Northern District of California Chapter

Officers
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A Message from the Chapter President

Our predecessor Chapter, the San Francisco Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, was established in 1941. The Chapter changed its name to The Northern District of California Chapter in 1994 and changed its boundaries to be identical to those of the Northern District. The Chapter focuses on bench/bar activities, both social and educational.

Since 1976, the Chapter has held an annual lunch honoring the judges of the Ninth Circuit. Last year March we held the Thirtieth Annual Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco. After an introduction by Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the Ninth Circuit gave his first address as Chief Judge to the guests, which was very entertaining and informative. More than 40 of our federal judges and nearly 500 lawyers attended the event. This year, our Chapter will be hosting the Ninth Circuit Luncheon on Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 at 11:30 a.m., again at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Our Chapter also hosts an annual dinner in the fall for the judges of the Ninth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Last year our annual dinner was at Chez Papa. We also have had recent dinners Rubicon, Jeanty at Jacks, and at Butterfly.

The Chapter periodically hosts continuing educational events of interest to its members.
• On December 2, 2008, the Chapter hosted a panel discussion, The Department of Justice’s New Principles for Prosecution of Business Organizations and the Second Circuit’s Decision in United States v. Stein
The panelists were the Honorable Vaughn R. Walker, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California; Patrick D. Robbins, Shearman & Sterling; Ted Cassman, Arguedas, Cassman & Headley; Timothy P. Crudo, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California and Miles Ehrlich, Ramsey & Ehrlich was the Moderator.
• On February 18, 2009, the Chapter co-sponsored a Panel on Terrorism and Its Legal Implications.
A distinguished panel discussed civil liberties, treatment of terrorist suspects and expanded law enforcement powers in the fight against terrorism. The speakers were Judge Abraham Sofaer, former U.S. District Judge SDNY, Senior Fellow Hoover Institution; James Brosnahan, Esq. Morrison & Foerster LLP; Joseph Russoniello, U.S. Attorney. The panel was moderated by Professor Aaron Rappaport, Hastings College of Law.
• Every several years, the Chapter and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals jointly sponsor an appellate workshop at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, California. The speakers are either Ninth Circuit judges or distinguished appellate lawyers. As part of the workshop, the participants prepare and submit an appellate brief based on an actual appellate case. The workshop also includes panels on brief writing and oral argument, a mock oral argument and mock judicial conference, and an individual critique of the participant’s brief by either a Ninth Circuit judge or an experienced appellate lawyer. The most recent workshop was on October 25 and 26, 2006.
• On October 25, 2007, the Chapter co-hosted with the Litigation Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco and the SF Jurisprudence Café their “First Annual Jurisprudence Luncheon,” featuring a panel on “How Judges Decide Cases.” The speakers include the Honorable Joseph R. Grodin (former Justice, California Supreme Court, and Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Law, University of California, Hastings College of the Law) and the Honorable Stephen Reinhardt and the Honorable Alex Kozinski (both circuit judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit). The moderator is James Brosnahan from Morrison & Foerster, LLP. Program highlights will include Jim Brosnahan’s discussion of a brief history of jurisprudence, Justice Grodin’s discussion of the American realists Holmes and Cardozo, Judge Reinhardt’s discussion of the practice and theory of deciding cases, and Judge Kozinksi’s discussion of the foundation of strict construction.
• In the coming months, the Chapter will host regular CLE events on topics of interest to the federal bench and bar.

The Chapter has also taken positions on legislative and other issues important to its members.
• The Chapter continues to oppose proposed legislation to split the Ninth Circuit. In connection with hearings on proposed legislation, the Chapter has sent letters to the members of the United States and the House of Representatives supporting the existing structure of the Ninth Circuit, and opposing proposed legislation to split the Circuit.
• The Chapter has actively supported the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in their efforts to inform the public and other branches of the government of the dire consequences of proposed budgets on the federal judiciary. Chapter members coordinated with the District Court to contact legislators and other members of the public to explain the extent of the cutbacks foreseen in court services in the upcoming budget, and to urge increased funding. The Chapter has also sent letters to Senator Diane Feinstein, Senator Barbara Boxer, and House of Representative members Nancy Pelosi, Mike Thompson, Lynn Woolsey, George Miller, Barbara Lee, Ellen Tauscher, Tom Lantos, Pete Stark, Zoe Lofgren, Anna Eschoo, Richard Pombo, Sam Farr and Michael Honda, urging that they support the increased funding level approved by the House Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Subcommittee.

The Chapter also works with the Court on projects of interest or utility to the federal bench and bar.
• Our Chapter was instrumental, though the efforts of honored member, George Duff, in the construction of a Lawyer’s Lounge in the San Francisco Federal District Court, and has been working with the District Court, which is nearing completion of construction on a Media Room for the convenience of media reporting on cases at the S.F. District Court.
In the fall of 2006, the Chapter, working with other lawyer groups and the district court, developed a survey on the Court’s case management, administration, and local rules, and circulated it to members of the Chapter, the Lawyer Representatives to the Ninth Circuit, the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Litigation Section, and other lawyer groups. We then organized the responses into a comprehensive memorandum and presented the findings to the judges at their October 2006 retreat.
• Members of the Federal Bar Association sit on court committees at the Ninth Circuit and the Northern District of California, including the Court’s non-appropriated funds committee, the Criminal Justice Working Group, and the media room working group.

I encourage all who are interested in federal practice in the Northern District of California to join the Chapter and to participate in its activities.

Chris Sullivan
Northern District of California Chapter President

Upcoming Events

June 8, 2009
Introduction to Federal Court in the Northern District of California
Presented by the Northern District of California Chapter of the FBA
Time: 2:00–5:00 p.m.
Location: U.S. Courthouse, 1301 Clay Street, Oakland, CA 94612-5212
Courtroom 4, 3rd Flr.
Presenters:
• U.S. District Court Clerk's Office; an overview of how matters flow through the court and where to find information
• Michael D. Griffith, Ph.D. Historian & Archivist, NDCA Historical Society; an overview of the varied and interesting history of the Northern District
• U. S. Magistrate Judge Wayne D. Brazil; Federal procedure, discovery and the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Program at the Northern District
Followed by a Reception by the Federal Bar Association celebrating the new Attorney Lounge— special guests, Judges Vaughn R. Walker and Charles R. Breyer.
Cost: Free to FBA members, $30 for non-members, $10 for non-profit & gov’t lawyers and law students.
Registration: Space is limited. Please register by June 3 via email to vlstewart@bop.gov

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Recent Events

May 13, 2009
Luncheon and Panel Discussion: The Use of Economic and Statistical Models in Civil and Criminal Litigation
Panelists: Hon. William H. Alsup, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California; I. Neel Chatterjee, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP; Gregory K. Leonard, Ph.D., NERA Economic Consulting; Niall E. Lynch, U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division; Moderator: Asim M. Bhansali, Keker & Van Nest, LLP
Time: Noon–1:30 p.m.
Location: 633 Battery St., 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA
MCLE: 1 hour (Pending)
COST: Free to FBA members
RSVP by May 8, 2009 to ccollins@kvn.com.

March 25, 2009
31st Annual Luncheon Honoring the Judges of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Program will include an address by Chief Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski on recent developments within the Circuit.
Time: Reception at 11:30 a.m.; Lunch at 12:15 p.m.
Location: Four Seasons Hotel, 757 Market Street, San Francisco
Registration:View Invitation Please RSVP by March 9 whether you will be able to attend To RSVP write to: Chris Sullivan, McGrane Greenfield LLP, One Ferry Building, Suite 220, San Francisco, California 94111, or call or email at (415) 283-1776, csullivan@mcgranegreenfield.com.

February 18, 2009
Terrorism and Its Legal Implications
Presented by the Federal Bar Association Northern District of CA Chapter and The Bar Association of San Francisco
A distinguished panel discussion addressing civil liberties, treatment of terrorist suspects and expanded law enforcement powers in the fight against terrorism.
Speakers:
Judge Abraham Sofaer, former U.S. District Judge SDNY, Senior Fellow Hoover Institution
James Brosnahan, Esq. Morrison & Foerster LLP
Joseph Russoniello, U.S. Attorney
Moderator:
Professor Aaron Rappaport, Hastings College of Law
Time: 12:00–1:30 p.m.
Location: UC Hastings College of the Law, 198 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Cost: No Charge
Registration: No pre-reqistration required. View Flyer for more information.

December 2, 2008
The Department of Justice’s New Principles for Prosecution of Business Organizations and the Second Circuit’s Decision in United States v. Stein
Presented by the Northern District of California Chapter of the FBA
Including panelists: Hon. Vaughn R. Walker, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California; Patrick D. Robbins, Shearman & Sterling; Ted Cassman, Arguedas, Cassman & Headley; Timothy P. Crudo, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California
Moderator: Miles Ehrlich, Ramsey & Ehrlich
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP, 560 Mission St., 27th Floor, San Francisco, CA
MCLE: 1 hour
Cost: $10 for government, non-profit, and non-lawyers/non-MCLE; $40 for FBA Members; $50 for all other individuals
Registration: View Invitation RSVP by 11/21/08 to debrettevillej@sullcrom.com and by check payable to FBA/NDCA Chapter, c/o Jason de Bretteville, Sullivan & Cromwell, 1870 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto CA 94303

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Chapter News

Click here to view the chapter's letter to Senator Diane Feinstein concerning the fiscal year 2005 funding for the federal courts. The chapter also sent letters to Senator Barbara Boxer and House of Representative members Nancy Pelosi, Mike Thompson, Lynn Woolsey, George Miller, Barbara Lee, Ellen Tauscher, Tom Lantos, Pete Stark, Zoe Lofgren, Anna Eschoo, Richard Pombo, Sam Farr and Michael Honda.

Click here to view the San Francisco Chronicle article “DEFENDING DOUGLAS,” on the chapter-sponsored program “Remembering William O. Douglas: a Response to Recent Critics.”

Click here to view the chapter’s Letter to the Editor in The Recorder, “THE NINTH CIRCUIT SHOULD STAY INTACT.”

Click here to view the chapter’s letter to the Committee on the House Committee on the Judiciary concerning proposed legislation to split the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Click here to view the chapter’s letter to the Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure in opposition to proposed Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 32.1.

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