Dear John,
Our country approaches the end of a monumental week that leaves us with more questions than answers about what lies ahead. But we can say with certainty that, for LDAD, our commitment to protecting democracy and the rule of law remains unwavering.
We believe that lawyers must embrace their unique responsibility to keep our justice system strong, and to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct and the sacred words of their oath. Adherence to these obligations is neither political nor partisan. Rather, it is how we preserve our democratic institutions. These core beliefs drive us forward with conviction and hope for the future.
The Supreme Court will have a tremendous role to play in the legal challenges that may arise over the next months and years. Yet, under Chief Justice John Roberts, the Court has refused to address ethical challenges that undermine its credibility. The Court also continues to exhibit a distressing over-reliance on the "shadow docket" that enables them to avoid the public process of briefs and oral arguments in too many important matters.
Next Wednesday, September 13, at 4:00 pm (eastern), Georgetown University Law Center Professor Stephen I. Vladeck, author of The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic, will be the featured speaker at our webinar entitled Hiding in the Shadows - The Supreme Court, the Shadow Docket, and the Future of Judicial Independence. Professor Vladeck will be interviewed by journalist Ann. E. Marimow, the Supreme Court Correspondent for the Washington Post.
