Members of the Michigan Law Federalist Society celebrated their awards at the National Student Symposium in March.
By Allison Torres Burtka
Michigan Law
For the fourth year in a row, the Michigan Law Federalist Society has won an award at the Federalist Society’s National Student Symposium. And this time, the chapter earned two of the nine awards, including the top honor—the James Madison Award for Chapter of the Year—and the George Washington Award for Innovation. The symposium was held in March at Arizona State University.
The innovation award, which the Michigan Law Federalist Society won last year as well, recognized its video series Courtside, which aims to show the personalities behind the judiciary, said 3L Matthew Holmes, president of the chapter.
“I was thinking, what’s a way that we could try to humanize the members of our courts?” Holmes said. He proposed interviewing “the preeminent legal minds in some of the greatest athletic facilities across the country”—which became the show’s tagline. The series highlights the hobbies, interests, and experiences of a wide array of federal judges and how these things inform their approach to the law.
Last year, the Michigan chapter hosted the National Student Symposium, which brought several judges to campus. The chapter interviewed three judges courtside at Crisler Center—the home of U-M’s women’s and men’s basketball teams—and those interviews became the first episodes. Other episodes have featured more federal judges in various U-M athletic arenas.
Holmes added that the Hon. Chad Readler, ’97, of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, has been helpful in connecting with judges for Courtside.
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Building engagement
The Chapter of the Year award is the first in Michigan Law’s history. This year, it was awarded to Michigan and to the University of Akron School of Law. “It’s really meaningful to be recognized on the national stage,” Holmes said.
“To be named the best student chapter among more than 200 Federalist Society student chapters across the nation is a huge accomplishment, and well deserved,” said Professor Christopher Walker, one of the chapter’s advisers. “These students care so much about exploring ideas and understanding all aspects of law and policy issues.”
Among the Michigan chapter’s accomplishments this year is hosting more than 60 events, including 45 speaker events. These events average more than 50 attendees, Holmes said.
Holmes said that he views the society as serving two purposes: “bringing voices onto campus that would otherwise not have a place to speak, and creating an intellectual home for people who are right of center.”
Each speaker event includes a respondent. “Typically, the person we’re bringing in is a conservative or libertarian, but we try to find somebody from our faculty who has a different viewpoint to challenge the statements of the speaker,” Holmes said. “I am of the belief that when we scrutinize ideas, we draw the best conclusions.”
Walker said he appreciates Michigan Law’s support of the chapter, including about two dozen Michigan Law professors who have spoken at events this year.
“We have an incredible faculty,” Holmes said. “They’re always so willing to engage and are excellent models of what good discourse looks like.” He added that the chapter relies on the continued support of its advisers, Professors Walker, Daniel Crane, and Adam Pritchard.
The society’s events are opportunities for honest, open conversations about some of our nation’s most challenging legal and societal issues, Holmes said. One of the chapter’s biggest events is the annual Judge Joan L. Larsen Lecture, honoring a current judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit who also is a former member of the Law School’s faculty. “Judge Larsen has been a great friend to the chapter,” Holmes added.
“What we’re trying to do is get people talking, because when people talk, we can make sure that we bring a nuanced approach to policy decisions and to the way that we approach the law,” Holmes said.
Michigan Law
For the fourth year in a row, the Michigan Law Federalist Society has won an award at the Federalist Society’s National Student Symposium. And this time, the chapter earned two of the nine awards, including the top honor—the James Madison Award for Chapter of the Year—and the George Washington Award for Innovation. The symposium was held in March at Arizona State University.
The innovation award, which the Michigan Law Federalist Society won last year as well, recognized its video series Courtside, which aims to show the personalities behind the judiciary, said 3L Matthew Holmes, president of the chapter.
“I was thinking, what’s a way that we could try to humanize the members of our courts?” Holmes said. He proposed interviewing “the preeminent legal minds in some of the greatest athletic facilities across the country”—which became the show’s tagline. The series highlights the hobbies, interests, and experiences of a wide array of federal judges and how these things inform their approach to the law.
Last year, the Michigan chapter hosted the National Student Symposium, which brought several judges to campus. The chapter interviewed three judges courtside at Crisler Center—the home of U-M’s women’s and men’s basketball teams—and those interviews became the first episodes. Other episodes have featured more federal judges in various U-M athletic arenas.
Holmes added that the Hon. Chad Readler, ’97, of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, has been helpful in connecting with judges for Courtside.
—————
Building engagement
The Chapter of the Year award is the first in Michigan Law’s history. This year, it was awarded to Michigan and to the University of Akron School of Law. “It’s really meaningful to be recognized on the national stage,” Holmes said.
“To be named the best student chapter among more than 200 Federalist Society student chapters across the nation is a huge accomplishment, and well deserved,” said Professor Christopher Walker, one of the chapter’s advisers. “These students care so much about exploring ideas and understanding all aspects of law and policy issues.”
Among the Michigan chapter’s accomplishments this year is hosting more than 60 events, including 45 speaker events. These events average more than 50 attendees, Holmes said.
Holmes said that he views the society as serving two purposes: “bringing voices onto campus that would otherwise not have a place to speak, and creating an intellectual home for people who are right of center.”
Each speaker event includes a respondent. “Typically, the person we’re bringing in is a conservative or libertarian, but we try to find somebody from our faculty who has a different viewpoint to challenge the statements of the speaker,” Holmes said. “I am of the belief that when we scrutinize ideas, we draw the best conclusions.”
Walker said he appreciates Michigan Law’s support of the chapter, including about two dozen Michigan Law professors who have spoken at events this year.
“We have an incredible faculty,” Holmes said. “They’re always so willing to engage and are excellent models of what good discourse looks like.” He added that the chapter relies on the continued support of its advisers, Professors Walker, Daniel Crane, and Adam Pritchard.
The society’s events are opportunities for honest, open conversations about some of our nation’s most challenging legal and societal issues, Holmes said. One of the chapter’s biggest events is the annual Judge Joan L. Larsen Lecture, honoring a current judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit who also is a former member of the Law School’s faculty. “Judge Larsen has been a great friend to the chapter,” Holmes added.
“What we’re trying to do is get people talking, because when people talk, we can make sure that we bring a nuanced approach to policy decisions and to the way that we approach the law,” Holmes said.
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