ALI President David F. Levi penned “From Judge to Dean and Back Again: Reflections on Transitions,” featured in the fall edition of the ABA Judges’ Journal (Volume 59, Number 4).
In the piece, President Levi reflects on his unique career journey, from his tenure as chief judge for the Eastern District of California to dean of Duke Law School, and the values, expectations, and overall challenges and rewards associated with both.
President Levi also speaks on his current positions with ALI and the Bolch Judicial Institute and how skills developed and learned on the bench can be applied to the work of both roles. He shares his belief that judges should not be afraid to find new experiences upon leaving the bench.
The following is an excerpt:
“In a time of division and confusion, judges have so much to contribute to the law schools and to other law organizations, like the ALI, whether they leave the bench or find new ways to serve “from” the bench. Indeed, once they leave the bench, ex-judges may be in a somewhat better position than they were on the bench, because of their new freedom, to serve and protect—to advocate for—the judiciary. Transitions are never easy, but, for judges, in this time, there is such a pressing need for their skills and character, and so many opportunities for service, that the transition need not put them at a distance from their former life. It can be a homecoming.”
Read the full piece here [Courtesy of the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission].