Circuit Vice Presidents - FBA Leaders of the Future

Dear Colleagues of the DC Chapter,

Let me introduce myself. I am Ronald Crump, a Past President of the Chapter and currently serving you in one of two positions of D.C. Circuit Vice Presidents.

Article V of our Federal Bar Association Constitution provides for the qualifications and positions of Officers and Directors, their Nomination, Removal, and Duties. Section 1 (e) provides for two Vice Presidents for the Circuit for each Federal judicial circuit, who shall be elected for terms of two years by the members within that Circuit. No Vice President for the Circuit shall serve more than three full terms.

Our role is simple: to provide additional leadership and support to the FBA in general and the chapters within our respective circuits in particular. We do so through advice and counsel and acting in the role of liaison, at times, between  National and Chapters.

Recently, we have initiated a new project. It is ther pilot CVP Capitol Hill Initiative held in late April. W. West Allen, Chair of the Vice Presidents for the Circuits announced recently that our initiative was successful. Several CVPs visited the offices of their respective U.S. Senators on Thursday, April 22, to discuss the narrow, nonpartisan issue of federal judicial vacancies.

Those that participated utilized preparatory materials prepared by Bruce Moyer, a lawyer retained by the FBA, which included an extremely helpful issue brief that was provided to appropriate Senators' staff. The materials confirm that judicial vacancies are reaching a crisis point. The current 103 judicial vacancies, with more scheduled in the months ahead, place an increasing strain upon our federal courts, individuals and businesses. The Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court, District of Nevada, has already expressed his gratitude for the FBA's efforts.

In conjunction with this initiative, we encourage the chapters, if any of you have close contacts with Senators Kyl (AZ), Sessions (AL) or McConnel (KY),  to contact these Senators' offices directly, as a constituent, to suggest a prompt up-or-down vote by the Senate on judicial nominees that have cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee. We've seen some progress over the last several days on a few "non-controversial" nominees. However, your additional efforts may prove very helpful in the upcoming weeks.

We are also involved with membership issues for our Association and fully support the new initiatives begun by the FBA. We encourage each of you to approach other lawyers to become members of our great organization.

It is an honor and pleasure to be of continuing service to the Chapter and its members. I look forward to working with all of you to making our Association live up to its mission and vision statements in the Constitution regarding Federal Practice and the Judiciary.

Best regards,

Ronald C. Crump
D.C. Circuit Vice President.