Typically attracting nearly 300 attendees, the Summit offers:

• More than 20 educational sessions led by distinguished judges, leading academics, and experienced appellate advocates.
• Timely discussions on emerging legal issues, evolving jurisprudence, and developments shaping appellate courts nationwide.
• Registration Options: Choose from the full Summit experience (Thursday–Sunday) or, for the first time, a Saturday/Sunday weekend registration option.
• Practical insights into judicial ethics, appellate advocacy, legal writing, constitutional law, and judicial decision-making.
• Valuable opportunities to exchange ideas and build connections with colleagues from across the country.

Session speakers include:

• Hon. Linda M. Bell, Justice, Nevada Supreme Court
• Hon. Renée Cohn Jubelirer, President Judge, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
• Hon. Matthew J. Fader, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Maryland
• Hon. Andrew M. Jacobs, Judge, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One
• Hon. Cheryl Ann Krause, Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• Hon. Laurie McKinnon, Justice, Montana Supreme Court
• Hon. M. Margaret McKeown, Senior Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Hon. Matthew Miller, Former Judge, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division Two
• Hon. Richard J. Sullivan, Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• Hon. Jeffrey S. Sutton, Chief Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• Hon. Samuel A. Thumma, Judge, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One
• Hon. David N. Wecht, Justice, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Hon. David D. Weinzweig, Vice Chief Judge, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One
• Hon. Diane P. Wood, Director, The American Law Institute

• Prof. Akhil Reed Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science, Yale University
• Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California Berkeley School of Law
• Prof. Siobhan Mukerji Barco, Climenko Fellow and Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School
• Prof. Mary Beth Beazley, University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law
• Prof. Heidi K. Brown, Associate Dean for Upper Level Writing and Professor of Legal Writing, New York Law School
• Prof. Anna Conley, Associate Professor and Cliff Edwards Professor of Excellence in Trial Advocacy, University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law
• Prof. Charles G. Geyh, Distinguished Professor and John F. Kimberling Chair in Law, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
• Prof. Orin Kerr, Stella W. & Ira S. Lillick Professor, Stanford Law School and Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution
• Prof. Seth Kreimer, Kenneth W. Gemmill Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
• Prof. Elizabeth Lippy, Practice Professor of Law and Director of the Trial Advocacy Program, Temple University Beasley School of Law
• Prof. Megan E.K. Montcalm, Director of Academic Excellence and Assistant Professor of Legal Skills, Thomas R. Kline School of Law, Duquesne University
• Prof. Christina D. Ponsa-Kraus, George Welwood Murray Professor of History of Law
• Prof. Jeffrey Rosen, CEO Emeritus, National Constitution Center; Professor of Law, George Washington University School of Law
• Prof. Stephen I. Vladeck, Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Federal Courts, Georgetown University Law Center

• Eleanor Barrett, Deputy Director, The American Law Institute
• Margaret Bullard, Central Staff Attorney, Court of Appeals of Georgia
• Kelly H. Dove, Partner, Snell & Wilmer LLP
• Matthew Friedlander, Partner, Webb Daniel Friedlander, LLP
• Mitchell Kramer, Actor and Historian, Benjamin Franklin Interpreted
• Daniel M. Moore, Associate, Saul Ewing LLP
• Robert Rhodes, Chief Technology Officer, Thomson Reuters Special Services
• Douglas R. Richmond, Senior Vice President, Lockton Companies
• Neil Weare, Co-founder and Co-Director, Right to Democracy

The Summit is presented by the National Judicial College & the American Bar Association Judicial Division with participation from the American Bar Association Judicial Division’s Appellate Judges Conference, the Council of Appellate Lawyers, and the Council of Appellate Staff Attorneys.

Programming begins at 1 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, and concludes at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 15.

Register Now.

November 12-15, 2026 | Philadelphia, PA Loews Hotel, 1200 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

View the full agenda on the Summit webpage.

Register

Download Course PDF