A Unique CLE on Ethics and Professionalism

COURSE PURPOSE

A century ago, the case of a young man from Chattanooga, TN, dramatically changed the state and federal court systems as we know them today. Indeed, the case redefined the practice of law.

For decades, the amazing story of Ed Johnson and his two lawyers was buried in law books. Now, author Mark Curriden brings you a 100-year-old case and story that exemplify why lawyers as advocates for the poor and downtrodden are best positioned to take the steps necessary to uphold the rule of law. Described as "a gut-check for lawyers" about why they entered the legal profession, this CLE demonstrates what it means to be a lawyer and the sacrifices and risks lawyers must make on behalf of their clients and in defense of constitutional rights.

Join Mark Curriden and a distinguished panel of Virginia judges and practitioners as they examine issues such as the role of the judiciary, the need for a dual state/federal court system, the impact of racism and politics in ongoing court matters, and evidence of how cases long ago can still impact people's lives today.

Register now for the presentation that others have described as "one of the best," "uplifting," and "one which every attorney should attend."

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Involves the first African-American attorneys to take a case to the U.S. Supreme Court
• Details the first time the Supreme Court intervened in a state criminal matter and issued its first ever stay of execution in a death penalty case
• Examines how the U.S. Supreme Court - for the first and only time in history - ordered the arrest of parties before it, charged them with criminal contempt of the Supreme Court, and held a historical criminal trial before the Court with the justices sitting as jurors
• Details how the Supreme Court took these extraordinary steps after determining that lynchings were undermining the rule of law in this country
• Shows how the justices, by taking these significant measures in this case, opened the door for the federal courts to intervene in future state court matters

COURSE MATERIALS

The materials for this seminar consist of Mark Curriden's book, Contempt of Court: The Turn-of-the-Century Lynching That Launched a Hundred Years of Federalism (394 pages, a $15.95 value), plus materials focusing on the new Virginia Principles of Professionalism and the Professional Guidelines and Rules of Professional Conduct.