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    December 30, 2024 Appellate Judges Conference

    Council of Appellate Staff Attorneys Chair's Column

    Jessica Ballard-Barnett

    As mentioned in previous columns, one of CASA’s main efforts is law-school outreach.  During this past November’s Appellate Judges Education Institute (AJEI) Summit, CASA joined forces with the Council for Appellate Lawyers (CAL) and the Appellate Judges Conference (AJC) to talk to law students about careers in appellate law.

    This year, the AJEI Summit’s host city was Boston.  Thanks to arrangements by CAL member Brian Miller, we gave a presentation to law students at Suffolk University School of Law.  The panel consisted of Judge Christopher McFadden of the Georgia Court of Appeals; Justice Laurie McKinnon of the Montana Supreme Court; Emily Musgrave of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. in Boston; and myself.  Topics included what path each panelist took to appellate work, what each panelist’s specific role in the appellate process involves, what type of writing each panel member engages in, and the pros and cons of appellate work.  Our audience of students actively participated, asking several questions about such things as the role internships and externships play in securing long-term employment and the importance of writing skills to appellate work.  Panelists enjoyed interacting with the students!

    In addition to the outreach at the AJEI Summit, several CASA members played integral roles in AJEI programming.  Jennifer Shircliff of the Indiana Supreme Court was a panelist on the presentation entitled “It’s Past Time for Real E-briefing.”  Joshua Wolinsky of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims spoke as part of the “Questions You Should Ask Before, and Must Be Able to Answer During, Appellate Oral Argument” panel.  Heather Wood of the Tennessee Court of Appeals served on the planning committee for “The Ethical Tightrope: Navigating Media Influence and Judicial Integrity.”  I led the “Beyond the Gavel: Ethics and Wellness for the Legal Community” session and helped plan the panel on “The Collective Constitution.”  All AJEI sessions were excellent and presented a wealth of timely topics.

    Also during AJEI, we had our annual CASA T-shirt Dinner.  The event is open to all AJEI attendees.  Each year, CASA asks participants to bring T-shirts from their home states. Many years, there has been a theme, such as local breweries or sports teams. This year, the theme was state or national parks.  Everyone had great fun playing the “Left and Right” game to determine who would get what T-shirt. Thank you to Jennifer Williams and Heather Wood for making the event successful!

    Finally, I am pleased to announce the 2024-25 CASA Board of Directors, some of which were elected at CASA’s annual meeting during the AJEI Summit.  They are:

    • Chair - Jessica Barnett, Indiana Court of Appeals
    • Chair Elect - Heather Wood, Court of Appeals of Tennessee
    • Secretary - Margaret Bullard, Court of Appeals of Georgia
    • Immediate Past Chair - Cliffie Wesson - Texas 5th District Court of Appeals at Dallas
    • Member at Large (2nd year) - Amye King, Court of Appeals of Tennessee
    • Member at Large (2nd year) - Jennifer Shircliff, Indiana Supreme Court
    • Member at Large (1st year) - Joshua Wolinsky, Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
    • Member at Large (1st year) - Neil Stockbridge, Texas 5th District Court of Appeals at Dallas
    • Member at Large (1st year) - Joe Merrick, Indiana Court of Appeals

    These dedicated staff attorneys and law clerks are excited to increase CASA membership, plan AJEI programming, continue law student outreach, and come together as a community to share experiences and improve the appellate community. 

    For the upcoming year, CASA will focus on increased law-school outreach, to include virtual sessions educating students about appellate careers. In addition, five CASA members will be on the AJEI Education Committee, which is responsible for planning the programming for the AJEI Summit.  The 2025 AJEI Summit will be held in Minneapolis from November 12 to 16, 2025. We hope you can join us there!

    To inquire about CASA membership, its benefits, and opportunities to volunteer, please contact me at [email protected].  I look forward to hearing from you!

    Jessica Ballard-Barnett

    2023-2024 Chair, AJC Council of Appellate Staff Attorneys

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