A NIGHT TO REMEMBER by Tom Elden
On October 21, 2006, Oregon Supreme Court Justice Wallace
P. Carson, Jr. received the prestigious American Inns of Court
Lewis F. Powell, Jr. award for Professionalism and Ethics. Justice
Carson is a member of the Willamette Valley American Inn of Court,
the only Inn in the country to boast two winners of this award, the
first being former Chief Justice Ed Peterson. The current and last
two presidents of the Willamette Valley American Inn of Court,
Judge Claudia M. Burton, Judge Joseph C. Guimond and Senior AAG Tom
Elden, and numerous lawyers, judges, and law clerks were
instrumental in this recognition for Justice Carson through support
of his nomination for the award.
The ceremony was in the elegant rotunda dining room of the Ronald
Reagan Center, on the ninth floor overlooking Washington, D.C.
Justice Carson's award was presented by Justice Ronald Moon, Chief
Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court. Other attendees included
United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Celebrating with Justice Carson were his family and Salem attorneys
Kathryn Jackson and Tom Elden.
When you pay $175 per plate you don't necessarily get more
interesting food but you definitely get more interesting names for
the food, such as "Blood Orange Sorbet" (query, could a vegan eat
that) or "Pan Seared Organic Tenderloin with Celery Root Mousseline
and Candied Baby Carrots". I knew it was going to be interesting
when the first half of the first course arrived - four scallops
were dumped into a big soup bowl sitting on a plate whose sole
function was to hold the soup bowl. Then a waiter arrived to pour
broth over the scallops.
Unlike our very successful Marion County Bar Awards Dinners (where
a couple of years ago Justice Carson received about the only award
not named for him, the Professionalism Award) I didn't see any
chicken or veggie option. But it was black tie and I guess when you
dress up you eat tenderloin or else.
Before the dinner there was an impressive social hour with a
string quartet on the first floor of the Reagan Center. One wonders
how they get much done in Washington if that is the standard way of
spending an evening.
What truly made the night something to remember was that out of
thousands of lawyers who are in the national Inns movement to
foster professionalism and education and collegiality, Justice
Carson was recognized for the incredible person he is. Lawyer,
legislator, military officer, trial judge, and appellate judge with
a career culminating in guiding our Supreme Court and our Judicial
Department through good times and bad, Justice Carson has been
above all a caring and dedicated person and professional. It is
gratifying to see this sort of recognition just as it was to see
Judge Lipscomb recently honored in Oregon for Judge Lipscomb's
leadership during the Marion County courthouse fire recovery.
Justice Moon's wife presented Justice Carson with a traditional
Hawaiian lei of polished kukui nuts. Justice Moon's remarks
somewhat echoed the statements in the program. The program said in
part that Justice Carson has championed professionalism,
improvement of the judicial system, diversity, and children's
rights; he embodies the highest standards of legal expertise,
dedication to public service, professionalism, respect for others,
and ethical behavior.
Cindy Dennis, among her other roles at the American Inns of Court,
is in charge of Awards; she organized the October 21, 2006,
Celebration of Excellence. Justice Carson was nominated twice for
the Powell award and received it on the second year's nomination.
Cindy told me sometimes a person is in effect in a pipeline and as
the significance of and interest in these awards grows, one often
has to wait a year or more to be recognized. She also told me that
Justice Carson's career and what people said about him made it a
lock he would receive the Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Award for
Professionalism and Ethics; he simply could not be denied.
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View a photo gallery of
photos provided by Tom Elden and Kathryn Jackson.