ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE

Three years ago, the Honorable Morgan "Chip" Welch, challenged James Scurlock to help the William R. Overton Inn of Court achieve Platinum Status with the National Inns of Court. At the time, James was an associate member of the Overton Inn of Court and accepted this challenge.

At the same time, the leadership of the Overton Inn was looking to transform its meetings to create more interaction between the members as well as the University of Arkansas Bowen School of Law located in Little Rock.  This culminated in a partnership with the school by which first year law students received mentors from within the Inn to help them adjust to law school and to answer general questions the students have about the practice of law.

Throughout the next few years, another new program was developed by members of the Inn, Tracey Dennis and Misty Borkowski. The program is called "Table Topics." This program provides general topics of discussion with specific questions to be discussed within each Pupillage Group.  At the end of the Inn meeting, one person from each Pupillage Group would present a summary of what was discussed by the group.  The membership of the entire Inn would then comment or ask questions creating an interactive environment.

In July 2016, James Scurlock became President of the Inn and attended one of the National Inns of Court Leadership Conferences in preparation for his term. He presented the Table Topics concept at that conference to an enthusiastic reception from the other Inns in attendance.  Discussions about turning the Inn's mentorship program into a national program for the Inns of Court has culminated in James being named the Chair of the National Inns of Court Mentoring Taskforce in early 2018.

During the 2016-2017 Inn year, James and the Inn Administrator, Trisha Guenther, worked together to ensure the Inn received Platinum Status by meeting all of the requirements set forth by the National Inns of Court. They were successful in their endeavors, and in October 2017, James Scurlock, Tracey Dennis and Trisha Guenther were recognized by the National Inns of Court in a ceremony held at the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, D.C.  This was the first time that the Inn had ever received such an award since its founding in 1988.