Kentucky Bar Association

KBA Rule of Law Symposium February 6, 2009
The Kentucky Bar Association explored the rule of law’s impact on different professional disciplines -- including business, health care, education, government, the media, legal and judicial services, social services, law enforcement and theology -- during a symposium held Friday, February 6, on the Kentucky State University campus in Frankfort.
Pat Flannery, far left, son of the late Patrick Flannery, Esq., a Covington attorney, Kentucky Bar Association President Barbara D. Bonar, and Michael T. Sutton, far right, managing partner of Sutton Rankin Law PLC of Edgewood, welcome Abraham Lincoln, as portrayed by Jim Sayre of Lawrenceburg, to the Symposium. The event served as a celebration of the 200th birthday of the Commonwealth's most famous son, Abraham Lincoln, whose belief in the rule of law guided his legal career and the advice he gave as counsel. The rule of law stands for the idea that government authority can only be exercised in accordance with publicly disclosed and widely accepted laws.		KBA President Barbara D. Bonar said the Kentucky Rule of Law Symposium drew more than 120 participants to discuss how the rule of law serves as the foundation of American government and its court system, while also providing an inspirational framework for developing countries to strengthen their own legal systems. “In the interest of strengthening the rule of law, we examined its history, its limitations and the hope it provides for future progress,” Bonar said. “By day’s end, we came to understand better the rule of law’s dependence on human action and the force of our own will in seeking justice.” Chief Justice John D. Minton, Jr., of the Kentucky Supreme Court, said the rule of law stands for the idea that government authority can only be exercised in accordance with publicly disclosed and widely accepted laws. “But history teaches us that the concept of the rule of law is not static and, in fact, is relative to the time, places and circumstances under which it is cited,” Minton said. “Continued recognition of and adherence to the rule of law will give us the strength and opportunity to address the challenges that face us today.”
Norman L. Greene, partner in the New York law firm Schoeman, Updike & Kaufman LLP and a much published author on the rule of law, said the time-honored concept “inspires people to try to bring better lives to citizens of many nations and to our own citizens as well.” “The goals are to uphold human rights, spread democracy, help ensure stability and public safety, and improve economic development, including ending or alleviating poverty,” Greene said. “The concept is especially vital today, even though one can trace the rule of law to the ancient Greeks and to others, including Abraham Lincoln.” Noting concerns whether they are reconcilable with the rule of law and its requirements for the judiciary, he added, judicial elections in the United States should be made “part of the rule of law discussion.” Elizabeth “Betsy” Andersen, executive director and executive vice-president of the American Society of International Law, said the rule of law is “something that we too often take for granted” in the United States. “Globalization,” she said, “highlights the wide gulf in human understanding and the lack of a common global framework for ordering our world.” “We need a legal system in Africa that can ensure that AIDS drugs reach their intended beneficiaries and don’t end up on the black market,” Andersen noted. “Would-be recruits to al-Qaeda need to see and experience justice and opportunity, so they don’t feel the lure of radical ideology and desperate acts of violence.” “I believe firmly that the answer lies in a conception of the rule of law based in international law – founded on internationally agreed principles, enshrined in treaties, and enforced by effective international institutions,” Andersen said. The symposium also featured Kentucky Supreme Court Justices in small group discussions on topics including judicial independence; civil rights and social justice; the courts and dispute resolution; business, labor and the workplace; crimes, punishment, and deterrence; and families, children and family courts. Participants in these discussions included several justices from the Kentucky Supreme Court. Additionally, the event served as a celebration of the 200th birthday of the Commonwealth’s most famous son, Abraham Lincoln, whose belief in the rule of law guided his legal career and advice as counsel. Jim Sayre of Lawrenceburg provided a living history presentation of Abraham Lincoln during the symposium luncheon in the Hill Student Center. Portions of the Kentucky Rule of Law Symposium were videotaped and will be made available to school teachers and law professionals for future Law Day events. Sponsors for the event included the Kentucky Bar Foundation, the American Bar Association, Boehl Stopher & Graves LLP; Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, Frost; Brown Todd LLC; Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC; Landrum & Shouse LLP; Reed Weitkamp Schell &Vice PLLC; Seiller Waterman LLC; Stites & Harbison PLLC; Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC: Wyatt Tarrant & Combs LLP. Elizabeth “Betsy” Andersen, executive director and executive vice-president of the American Society of International Law, addresses Symposium participants. Andersen said the rule of law is “something that we too often take for granted” in the United States. “Globalization,” she said, “highlights the wide gulf in human understanding and the lack of a common global framework for ordering our world.”		Norman L. Greene, partner in the New York law firm Schoeman, Updike & Kaufman LLP, participates in a small group discussion on “Judicial Independence: It’s Not What You Think.” A much-published author on the rule of law, Greene said the time-honored concept “inspires people to try to bring better lives to citizens of many nations and to our own citizens as well.” To his right is Cecile Schubert of the League of Women Voters of Berea & Madison County. Jeffrey A. Apperson, far left, United States District Court Clerk for the Western District of Kentucky, Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Michelle M. Keller of Covington, and Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Daniel J. Venters of Somerset listen to presentations during the Symposium. Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Wilfrid A. Schroder of Covington, left, and Rev. Ronald M. Ketteler of Crestview Hills converse during the Symposium’s continental breakfast. Dr. Mary Evans Sias, president of Kentucky State University, discusses the rule of law’s impact on her life and career during the Symposium’s plenary session. Mike Ridenour, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Vice-President for Public Affiairs, Merl Hackbert of the University of Kentucky’s Department for Finance, Bill Londrigan, president of the Kentucky State AFL-CIO and Ron Crouch, director of the Kentucky State Data Center, participate in the group panel discussion on “Business, Labor and the Workplace.”
Read the Editorial written by Lexington ( Ky. ) Herald Leader columnist Tom Eblen regarding the Kentucky Bar Association's "Rule of Law Symposium" held on Kentucky State University's campus on Feb. 6, 2009.


Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Mary C. Noble visits with Father Patrick Delahanty, Associate Director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky, prior to the Symposium’s plenary session.	Lexington Herald-Leader columnist Tom Eblen visits with Professor Bill Fortune of the University of Kentucky’s College of Law at the Symposium. Fortune served on the Symposium’s planning committee.	Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Lisabeth Hughes Abramson and former KBA President Charles E. English of English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley LLP, Bowling Green, share a conversation prior to the Symposium.

Kentucky Deputy Chief Justice Will T. Scott listens to proceedings during the Symposium’s plenary session.	Chief Justice John D. Minton, Jr., of the Kentucky Supreme Court addresses the Symposium. “Continued recognition of and adherence to the rule of law,” he said, “will give us the strength and opportunity to address the challenges that face us today.”	Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Bill Cunningham participates in a group discussion on "Judicial Independence."

Stanford N. Obi of Stanford Law Office, PLLC, serves as a panelist in the group discussion “Civil Rights and Social Justice.” Obi served on the planning committee for the Symposium.	Edward C. Monahan, public advocate for the Commonwealth of Kentucky and long-time legislator and current Deputy Secretary for the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, participates in the group discussion on "Judicial Independence."	Carol Paisley, manager of mediation for the Administrative Office of the Courts, discusses the day’s events with William Cofield, president of the NAACP.

Bonnie C. Kittinger, Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions, and Louis Waterman of Fore Miller & Schwartz of Louisville participate in the group panel discussion on “Families, Children and Family Courts."	Kim Brooks Tandy, executive director and founder of the Children's Law Center, Inc., in Lexington and Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Mary C. Noble participate in the group discussion on "Families, Children and Family Courts."