J. Reuben Clark Law Society
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| Abbreviation | JRCLS |
|---|---|
| Type | Voluntary association |
| Legal status | Association |
| Purpose | Religious conviction, Public service, Professionalism |
| Headquarters | Provo, Utah, United States |
Region served | Worldwide |
| Membership | attorneys, lawyers, law school graduates or law school students who support the mission of the Society |
Chair of the Society | Nancy Van Slooten |
| Affiliations | J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University |
| Website | jrcls.org |
The J. Reuben Clark Law Society is an organization of lawyers and law school students consisting of over 65 professional and 125 student chapters throughout the world. It is named in honor of J. Reuben Clark the former Ambassador to Mexico and Under Secretary of State. Although alumni and students of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University are de facto members of the Society, there is no requirement to attend the Law School or to be a member of the LDS Church. The only requirements for membership are graduation from (or current attendance at) a law school and support of the mission statement, which declares:
We affirm the strength brought to the law by a lawyer's personal religious conviction. We strive through public service and professional excellence to promote fairness and virtue founded upon the rule of law.
The organization currently claims 14 US Circuit Court of Appeals Judges, 18 US District Court Judges, 4 US Attorneys, 6 US Senators (including the Senate Majority Leader), 9 US Congressman, 17 Fortune 500 Corporate Counselors, more than 85 State Supreme Court, Appellate Court, and District Court judges, and thousands of other practicing attorneys and law students.
The J. Reuben Clark Law Society holds an annual conference for students and attorneys. The 2006 conference was held in Washington, DC and featured the Attorney General of the United States as well as a panal of distinguished US Supreme Court advocates and other well received speakers. Some of the events took place at Georgetown Law School including a presentation by noted historian Richard Bushman. The 2007 conference was held at Pepperdine University. Dean Ken Starr, former Senator Gordon Smith, Judges Milan Smith and Richard Paez of the US Court of the Appeals for the 9th Circuit, Judge Thomas Griffith of the US Court of Appeals of the DC Circuit, Judge David Campbell of the US District Court for the District of Arizona, and several other distinguished speakers participated. The conference featured an evening event at the Reagan Presidential Library. The 2008 conference was held at Arizona State University and featured former US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Judges Janice Brown and Thomas Griffith of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Ruth McGregor, and Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine Durham as well as others. Several conference participants enjoyed the warm Arizona weather and participated in a golf tournament. The 2009 conference was held at Harvard University and featured Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen, former U.S. Solicitor General and current dean of Pepperdine Law School Ken Starr, Pulitzer Prize winning historian, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich as well as numerous other. A highlight of the conference was a presentation at the historic Old South Meeting House. The 2010 Conference was held at the University of Utah. Speakers included Cecil O. Samuelson, President of Brigham Young University, Michael K. Young, President of the University of Utah, and best selling author, Dr. Stephen R. Covey, who spoke for the historic Tabernacle at Temple Square. The 2011 JRCLS Conference will be held at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Speakers will include Harriet Miers, former White House Counsel, US Ambassador Robert King, Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues, Judges Catharina Haynes and Jennifer Elrod, from the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, and numerous other distinguished attorneys.
JRCLS Chairs
- Ralph Hardy, Jr. (1988-1992)
- Gary Anderson (1992-1994)
- Charles E. ("Bud") Jones, Jr. (1994-1997)
- Ralph R. Mabey (1997-1999)
- R. Marshall Tanner (1999-2001)
- William F. Atkin (2001-2003)
- Lew W. Cramer (2003-2005)
- Joseph I. Bentley (2005-2007)
- Brent J. Belnap (2007-2009)
- Nancy Van Slooten (2009-present)
References
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