History

The Earl Warren chapter of the American Inns of Court was founded in 1996 by Federal District Court Judge D. Lowell Jensen, the Honorable Judge Stanley P. Golde (1928-1998), and Jules Bonjour, Esq. The organization was established to increase professionalism and to provide mentoring within the Alameda County legal community.

Since its founding over 20 years ago, the Earl Warren Inn has steadily grown in its membership and broadened its purpose. The Inn meets once each month to enjoy original legal education programs, followed by a group dinner at a local restaurant. The organization created and administers the D. Lowell Jensen Scholarship to acknowledge the achievement of college-bound local high-school students. Members support the annual Philip A. Harley Memorial Mock Trial Competition. A film series called Inn Conversation seeks to record interviews with significant local jurists and preserve the rich legal history of the region. A banquet at the end of the year features keynote remarks from inspiring legal talents including Hon. Ronald George (California Supreme Court), Hon. Ming Chin (California Supreme Court), Hon. Carol Corrigan (California Supreme Court), Hon. Goodwin Liu (California Supreme Court), Hon. Martin J. Jenkins (California Supreme Court), former Attorney General Bill Lockyer, retired judge LaDoris H. Cordell, and former Oakland mayor (once and again California Governor) Jerry Brown, among others.

The membership consists of 80 lawyers, judges, and law students. The Inn divides itself into eight teams. To advance the goal of mentoring new lawyers and law students, each team is comprised of one judge, attorneys of various years of experience, and one law student. At each meeting, one team is responsible for presenting an original legal education program to the greater membership. These programs explore ethics, diverse areas of substantive and procedural law, trial techniques, or contemporary topics of interest in American law. Programs by the Earl Warren Inn have received awards from the national body of the American Inns of Court.

Following the team presentation, members dine together. The Earl Warren Inn brings together jurists from federal and state courts, from public and private practices, and from varied substantive practice areas.

Learn more about the American Inns of Court.