ALI Director Diane P. Wood, formerly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, retired in April to focus on her role as Director of The American Law Institute. In an interview with The National Law Journal, she reflected on her path to the bench, significant cases, and current judicial issues.
Wood shared how her background in English led her to law, her experiences clerking for Judge Irving Goldberg and Justice Harry Blackmun, and how she was nominated to the Seventh Circuit by President Clinton in 1995. Notably, she recalled a Fair Housing Act case where her dissenting opinion ultimately swayed the entire court in favor of protecting religious rights.
Wood also discussed ongoing judicial challenges, including the complexities of following recent Supreme Court rulings and the role of amicus briefs. While Wood supports increased transparency regarding amicus funding, she acknowledged the complications these changes could introduce for lower court judges interpreting Supreme Court decisions.