charleston Conference REview

The 2009 LCA Fall Conference and Induction of Fellows was held October 28-30, 2009, in Charleston, South Carolina. The historic Southern city played host to two hundred Fellows and guests, beginning with Wednesday evening’s welcome reception at Charleston Place’s Palmetto Garden Room and followed by two days of advanced seminar presentations, networking events, and biannual dinner and induction ceremony for new society Fellows.

Speakers and presentations for Thursday’s session included Philip Whistler (IN ), “Ethical Issues in the Big Case,” Pat Lundvall (NV), “Taking Risks at Trial: Only Those Who Dare to Fail Greatly Can Ever Achieve Greatly,” David G. Wirtes (AL), “Identifying and Defeating Unlawful Racial and Gender Discrimination in Jury Selection,” Richard L. Horwitz (DE ), Angela L. Abel (GA), and Charles E. Griffin, Sr., “Effective Use of Focus Groups, Mock Trials and Internet Sampling,” Paul Hansen (NY) and Donald J. Winder (UT), “Structured Settlements and Special Needs Trusts – Perfect Together?,” Henry Su (CA), “Technical Advisors, Court Appointed Experts and Special Masters: Who is Appropriate for Your Case?,” and Stephen D. Heninger (AL), “Creating Continuity from the Outset: Tying Together the Disparate Purposes of Voir Dire and Opening Statements.” Patrick Stockalper, 2008-2009 LCA President, served as the program’s moderator.

Thursday evening’s dinner and induction ceremony was held at the Riviera Theater, adjacent to Charleston Place, whose 1930’s art deco design was reminiscent of the venue’s earlier days when events such as the premier of “Gone With the Wind” took place on the same night as Atlanta. The setting was befitting for presentations to the LCA’s newest Honorary Fellows, David A. Brockinton, Jr. and Judge Alex Sanders, both of Charleston. Mr. Brockinton, known in the South Carolina bar as “Brocky,” was born in Charleston in 1918. His South Carolina roots run deep, being the grandson of former Governor Wilson G. Harvey. Mr. Brockinton attended the University of Virginia Law School and joined the Navy during WWII while still a law student. After the war and ultimately graduation, he worked with his father and later his brother in the law firm of Waring & Brockinton, which through the decades would eventually become Brockinton & Brockinton, where he is now a senior partner. He presently has a general practice specializing in admiralty and libel law. Mr. Brockinton is a Fellow of The American College of Trial Lawyers, attends the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conferences, and remains an active member of the Charleston Rotary Club and The Charleston Club. At 91, David A. Brockinton, Jr. is the eldest Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.

Judge Sanders, the conference’s keynote speaker, is former Chief Judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals (1983-1991) and was the 19 th President of the College of Charleston (1992-2001). In 2002, he was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant after the retirement of Strom Thurmond. Judge Sanders received degrees from the University of South Carolina and the University of Virginia. He later taught in the Political Science Department of Harvard University. He was one of five founders of the Charleston School of Law and has served as its president. Judge Sanders’ address and presentation of the Singal Charge to Fellow inductees were delivered with great eloquence and poignancy, with a challenge to all Fellows present to pursue justice before juries and to preserve the art of advocacy for future generations.

Following Judge Sanders’ delivery of the charge, Charter Fellow and Advisory Board Member David M. Allen (IL) recognized individually LCA Fellow inductees attending the ceremony. On behalf of the entering Fellows, Gretchen W. Ewalt (NC) followed with the Response to the Charge, accepting Judge Sanders’ challenge to Fellows to embrace their mission to carry on trial advocacy at the highest level and promote its paramount importance to the profession.

Outgoing President Patrick Stockalper (CA) was then presented with an engraved crystal bowl celebrating his year of leadership of the LCA. Incoming President Jack Williams (GA) was thereafter introduced to the membership, after which he set forth his plans and aspirations for the society for the coming year.

The advanced presentations continued on Friday with Rachel M. Weiser (OH), “Winning with Integrity: Professionalism in the Representation of your Clients”, Dionysia L. Johnson-Massie (GA), “Religion in the Workplace,” Larry D. Smith (FL), “Litigating High Profile Cases During Governmental Agency Investigation: A Multi Prong Approach,” and Susan Ford Robertson (MO), “The Appellate Court Reverses for a New Trial – Now What? How to Identify, Preserve and Protect Issues on Liability and Damages on Retrials.”

The camaraderie developed among attendees during the conference was palpable by Friday afternoon, when meetings of the Orders of Centurions, Justitia and Certus were held. Many Fellows and guests took advantage of Charleston’s temperate climate, numerous sites, and outstanding cuisine throughout the weekend.

In addition to conference speakers, tenured Fellows and new Fellow inductees attending included Jeffrey M. Adams (FL), Marianne Lloyd Aho (FL), David M. Allen (IL), Nelson G. Apjohn (MA), David L. Applegate (IL), Michelle R. Arendt (OH), Gary M. Austerman (KS), Lee H. Ayres (LA), Leland E. Backus (NV), Charles S. Bergen (IL), Marie Attaway Borland (FL), Larry C. Brandt (SC), Hugh B. Bright, Jr. (TN), Jason E. Bring (GA), David Arthur Brockinton, Jr. (SC), Michael A. Brown (MD), Joe B. Campbell (KY), John J. Carwile (OK), Mark R. Chilson (OH), Ronald E. Cook (NH), Lea F. Courington (TX), Steven Cracraft (IN), Laurence V. Cronin (DE), Edward J. Currie, Jr. (MS), John E. Cuttino (SC), Melissa E. Darigan (RI), Deborah S. Denton (AR), Hayward L. Draper (IA), Gretchen W. Ewalt (NC), Gwendolyn Frost (TX), Henry E. Gallagher, Jr. (DE), Robert J. Gibson (CA), Seth D. Gould (MI), Thomas M. Green (OH), Gregory F. Hahn (IN), Richard R. Harden (IL), R. Chris Harvey (TX), Dustin F. Hecker (MA), Heather S. Heidelbaugh (PA), Katherine Dudley Helms (SC), Roberta M. Henderson (SC), Ed Hendricks, Sr. (AZ), Edward F. Hennessey, IV (NC), Brian S. Heslin (NC), Jonathan Heyl (NC), M. Gabriell Hils (OH), Donald A. Hoffman (LA), and Robert H. Hood (SC).

Other Fellows included Warren Horn (LA), Patrick T. Jones (MA), Steven W. Kasten (MA), Eric C. Kastner (CA), Samuel A. Keesal, Jr. (CA), F. Dulin Kelly (TN), David V. Kramer (KY), Richard C. Kraus (MI), Robert A. Kutcher (LA), J. D. Lee (TN), Paul R. Leitner (TN), Thomas William Malone (GA), Michael F. Martino (NJ), Linda S. McDonald (TX), Valecia M. McDowell (NC), John P. McKay (CA), David M. McLaughlin (CA), Ronald H. McLean (ND), Joyce W. Moore (TX), Kenneth J. Moran (VA), Mark L. Moseley (KY), Michael A. Mullen (FL), Christine M. Netski (MA), Danny M. Newman, Jr. (OH), Rachel T. Nguyen (OH), Jonathan B. Orleans (CT), Alice F. Paylor (SC), Delacy Peters (IL), Robert P. Powers (MA), John H. Price, Jr. (SC), A. Marvin Quattlebaum, Jr. (SC), Charles D. Ray (CT), Thomas J. Rechen (CT), Sylvie Rodrigue (ON), David E. Rohrer (WI), Gary C. Rosen (FL), James B. Rosenblum (CT), Michael J. Roth (MI), Richard G. Sander (CO), Judge Alexander M. Sanders, Jr. (SC), Gregory J. Sanders (UT), Andrea Schillaci (NY), Allen Seagraves (GA), Kevin R. Shannon (DE), Melanie K. Sharp (DE), Robert Bruce Shaw (SC), Marc A. Sheiness (TX), W. Kennedy Simpson (KY), Dale R. Sisco (FL), Henry B. Smythe, Jr. (SC), Charles T. Speth, II (SC), Charles Spevacek (MN), Geoffrey Stern (OH), Patrick E. Stockalper (CA), Jeffrey V. Stuckey (MI), David R. Taggart (LA), B. Todd Thompson (KY), Lara J. Tibbals (FL), Edwin J. Tomko (TX), Richard S. Walinski (OH), Ronald B. Walker (TX), Mark H. Wall (SC), John A. West (OH), Daniel B. White, Jr. (SC), S. Thomas Wienner (MN), Jack M. Williams (GA), Marguerite S. Willis (SC), Thomas R. Wilson (PA), Joseph A. Woodruff (TN), Damon M. Young (TX), and Barbara A. Zurek (MN).

The 2010 LCA Spring Conference and Induction of Fellows will be held May 5-7, 2010, in Monterey, California.