William B. Enright Inn History
The William B. Enright Chapter of the American Inns of Court was
created in 1991, and named in honor of United States District Court
Judge William B. Enright, who has been very involved in the
development of the American Inns of Court in the United States, as
well as having been a highly respected leader of the judiciary in
San Diego.
The judges and lawyers who were instrumental in establishing the
Enright Inn of Court are Justice Howard Wiener, Ret., Hon. Kevin
Midlam, Ret., Justice Judith Haller, Attorney Virginia Nelson, Hon.
James R. Milliken, Attorney Suzanne Stanford, and Attorney William
McCurine, Jr.
Our past Presidents include the Hon. Howard Wiener, Ret., the
Hon. James Milliken, the Hon. Kevin Midlam, Ret., Virginia Nelson,
Kenneth Turek, Robert Grimes, the Hon. William
McCurine, Robert S. Brewer, the Hon. David Danielsen, the Hon.
Kevin Enright, the Hon. Maureen Hallahan, Susan M. Hack, Nancy
Stagg, and the Hon. Barbara L. Major. Our current president is
Craig R. McClellan.
About Judge Enright
The Honorable William B. Enright was
appointed to the United States District Court for the Southern
District of California in 1972, and went on senior status July 12,
1990, and retired in 2001. Before his appointment to the Bench,
Judge Enright was an outstanding trial lawyer, first as a Deputy
District Attorney, and then as a criminal defense lawyer.
Judge Enright's dedication to the
goals and principles of the American Inns of Court movement is
widely recognized and he was a major force in the movement's
acceptance in California. He was a founding member of the Louis
Welsh American Inn of Court (No. 9), and has assisted in the
formation of many other Inns at both the state and national
levels.
Judge Enright served as Trustee for
the American Inns of Court Foundation from 1985 to 1992. He is
currently one of ten Emeritus Trustees.
In 1987, the American Inns of Court
Foundation awarded Judge Enright the Chairman's Award (now the A.
Sherman Christensen Award), which is bestowed upon a "member of an
American Inn of Court who, at the local, state or national level
has provided distinguished, exceptional and significant leadership
to the American Inns of Court movement." He is the only Californian
to receive this award and a measure of being a recipient -- in both
prestige and Inn service -- can be seen in his successor to the
award: U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren E. Burger.
There are many examples of ways
Judge Enright has worked in the general and legal community to make
California a better place, including community involvement (Rotary
Club, United Crusade, Big Brothers, Little League, Urban Coalition)
and legal leadership (President, San Diego Bar Association, 1965;
President, Defenders, Inc., 1972; Vice-President, State Bar of
California, 1970). He has also been a chair or member of numerous
state, 9th Circuit and national boards working to improve our
justice system.