in New York, and continuing through current and upcoming events. In short, your Bulletin will continue to be a must-read, and we have every reason to believe it will become a keepsake. We look forward to the next chapter in this journey, and we trust you will enjoy the journey with us. We are privileged to serve you in this capacity. Andy Coats AND STEPHEN GRANT 2 THE BULLETIN 3 MEET CHILTON DAVIS VARNER President Elect, American College of Trial Lawyers ... She ~ has a three-point focus as the incoming ~ President of the College ~ is the namesake and descendant of a former ~ Alabama State Supreme Court Justice ~ is a member of SPOSH ~ cites two Past Presidents of the College as mentors ~ believes that human capital is the future of lawyers ~ loves hydrangeas and gardening on Nantucket ~ doesn’t try to be a role model ~ is … Chilton Davis Varner >> 4 THE BULLETIN 5 Varner (r), with her daughter, Ashley Varner (l), and Hon. Griffin Bell (c). Recognizing that her predecessors have led WE BELIEVE IN JUDICIAL the American College of Trial Lawyers to be a INDEPENDENCE strong, sound and highly-regarded institution, President-Elect Chilton Davis Varner pledges, Judicial independence, an initiative emphasized as the first order of business, to do no harm by previous College presidents, will continue as to the College. In furtherance of her Hippo- Varner’s second focal point. Recent decisions by cratic promise, Varner has a three-pronged fo- the Supreme Court of the United States have made cus for her term as President of the College. judicial independence “even more precious and more endangered,” with a huge influx of money WE ARE THE STANDARD BEARERS being committed to both sides in judicial elections. Varner believes we must maintain the College’s WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT high standards for admission to fellowship “be- THE DECLINE IN JURY TRIALS cause it is our stock and trade. We are one of the last American meritocracies.” She believes Varner’s third focus is to continue to protect the College must continue to seek outstand- the institution of the jury trial as an important ing lawyers who are “at the top of their game.” exercise in democracy and the hallmark of Varner quoted Regent Bill Kayatta, who com- a civilized, engaged society. Because of the mented that the College stands as “one of the steadily-decreasing number of jury trials, Var- last barricades against market forces that seek ner hopes the College will continue to high- to drive us to a lowest common denominator light the value of citizen participation and the approach to the practice of law.” A lofty com- creation of precedent that such trials provide. mitment, yes. But Varner is determined to honor A POSITIVE ASSESSMENT her pledge. She herself is an example of the trial lawyer who is highly respected by her peers. As she takes on the challenges of her presidency, >> SPINNING OATMEAL INTO CHOCOLATE There is a picture in Chilton’s office of her as a young girl, maybe six or seven years old, where she is sitting on a Southern porch with a bowl of oatmeal. I asked her what she was doing in that picture, and she told me she was imagining her oatmeal to be chocolate because her mother told her she could not have chocolate because she was allergic to it. I have always been touched by that image which I have called “Spinning Oatmeal into Chocolate.” She has had to do that her whole life: to re- imagine the world in which she found herself. And she did it marvelously well, with extraordinary talent and an uncommon affection for people that made her everyone’s hero. — Richard A. (Doc) Schneider, FACTL >> Quips & Quotes 4 THE BULLETIN 5 Varner was asked to consider the current pro- Her years at Smith also produced the beginnings grams and status of the College. She reported of SPOSH (the Society for the Preservation of that a recent survey by the Executive Committee Smith Husbands), a small