Amicus Society Launched to Spotlight Legal Efforts, Add Staff Attorney
At the end of last year, we launched an Amicus Society for Delaware lawyers and others who are dedicated to supporting civil rights and civil liberties. Named for the “friend of the court” briefs that provide legal opinion on a case, the Amicus Society provides members with direct access to information on the most critical local and national civil liberties issues of the day.
They are invited to an annual presentation by a nationally recognized expert on topics such as privacy in the digital age, turning back the war on drugs and modern day methods of discrimination in voting. Members also receive information on civil liberties issues—such as legal briefs and ACLU reports—electronically throughout the year.
In addition to engaging and informing lawyers and others who have a strong interest in civil liberties, the Amicus Society is a fundraising vehicle. While the ACLU-DE legal program has had many successes over the years, there are numerous opportunities we have been unable to pursue because we only have one lawyer on staff. Contributions by Amicus Society members helped us add a second lawyer to tackle even more issues in Delaware.
The inaugural Amicus Society event was a breakfast with Steve Shapiro, ACLU National’s legal director, on April 14th. Mr. Shapiro has been legal director since 1993, and served as associate legal director from 1987-1993. He has been counsel or co-counsel on more than 200 ACLU briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court. Amicus members had the opportunity to speak with him about the ACLU’s work at SCOTUS and heard the inside story about preparing to argue the upcoming marriage equality case.
To join the Amicus Society or request more information, please contact ACLU-DE legal director Richard Morse at rmorse@aclu-de.org or 302-654-5326 x103.
Amicus Society Membership
Charter Members
Silver Level
Rebecca L. Byrd, Esq.
Elizabeth M. McGeever, Esq.
Norman M. Monhait, Esq.
Ross Aronstam & Moritz LLP
The Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation
Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP
Members
Melissa Allman, Esq.
Santino Ceccotti, Esq.
Alice Eakin
David M. Fry
Alan Garfield
Jeffrey S. Goddess, Esq.
Lawrence A. Hamermesh
Kathryn Jakabcin
Carolyn M. McNeice, Esq.
Grace Messner
Brendan O'Neill, Esq.
Pepper Hamilton LLP
B. Wilson Redfearn, Esq.
Joseph Rosenthal, Esq.
Lauren E.M. Russell
R. Jason Russell
Beth D. Savitz, Esq.
Carl Schnee
Bradley D. Sorrels
Professor Leland Ware
Christian Wright, Esq.
