ALI President David F. Levi, founding director of the Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law School and former dean of Duke Law School, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Susan and Carl Bolch Jr. Prize for the Rule of Law in recognition of his lifetime contributions to the strength and integrity of legal institutions. The award reflects Levi’s decades-long commitment to judicial independence, procedural fairness, and civic trust in the justice system, spanning his service as a federal judge, law school dean, judicial educator, and leader of The American Law Institute.
“David has spent his career building and strengthening the institutions that protect the rule of law,” said Kerry Abrams, the James B. Duke and Benjamin N. Duke Dean and Distinguished Professor of Law at Duke Law School. “From his work on the federal bench to his leadership of the Bolch Judicial Institute, he has shown a steady commitment to judicial independence and to the idea that a fair and impartial judiciary is essential to democracy. The Bolch Prize recognizes the importance of this work and the impact it continues to have on our legal system.”
Levi's career reflects a sustained commitment to strengthening the rule of law and the institutions that uphold it. He has served with distinction across every branch of the legal ecosystem: as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, a federal district judge and chief judge, and a leader in shaping the federal civil rules. As dean of Duke Law School and founding director of the Bolch Judicial Institute, he championed judicial education, civic understanding, and collaboration across the bench, bar, and academy. Since 2017, as President of The American Law Institute, Levi has guided the Institute's mission to clarify and improve the law through careful scholarship and broad professional engagement, reinforcing the values of independence, fairness, and public trust that are essential to a healthy democracy.
“David’s influence on the federal courts and on judicial education cannot be overstated,” said Paul W. Grimm, the David F. Levi Professor of the Practice of Law and director of the Bolch Judicial Institute. “His work on the civil rules helped modernize the justice system; his creation of the Bolch Judicial Institute offered judges a venue for rigorous study and reflection; and his continued leadership of the ALI helps shape the law itself. He exemplifies the dedication to institutional integrity that this prize is designed to honor.”
Levi will be honored at the 2026 Bolch Prize ceremony at Duke University in April. The full Bolch Prize announcement highlights his lifelong dedication to strengthening the rule of law.