For nine years, the Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region has hosted a Summer Associate Research Program in Denver. Twenty-two summer associates from 10 prominent law firms participated in this year’s program. Under the direction of a supervising attorney, each summer associate researched an assigned topic and provided a memorandum to ADL. Topics researched in Colorado this summer involved issues of criminal law reform, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, immigration and refugee rights, privacy and technology, discrimination, reproductive health care, voting rights and election law. The memos prepared by the summer associates are being entered into a memo competition, and the winners will be honored as part of ADL’s Civil Rights Awards event on February 8, 2017.
ADL was fortunate to have two tremendous speakers for the opening and closing receptions of the program. Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nancy Rice was the keynote speaker at the opening reception hosted at the law firm of Otten Johnson Robinson Neff & Ragonetti. Chief Justice Rice led the group in a discussion about the obligation of pro bono work, the need to improve civility and professionalism in legal practice, the importance of character and the imperative to be aware of implicit bias. Chief Justice Rice also shared her personal story and insights with the many attorneys and summer associates in attendance, some of whom were her students in law classes at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler served as the keynote speaker for the program’s closing reception, which was hosted at the offices of Ballard Spahr. Mr. Brauchler shared how his upbringing led to a desire to serve in the military and in public service, and discussed the importance of diversity and excellence in the legal profession and the challenges of trying such difficult cases as that of the Aurora theater shooter.
The summer associates also had the opportunity to offer brief presentations of their research topics.
ADL thanks this year’s Summer Associate Research Program co-chairs, ADL Regional Board Members Steve Shapiro and David Seserman, and appreciates the participation of the following law firms this year:
- Baker & Hostetler LLP
- Ballard Spahr LLP
- Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP
- Dentons US LLP
- Dorsey & Whitney LLP
- Faegre Baker Daniels LLP
- Hogan Lovells LLP
- Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe PC
- Otten Johnson Robinson Neff & Ragonetti LP
- Sheridan Ross PC
For more information or to sign up to participate next summer, please call 303-830-7177 or email sparkergerson@adl.org.