National Civil Justice Institute

Programs: Judges forum: pound's annual forum for state appellate court judges is the consumer bar's most significant outreach to the judiciary, involving full day educational programs open only to judges. The forums provide direct, substantive experiences, with original research written by prominent academics, commentary by experts from both sides of the bar, and small group discussions. The forum is an opportunity for judges, legal scholars, and practicing attorneys to come together for an open dialogue about major issues affecting civil justice in america. 2017 judges forum: jurisdiction: defining state courts' authority. Held in boston, ma. 164 judges from 35 states in attendance. 2016 judges forum: who will write your rules: your state court or the federal judiciary? Held in los angeles, ca. 105 judges from 38 states in attendance.

symposiums & lectures: the pound institute holds periodic academic symposia in conjunction with the nation's top law schools in an effort to produce new empirical research supportive of the civil justice system. The academic papers prepared for the symposia are published in the co-sponsoring law schools' law reviews. 2016: "the demise of the grand bargain: compensation for injured workers in the 21st century" was cosponsored with rutgers center for risk & responsibility and northeastern university school of law, and featured four panels of legal academics, labor, practitioners, judges and government officials. Four academic research papers (and several written responses) were presented on the future of workers compensation law. 2017: law school outreach summit - held on january 7, 2017 in san francisco, a gathering of 24 legal academics and 4 practitioners discussed how to improve the relationship between the plaintiffs bar and law students, and the plaintiffs bar and legal academics. 2017: "jury trial and remedy guarantees: fundamental rights or paper tigers? " was cosponsored with the oregon law review and the oregon jury project, and featured four panels of legal academics, practitioners, judges and government officials. Academic research was presented on the right to a jury trial, the decrease in jury trials, and the effects of damage caps in medical malpractice cases. 2017 twiggs lecture on professionalism - was delivered by professor arthur miller of nyu school of law.

research and awards: the appellate advocacy award strives to recognize excellence in appellate advocacy in america by way of securing a final appellate court decision with significant impact on the right to trial by jury, public health and safety, consumer rights, civil rights, access to justice in civil cases, or other issues relevant to the work of the pound institute. The 2017 award winner was f. Paul bland for his work on the ninth circuit case chen v. Allstate insurance co. Pound awarded its inaugural roscoe pound summer fellowship to law student alexander vialy of hastings law school. The 8-week paid fellowship consisted of conducting research on civil justice scholarship, and practical experience in d. C. Law offices.