Reflections on Some Noteworthy Activities of the D.C. Chapter
By Robie A. Beatty, Esq., President

On September 15, 2009, members of the D.C. Chapter of the Federal Bar Association elected new officers.  Reluctantly, we said good bye and happily we said thank you to Ronald Crump, who led the Chapter for the year prior to the election of officers.  Mr. Crump did a fine job in the position of President of the Chapter, and I am convinced that his leadership inspired the officers for the 2009 – 2010 year to excel in their positions.

When October rolled around, members of the D.C. Chapter found themselves involved in several activities.  On October 15, 2009, the Chapter presented the Justice Tom C. Clark Award for Outstanding Government Lawyer to Mr. Joseph H. Rouse. This award is presented annually by the D.C. Chapter. Prior to the presentation of the Justice Tom C. Clark Award, the officers elected on September 15, 2009 were sworn-in by Judge Royce Lamberth, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.  Named for Supreme Court Justice Tom C. Clark, this award for Outstanding Government Lawyer was presented to Mr. Rouse because his work for the federal government was deemed exemplary by the committee which voted on the nominees.  In fact, Mr. Rouse was the unanimous choice of the committee.  Members of that committee included:  Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth, Chief Judge Andrew S. Effron of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, Judge Emmet G. Sullivan and Judge Stanley Sporkin (Ret.) of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and three past presidents of the D.C. Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Patricia Ryan, who chaired the committee, Cary Devorsetz and Silvio Krvaric. 

Currently 92 years young, Mr. Rouse has worked for the federal government for over 70 years. He is still working and presently serves as the Deputy Chief of the Tort Claims Division of the U.S. Department of the Army, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Army Claims Service.  In this position, Mr. Rouse reviews each of the approximately 1,000 tort claims filed against the U.S. Army annually. These claims range in amounts from hundreds to billions of dollars.  At the request of the Justice Department, Mr. Rouse drafted the regulations of the Federal Tort Claims Act. He served in World War II as an infantry unit commander and led his men in combat in North Africa and Italy.  After completing Louisville Law School (now known as Louis D. Brandeis School of Law) in 1950, Mr. Rouse joined the Staff JAG office in Orleans, France. There, he reviewed claims submitted by French citizens in post-war Europe and defended American soldiers in cases of court-martial.

The family, friends and co-workers of the honoree, as well as members of the judiciary and of the D.C. Chapter, were in attendance for this Justice Tom C. Clark award ceremony and reception.  A special attendee at this ceremony was Lieutenant General Dana K. Chipman, the Judge Advocate General of the Army, who expressed his great pleasure in presenting the Justice Tom C. Clark Award for Outstanding Government Lawyer to Mr. Rouse.

This award program is one of the key programs of the D.C. Chapter. Solicitation letters for the Award are sent annually to over 80 federal agencies. The Justice Tom C. Clark Award for Outstanding Government Lawyer is one of the premier awards given to career service lawyers in the federal government. We have included a list of recipients from the past 50 years, which shows the depth of the recipients and the federal agencies they represent. See Recipient List.    

Within one (1) week after the Justice Tom C. Clark Award ceremony and reception, the D.C. Chapter was co-hosting another worthwhile event.  On October 20, 2009, the District of Columbia Bar Litigation Section and the D.C. Chapter of the Federal Bar Association sponsored the Twenty-fourth Judicial Reception.  This reception honored members of the Federal and District of Columbia Judiciary and was held at the Mayflower Hotel.  This reception served as a wonderful opportunity for bar members and prospective law students to engage members of the judicial branch of our government in conversation in a social setting.  We were told that people who attended this event had a great time and are looking forward to attending the twenty-fifth judicial reception. 

During the month of November, the D.C. Chapter was privileged to be a sponsor of an event that will surely be the talk of the Federal Bar Association for some time. On November 16, 2009, an evening reception was held at the U.S. Supreme Court honoring Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  Justice Ginsburg was honored as she became an Honorary Life Fellow of the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association. In addition to the D.C. Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, the other sponsors of this occasion were the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association, the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, the District of Connecticut, and both the Capitol Hill and Pentagon Chapters of the Federal Bar Association.  Members of each sponsoring organization were present at the event and were happy to be able to meet Justice Ginsburg.  She was very gracious and thanked us for this honor.  We were all surprised that after she thanked us, she then immediately allowed us to ask her questions about her career. I will always remember that she told us that she is happy that now there is another woman on the Court. Some of us were fortunate to be able to take a picture with the Justice. Indeed, I am sure that the photograph will be a cherished keepsake of this event for years to come.

Also in November, the Professional Development and Service Section (PDSS) of the D.C. Chapter of the Federal Bar Association sponsored a service project which helped provide food for some local families. On November 21, 2009, PDSS members and members of the D.C. Chapter helped to bag, stock and pack food products for families in need in the area. Even some children 12 years of age and older were on hand to help with this project.  The project started at 9:00 a.m. and ended at 12:00 noon and was held at the Capital Area Food Bank in the District of Columbia. We really thank Jerry Miles and the PDSS for helping us to remember to “give back” to our communities.

In December, the D.C. Chapter of the Federal Bar Association was involved in another noteworthy project. Led by the PDSS, the D.C. Chapter, plus the Hispanic National Bar Association of D.C., co-sponsored a holiday party and charity gift drive. The party was held on December 3, 2009 and admission to it was a donation of either money or a toy. Continuing with the spirit of “giving back”, all the toys and the funds remaining after payment of expenses were given to St. Mary’s Center.  This Center, a non-profit organization, provides maternal and child healthcare services to immigrant families. As a result of the generosity of the attendees at the party, St. Mary’s Center received over $700 and almost 100 gifts. Again, thanks to the PDSS for its leadership and assistance with this event.

After the New Year, the D.C. Chapter continued to be involved in the admission ceremonies of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Each month a new class of lawyers is admitted to practice before the District Court and members of the D.C. Chapter are placed on the program to welcome the admittees. the D.C. Chapter co-sponsors the reception following the admission ceremonies and its members have an opportunity to talk with the admittees and to recruit members for the Chapter.

As I close, we are all looking forward to the annual convention in New Orleans. I hope this article gives you an idea of the events and activities that helped make the D.C. Chapter what it is today. Remember, if you have an interest in joining this chapter, we would be happy to have you !!!