United States Chief Justice John G. Roberts has appointed Bradley Arant Boult Cummings partner Kevin Newsom to the Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules. Beginning October 1, 2011, Mr. Newsom will serve a renewable three-year term on the Committee, which studies and advises the Judicial Conference of the United States concerning amendments and improvements to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. The Committee has 10 members, only three of whom are private practitioners.
In addition to a standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, the Judicial Conference operates advisory committees for appellate rules, civil rules, criminal rules, evidence rules, and bankruptcy rules. Mr. Newsom is the only Alabamian serving on any of the Judicial Conference’s committees.
With his appointment, Mr. Newsom joins the following individuals on the appellate-rules committee: U.S. circuit judges Jeffrey S. Sutton (6th Circuit), Michael A. Chagares (3d Circuit), Peter T. Fay (11th Circuit); U.S. district judge Robert Michael Dow, Jr. (N.D. Ill.); Colorado Supreme Court Justice Allison Eid; U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli; U.S. Department of Justice lawyer Douglas Letter; Hogan Lovells partner (and former U.S. Solicitor General) Neal Katyal; Farr & Taranto partner Richard G. Taranto; and Notre Dame law professor Amy Coney Barrett.