The Temple American Inn of Court was the 100th Inn chartered in
the United States and the first in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
The idea to form an Inn in Philadelphia was instigated by, among
others, Leonard Dubin, Esquire and Dean Robert Reinstein of the
Temple University School of Law (now the James E. Beasley School of
Law). The law school, through Dean Reinstein, filed the application
for chartering the Inn and then scheduled and set-up a meeting by
invitation of prominent Philadelphia judges and attorneys.
The first meeting, to consider and organize the Inn, was held at
the Law School on November 5, 1990. In attendance were Philadelphia
attorneys James E. Beasley, Perry Bechtle, Robert C. Daniels,
Leonard Dubin, Edward L. Edelstein, James J. McCabe, Arthur Raynes,
the Honorable Lowell A. Reed, Jr., among others. Dean Reinstein
chaired the meeting which was addressed by the American Inns of
Court President, Sherman I. Cohn. The excitement engendered at the
meeting stirred Judge Reed to write a letter of suggestions for the
Inn. This voluntary act led to Judge Reed's nomination, by
acclamation, to be our Chapter's first President.
The initial meeting at Temple Law School was quickly followed by a
meeting on or about November 19, 1990, in Judge Reed's chambers at
the United States District Courthouse. It was at this meeting that
the proposed list of proposed members was drawn, the Inn named the
Temple American Inn of Court and the first slate of officers was
presented.
The Charter for the Temple American Inn of Court was presented to
the Inn's President, the Honorable Lowell A. Reed, Jr., on June 28,
1991 at the Seventh Annual Meeting of the American Inns of Court
Foundation held in New Orleans.