Forum on the Rule of Law, Washington, DC, USA
Tuesday 3 May – Thursday 5 May 2022
Between 3 – 5 May 2022, a UK delegation of Justices, judges, and a barrister, led by the UK Supreme Court Deputy President, The Rt Hon Lord Hodge, met with American judges, lawyers, and legal experts at the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, DC, for a Forum on the Rule of Law.
The Forum was co–hosted by the Association of Marshall Scholars (AMS), and the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). The AMS is the official alumni organisation of the Marshall Scholarship, one of the world’s most prestigious and competitive fellowships for postgraduate study. It works to strengthen US–UK ties, and the Marshall Scholarship alumni community. The ACTL is comprised of members of the Trial Bar from the United States and Canada, and is recognised as the preeminent organisation of trial lawyers in North America, dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics and the administration of justice.
The Marshall Forum programme included a series of conversations on critical legal issues in a post–pandemic world, including topics such as the rule of law and national security, the separation of powers, free speech and the internet, human rights and civil liberties, and climate and the courts.
The UK delegation included UK Supreme Court Justices; The Rt Hon Lord Hodge, The Rt Hon Lord Briggs of Westbourne, and retired Justices, The Rt Hon Lady Arden of Heswall DBE, The Rt Hon The Lord Mance PC.
The US delegation included US Supreme Court Justices; Chief Justice Hon. John G. Roberts, Jr., Hon. Stephen Breyer (Marshall Scholar 1959), Hon. Sonia Sotomayor, Hon. Elena Kagan, Hon. Neil Gorsuch (Marshall Scholar 1992), Hon. Brett Kavanaugh.
The UK delegation wishes to extend sincerest thanks to the AMS and the ACTL for organising the visit and looks forward to working together in the future, continuing to develop UK-US bilateral relations.