ATLA officers for 2003-2004.

DAVID S. CASEY JR.

ATLA's new president believes that protecting the right to a jury trial is paramount: "The time has come for America to understand that the right of a jury trial is every bit as important as the right to vote. As the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, the Seventh Amendment protects true justice." To get this message out, he plans to continue ATLA's efforts to fight legislation that would cap damages or otherwise restrict juries' power to hold wrongdoers accountable.

A partner with Casey, Gerry, Reed & Schenk in San Diego and the national firm Herman, Mathis, Casey, Kitchens & Gerel, Mr. Casey served as ATLA's president-elect in 2002-03, vice president in 2001-02, secretary in 2000-01, treasurer in 1999-2000, and parliamentarian in 1998-99. He has served on the Board of Governors since 1984 and cochaired the Public Education Committee from 1994 to 2001. He helped found ATLA's Leaders Forum and serves on the Robert L. Habush ATLA Endowment Board of Trustees. He is a trustee and fellow of ATLA PAC and the Roscoe Pound Institute.

Mr. Casey earned his B.A. in 1972 at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and his J.D. in 1974 at the University of San Diego.

TODD A. SMITH

ATLA's president-elect sees the current political climate as a threat to our most vulnerable citizens. Over the next year, he plans to focus on recruiting trial lawyers who will respond to interest groups and politicians who threaten the right to trial by jury. He is proud of trial lawyers who "continue to step up in greater and greater numbers to support ATLA's efforts to fight back," which makes it "apparent that ATLA continues to be the essential ingredient in ensuring a viable, strong civil justice system in America."

A partner with Power Rogers & Smith in Chicago, Mr. Smith served as ATLA's vice president in 2002-03, secretary in 2001-02, treasurer in 2000-01, and parliamentarian in 1999-2000. He has been on the Board of Governors since 1989 and has chaired the Public Affairs, Legal Affairs, Constitutional Litigation, and Amicus Curiae committees, among others. He is a trustee of ATLA PAC and the Roscoe Pound Institute and serves on the Trial Lawyers Gale Board of Directors.

Mr. Smith earned his B.S.B. in 1971 at the University of Kansas in Lawrence; his M.B.A. in 1973 at Northwestern University, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, near Chicago; and his J.D. in 1976 at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.

KENNETH M. SUGGS

The new vice president is proud of ATLA's legacy as a champion for civil justice. He commends "courageous and creative trial lawyers" who "assaulted the citadel of outdated legal doctrines, took the high ground of persuasive technique, and broke through the lines of entrenched defenses." He believes that ATLA members must resist efforts by those who "want to make the courthouse hard to find and even harder to get into."

Mr. Suggs is a founding shareholder at Suggs & Kelly, with offices in Columbia, Winnsboro, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Savannah, Georgia. He served as ATLA's secretary in 2002-03, treasurer in 2001-02, and parliamentarian in 2000-01. He has been on ATLA's Board of Governors since 1988 and served on the Budget, Legal Affairs, and Technology Task Force committees. Mr. Suggs was also chair of the Judicial Independence Committee and cochair of the Legal Affairs and Public Affairs committees. He is a supporting fellow of the Roscoe Pound Institute.

Mr. Suggs received his B.A. in 1968 from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, and his J.D. in 1975 from the University of South Carolina Law School.

MIKE EIDSON

ATLA's new secretary notes, "Too few Americans understand that by holding corporate interests responsible for their wrongdoings, the civil justice system makes our country safer for all of us."

He believes that ATLA's top priorities include providing quality education programs and litigation resources. He envisions ATLA becoming "an organization that trial lawyers have to join and use in order to be successful." Mr. Eidson also believes that it is essential that ATLA maintain strong relationships with state trial lawyer organizations.

A partner with Colson Hicks Eidson in Coral Gables, Florida, Mr. Eidson served as ATLA's treasurer in 2002-03 and parliamentarian in 2001-02. He has been on the Board of Governors since 1991; is a former member of the Budget, Organization and Home Office Committee and the Executive Committee; and chairs the Judicial Independence Committee. He has also served on the List Advisory and Exchange committees, and the ATLA PAC Board of Trustees.

Mr. Eidson earned his B.A. in 1968 from the University of South Carolina in Columbia and his J.D. in 1971 from Emory, University in Atlanta. He also studied history at Warwick University in Coventry, England.

KATHLEEN FLYNN PETERSON

The new treasurer believes ATLA must continue to fight tort "reform" and help "individuals and families throughout the country put back together lives that have been forever changed because of negligence." She plans to focus on defeating special interest groups "whose mission is to dismantle our civil justice system." Although these groups are well-financed, she believes that ATLA is ready to take on its opponents more vigorously than ever: "True strength is not about muscle," she says, "it is about backbone."

Ms. Peterson is a partner with Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi in Minneapolis. She served as ATLA's parliamentarian in 2002-03 and on the Board of Governors from 1995 to 2002. She has been a member of the Robert L. Habush ATLA Endowment Board of Directors, the ATLA Press Advisory Board, and the Executive and Judicial Independence committees. She also served as cochair of the National College of Advocacy from 1997 to 2003 and is a former officer of the Professional Negligence Section. She received the ATLA Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.

Ms. Peterson earned her B.A. in 1976 from the College of Saint Catherine, and her J.D. in 1981 from William Mitchell College of Law, both in St. Paul.

LES WEISBROD

The new parliamentarian will focus on ATLA's organizational development: "Besides the political and legislative battles we face, ATLA must deal with increasing our membership and providing even more and better services." Meeting funding demands, increasing democracy in sections and litigation groups, and encouraging growth in the New Lawyers Division and Minority and Women's caucuses are important steps. Strengthening the organization's infrastructure now, he says, will prepare ATLA to fight for clients' rights for years to come.

Mr. Weisbrod, a partner with Morgan & Weisbrod in Dallas, has served on the Board of Governors since 1998. He was cochair of the Section and Litigation Group Coordination Committee, Medical Negligence Information Exchange Group, and Birth Trauma Litigation Group, and chair of the Professional Negligence Section. He has been coordinator of ATLA's Leadership Training Program and is a member of the Executive Committee, the Public Affairs Committee, and the Leaders Forum.

Mr. Weisbrod earned his B.A. in 1975 from Claremont Men's College in Claremont, California, and his J.D. in 1978 from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.