Annual Meeting Daily Update – Monday, May 19
The Annual Meeting opened with the call to order by ALI President David F. Levi, where he discussed the strong state of the Institute, highlighting the importance of our deliberative process. It continued with the presentation of reports and business, including membership approval of new Council members.
The first project session on the agenda was Property. Council member Carolyn Kuhl joined Reporter Henry E. Smith and Associate Reporter Yun-Chien Chang on the dais. Presented during this session was Tentative Draft No. 6, which includes material from Volume 2, Division I on ejectment, i.e., the action to be put in possession of land to which one has a right to possess; Volume 4, Division II on concurrent ownership, i.e., ownership by two or more people of the same thing at the same time; and Volume 4, Division III on leasing.
Actions Taken*
Membership voted to approve Tentative Draft No. 6.
After the Property session, Lee H. Rosenthal was presented the Distinguished Service Award by President Levi. Upon receiving the award, Rosenthal reflected on her experience at ALI, highlighting the significance of the Institute’s culture in making her a better teacher. Learn more about Rosenthal and the award here.
Today’s luncheon featured a discussion with former judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Thomas Griffith of Hunton Andrews Kurth and David Tatel of Hogan Lovells. The discussion was moderated by Kathleen Sullivan of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. The former colleagues and longtime friends discussed what it means to be a judge, including the importance of judicial collegiality and restraint, and recounted many memorable moments while in service to the court.
The final project session for today was Torts: Miscellaneous Provisions session, which began with remarks from ALI Director Diane P. Wood remembering William C. Powers Jr., who served as Reporter on this project until his passing in 2019.
After a lunch break, we continued the project session. Council member Goodwin Liu and Parliamentarian Daniel B. Rodriguez joined R. Ammi Cutter Reporter Nora Freeman Engstrom, Reporter Michael D. Green, and Associate Reporter Guy Miller Struve to present Tentative Draft No. 4. The draft contains material on Vicarious Liability, Immunities of Governmental Entities and Actors, Firefighter’s Rule Repudiated, Tortious Interference with a Right to Vote or Hold Office, Prima Facie Tort, Negligence and Intentional Torts Based on the Same Facts, and Liability of Professionals and Those Practicing Skilled Trades.
Actions Taken*
A motion to amend § 2 (b), Consequences of Vicarious Liability, passed. Appropriate Comments and a Reporters’ Note consistent with this Motion will be added at the discretion of the Reporters. A motion to amend § 11, Special Rule on Vicarious Liability for Sexual Assault, failed.
Members voted to approve Tentative Draft No. 4. This vote marks the final membership approval of this project. Read the press release.
*All approvals by membership at the Annual Meeting are subject to the discussion at the Meeting and usual editorial prerogative.