CLE Showcases - 2026 ABA Annual Conference

8:30 AM-10:00 AM CT

The Judiciary and American Experiment: 250 Years After the Declaration of Independence

In recognition of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the ABA National Conference of Federal Trial Judges (“NCFTJ”) propose this 90-minute multi-panel program that examines the judiciary’s enduring role in sustaining the American experiment. Drawing on the founding principles of liberty, equality, and self-governance, the program traces the evolution of the federal judiciary and its central responsibility to uphold the rule of law and maintain judicial independence.

Speakers:

Honorable Nannette J. Brown, Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana

Honorable Michelle Childs, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia

Honorable Stanley A. Boone, Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California

Honorable Carlton W. Reeves, Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi

Hon. Daniel Mack Traynor, Judge, U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota

Honorable, Frank J. Bailey, Chief Judge (retired), U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Massachusetts

Honorable Bernice B. Donalds, Judge (retired), United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Sarah Isgur, Host of Advisory Opinions, editor of SCOTUSblog

10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Guardians of Justice-The Role of the Lawyers and Judiciary in Advancing Civil Rights Over the Past 60 Years

This program will explore the pivotal decisions and moments in history that have influenced the trajectory of civil rights and social justice, highlighting both progress and ongoing challenges, and the future of civil rights in America. Participants will gain insight into how the legal profession and judicial interpretations of the Constitution have impacted communities, protected fundamental freedoms, and how we have and continue to shape the pursuit of justice in our society.

Moderator:

Steven R. Shapiro, Former Legal Director, American Civil Liberties Union

Speakers:

Honorable Michelle Childs, Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Todd A. Cox, Associate Director-Counsel, Legal Defense Fund

Maya Wiley, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund

9:30 AM-11:00 AM CT

The Increasing Politicization of Prosecutorial Discretion

Over the past several years, at both the state and federal levels, political attacks on prosecutors for the routine use of prosecutorial discretion have dramatically escalated. These attacks threaten the rule of law by undermining confidence in the criminal justice system. Nationally-known prosecutors, criminal defense lawyers, and academics will discuss the implications of these actions on the rule of law and criminal justice.

Speakers:

Diana Becton, District Attorney, Contra Costa County

John Choi, Ramsey County Attorney, Office of the Ramsey County Attorney

Stephen Jonas, Chief Counsel, Democracy Defenders Fund

Honorable Alberto R. Gonzales, Dean, Belmont University College of Law

Sara A. Lawson, Managing Partner, Zuckerman Spaeder LLP

Tina Luongo, Chief Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice, Legal Aid Society

Ismail Ramsey, Senior Fellow, UC Berkeley School of Law

2:00 PM-3:30 PM CT

America the Beautiful: Stare Decisis and the Next 250 Years

Over the last 200 years, the Supreme Court has reversed itself, contradicted itself, and advanced an evolving legal interpretation and narrative around the “most self-evident truths” as described by our nation’s founders. How should judges and litigators apply current legal precedents when there is a diminishing acceptance of those principles, and what reasonable predictions can be made regarding the next 250 years as the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence continues to evolve?

Speakers:

Nancy G. Abudu, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit

Ariela Gross, Professor of Law, University of California Los Angeles School of Law

Cedric Merlin Powell, Professor of Law, University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law

Farah Peterson, Professor of Law, The University of Chicago The School of Law