Justice Circle Events
2018 Sandra Day O’Connor Conversation & Speakers Dinner
July 10, 2018 – Aspen, CO
Evan Thomas, Journalist, Author, and Historian
To honor Aspen Institute Lifetime Trustee and retired U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the Justice & Society Program created the Sandra Day O’Connor Conversation Series. The 2018 O’Connor Conversation featured noted journalist, author, and historian Evan Thomas, who is writing Justice O’Connor’s biography. Justice Circle members were invited to a private speakers dinner after the event.
Investigative Independence and the US Department of Justice: Antecedents and Current Challenges
January 17, 2018 – Washington, DC
Sally Yates, former Acting Attorney General and former Deputy Attorney General
Chuck Rosenberg, former Acting Head of the Drug Enforcement Agency
Evan Perez (moderator), Justice Correspondent, CNN
On January 17th, the Justice Circle and friends of the Justice & Society Program joined together in Washington, DC to discuss whether or not Justice Department prosecutors conduct non-partisan investigations as they pride themselves on and if recent high profile events have changed the matrix. The panel of experts was moderated by Evan Perez of CNN and featured Sally Yates, former Acting Attorney General and former Deputy Attorney General, and Chuck Rosenberg, former Acting Head of the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Inaugural Sandra Day O’Connor Conversation & Speakers Dinner
July 10, 2017 – Aspen, CO
Hon. Elena Kagan, Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court
Hon. Margaret Marshall, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
To honor Aspen Institute Lifetime Trustee and retired U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the Justice & Society Program created the Sandra Day O’Connor Conversation Series. The inaugural O’Connor Conversation featured Associate Justice Elena Kagan of the US Supreme Court, in conversation with Hon. Margaret Marshall, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Justice Kagan also met with our Justice & Society Seminar participants, as well as with five high school students in the new O’Connor Scholars Program sponsored by JSP. Justice Circle members were invited to a private speakers dinner after the event.
An Evening in Honor of Hon. Leon B. Polsky & the Polsky Fellows
November 30, 2016 – Brooklyn, NY
Linda Greenhouse, Knight Distinguished Journalist in Residence and Joseph Goldstein Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School, and contributing columnist for the New York Times.
Meryl Chertoff (moderator), Executive Director, Aspen Institute Justice & Society Program
On November 30th, the Justice & Society Program celebrated a landmark in the history of the Justice & Society Seminar, co-founded by the late Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun and held every summer in Aspen. For each of the past twenty-five years, Judge Leon Polsky has underwritten participation in the seminar by at least two New York State judges. The 2017 seminar will see the selection of the 50th Polsky Fellow.
To honor Judge Polsky’s remarkable generosity, a dinner was held at Brooklyn Law School’s Forchelli Center, with many former Polsky Fellows in attendance. They had the opportunity to thank Judge Polsky and to reminisce about seminars past. Linda Greenhouse of Yale Law School and The New York Times was interviewed by JSP Executive Director Meryl Chertoff about her experience taking the seminar when Justice Blackmun was a moderator, as well as the challenges currently facing the Supreme Court.
Your Neighbor’s Been Gone Awhile
October 13, 2016 – San Francisco, CA
Lucy Lee Helm, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Starbucks Coffee Company
Sharon Owsley, Deputy Director of Programs, Division of Recidivism, Reduction and Re-Entry, California Department of Justice
Steven Raphael, Professor, Richard & Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley
Jonathan Simon (moderator), Adrian A. Kragen Professor of Law, and Director of the Center for the Study of Law and Society, University of California at Berkeley School of Law
On October 13th, the Justice Circle and friends of the Justice & Society Program joined together in San Francisco to discuss the complicated issues surrounding the return of formerly incarcerated individuals to their communities, and how both civil society and the private sector can help in the reintegration process. The panel of experts was moderated by Jonathan Simon of Berkeley Law School, and featured Lucy Lee Helm, General Counsel for Starbucks; Sharon Owsley, of the California Department of Justice’s Recidivism, Reduction and Re-Entry Division; and Stephen Raphael, professor of public policy at UC Berkley.
Supreme Court Succession 2016: The Death of Antonin Scalia, the Nomination of Merrick Garland, and Whether the 114th Congress Can Take Yes for an Answer
April 27, 2016 – Washington, DC
Theodore Olson, Partner, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Tom Goldstein, Partner, Goldstein & Russell PC, and Publisher of SCOTUSBlog
Nina Totenberg (moderator), Legal Affairs Correspondent, NPR
On April 27th, members of the Justice Circle gathered to consider the Supreme Court confirmation process, particularly in light of the untimely death of Justice Antonin Scalia. NPR’s Nina Totenberg moderated the conversation between Ted Olson and Tom Goldstein, who between them have argued 100 cases before the Court. They discussed the current political climate and the many challenges and roadblocks faced by President Obama’s nominees. They also reminisced about their experiences working the Bush v. Gore case, and their memories of Justice Scalia himself.
A special thanks to Don Baker and Nina McLemore for graciously opening their home for the evening.
A Jefferson Dinner
November 13, 2015 – New York City, NY
Dr. Sanford Levinson, University of Texas School of Law
The Justice & Society Program held its first Jefferson Dinner, graciously hosted by Rev. Galen Guengerich and Dr. Holly Atkinson at their home in New York City. The event was open to members of the Justice Circle, recent alumni of the Justice & Society Seminar, and other friends of the Justice & Society Program.. It featured a discussion of Federalist No. 2, led by Dr. Sanford Levinson of the University of Texas School of Law.
A Conversation with Justice Goodwin Liu
April 29, 2015 – San Francisco, CA
Goodwin Liu, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court
Meryl Chertoff (moderator), Executive Director, Aspen Institute Justice & Society Program
The Justice Circle joined with the Aspen Institute Society of Fellows to host a reception at the Pacific Heights home of Sharon Owsley. Justice Goodwin Liu, in a discussion with Meryl Chertoff, offered his insights into the intricacies of multi-member court dynamics. When it comes to decisions on multi-member courts, judges face a challenge that trial court judges don’t:how far do you go to reach consensus? How much do you compromise on your articulation of the law to find language that three (or more) judges can agree with? How do you decide when to dissent and when to cast a concurring opinion?
On the Side of the Angels in LA
April 28, 2015 – Los Angeles, CA
Mike Feuer, Los Angeles City Attorney
Meryl Chertoff (moderator), Executive Director, Aspen Institute Justice & Society Program
Members of the Justice Circle joined LA City Attorney Mike Feuer to discuss his priorities and challenges in keeping the city safe for all its residents. The conversation touched on several of his projects, including the Neighborhood Prosecution Program, taking on wage theft, targeting polluters, and his work with Prosecutors Against Gun Violence. The event was graciously hosted by Justice Circle member Arthur Greenberg and Elaine Hoffman.
Spring Luncheon in Honor of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
April 14, 2015 – Washington, DC
In April, Justice Circle members gathered for a luncheon to celebrate the remarkable career of United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
The New Religious Intolerance
November 18, 2014 – Chicago, IL
Martha Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago
Members of the Justice Circle gathered in Chicago to hear Professor Martha Nussbaum discuss current threats to American religious pluralism. She shared insights from her recent book, The New Religious Intolerance: Overcoming the Politics of Fear in an Anxious Age.
Why did Switzerland, a country with four minarets, vote to ban those structures? Why has France banned the hijab in schools? And what precipitated the uproar over the construction of a Muslim community center, Park 51, in downtown Manhattan not far from the ruins of the World Trade Center? The conversation explored the rich American history of honoring the religious traditions of a variety of faiths, examined the roots of the politics of fear, and suggested ways that we can move beyond fear to a more equitable and free society.
Whose Treasures? Claims on Art in the Wake of War
October 16, 2014- New York, NY
Monica Dugot, Senior Vice President and International Director of Restitution, Christie’s
Thomas R. Kline, Of Counsel, Andrews Kurth LLP; Adjunct Professional Instructor, George Washington University
Stephen Urice, Professor of Law, University of Miami School of Law
Patricia Cohen (moderator), Journalist, The New York Times
In October, Justice Circle members were welcomed to Christie’s New York headquarters, located in Rockefeller Plaza, for a discussion about the legal challenges surrounding works of art that change hands during wartime. Panelists discussed how to balance the commitment to the free flow of works of art and the desire to protect others’ cultural heritage.
Works of art that were stolen–or bought for pennies on the dollar–from Jewish owners during World War II continue to come to light, such as the large collection discovered in a Munich apartment last year and the works taken from the estate of Ludwig and Margret Kainer, the subject of a recent lawsuit. How much of this art can be restituted, given statutes of limitations and the difficulties of proving prior ownership? What standards should govern that process, and what are the moral obligations of galleries, dealers, and private collectors?
Art displayed during the presentation figured in a New York Times article written by the evening’s moderator nine days after the event.
Uncertain Justice: The Roberts Court and the Constitution
June 3, 2014- New York, NY
Laurence H. Tribe, Carl M. Loeb University Professor and Professor of Constitutional Law, Harvard Law School
Adam Liptak (moderator), Supreme Court Correspondent, The New York Times
Members of the Justice Circle gathered at the home of Ricky and Mara Sandler on New York’s Upper East Side to hear Harvard Law Professor Larry Tribe and Adam Liptak of The New York Times discuss Professor Tribe’s new book, Uncertain Justice: The Roberts Court and the Constitution, which was released to the public that same day.
Their conversation dealt with the underlying reasoning and practical implications of recent Supreme Court decisions on the Affordable Care Act, campaign finance regulations, gay marriage, and privacy law. Professor Tribe emphasized that all of these cases are part of an ongoing conversation about how to interpret the Constitution that outlasts the tenure of any member of the Supreme Court. The book urges not only judges and lawyers, but all educated Americans to engage in this conversation.
Law, Art and Looted Treasures
March 6, 2014- Los Angeles, CA
Stephen W. Clark, Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, the J. Paul Getty Trust
Louis Li, Partner, Munger, Tolles, & Olson
Meryl Chertoff (moderator), Executive Director, Aspen Institute Justice & Society Program
The Justice Circle’s inaugural Los Angeles event was held at the home of Richard and Harriett Gold, members of the Aspen Institute President’s Society. Stephen Clark and Luis Li engaged in a timely discussion about art law, with a particular focus on the issue of artwork stolen by the Nazis.
Should works long ago sold under duress continue to remain freely available for purchase, despite the moral implications? Is the restitution of art stolen by the Nazis a unique problem, or is it best dealt with under the various UNESCO conventions against the illicit international trade in cultural property? Why did the U.S. choose not to recreate the “Monuments Men” (and women) of World War II during subsequent military conflicts, and should it reconsider in the future?
From the Pentagon Papers to Wikileaks: Government Secrecy and the Public’s Right to Know
January 31, 2014- New York, NY
Jim Goodale, former chief counsel for The New York Times; author of Fighting for the Press: The Inside Story of the Pentagon Papers and Other Battles (2013)
Richard Falkenrath, former Deputy Commissioner of Counterterrorism at the New York City Police Department; former Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor in the Bush Administration
Meryl Chertoff (moderator), Executive Director, Aspen Institute Justice & Society Program
Then Justice Circle Co-Chair Steve Susman and his wife, Ellen, hosted the inaugural Justice Circle event at their home in Manhattan. The evening included a cocktail reception followed by a panel discussion that examined the competing interests of privacy rights and public safety concerns. Panelists debated the standards that should govern decisions to publish or not publish stories that touch on matters of US national security; asked whether Edward Snowden should be considered a whistleblower or a traitor; and discussed how leaders in the US military and government are attempting to balance individual rights against national security concerns. The conversation also touched on the increasingly important issue of data privacy in the Internet age.