The Federalist Society enjoyed another successful year in 2018, as evidenced by the contents of this year’s Annual Report. The expansion of our programs, via special initiatives like the Regulatory Transparency Project and the Article I Initiative, our ongoing work with state courts, and our chapter-based and practice groups activities, contributed significantly to this success. The unprecedented press attention we received certainly helped as well.

It is fair to say that the Federalist Society was in the news a lot in 2018. Some of what was written was accurate, and some of it was not, but we were delighted to witness such elevated exposure at a time when our programs are more valuable than ever. In spite of considerable hostility, our chapters thrived in 2018, proving that law students and legal practitioners are passionately searching for the opportunities that only the Federalist Society can provide—lectures, debates, and activities that focus on substantive ideas and genuine intellectual exploration. These are the types of opportunities that often would not exist, especially at law schools, were it not for the Federalist Society.

The fruits of our labor and the benefits of our programming speak for themselves. In addition, a number of our members assumed influential positions in law, government, business, and in the academy in the past year, and we would like to believe that we had a major role to play in their preparation. Our larger legal network also grew exponentially, and there is now every chance, even in our currently polarized atmosphere, to build on the Society’s past success and to continue serving as a forum for a vigorous and thoughtful discussion of legal ideas.

The positive results of our programming are not fluke occurrences; instead, they are merely the natural products of the intellectual infrastructure we have built over the past 37 years. This infrastructure already has demonstrated its effectiveness, especially with the discussion of originalism. We can deploy the same proven techniques to foster examination in every area of the law by placing a premium on the principles of individual liberty, limited government, and the rule of law.

In these efforts, we depend on you, our thousands of volunteers and donors across the country, who make this work possible and ever so rewarding. On behalf of the entire Federalist Society, I want to thank you for your help. We look forward to continuing our work with you, in 2019 and into the future.

Gratefully,

Gene Meyer