Co-Chairman, The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
Leonard is Co-Chairman and former Executive Vice President of the Federalist Society, joining the organization over 25 years ago. Since that time he has been instrumental in helping the organization top 70,000, focusing on the growth of lawyers membership, operations and activities advancing limited, constitutional government. In addition to his work at the Society, Leonard has advised President Trump on judicial selection, assisted with the Gorsuch and Kavanaugh Supreme Court selection and confirmation process, and served as a member of the transition team. He also organized the outside coalition efforts in support of the Roberts and Alito U.S. Supreme Court confirmations. Leonard was appointed by President George W. Bush to three terms to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as chairman. He was also a U.S. Delegate to the UN Council and UN Commission on Human Rights during the Bush Administration. Leonard was the recipient of the 2009 Bradley Prize, along with the other founders and directors of the Federalist Society, for his work in advancing freedom and the rule of law. He is the coeditor of Presidential Leadership: Rating the Best and the Worst in the White House, as well as the author of opinion editorials in the New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Leonard holds degrees from Cornell University and Cornell Law School. He presently resides in Northern Virginia, where he and his wife Sally have raised their seven children.
Partner, Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman LLP
The Honorable Robert S. Smith (Ret.) is head of the firm’s appellate practice, and focuses on trials and appeals. Judge Smith joined Friedman Kaplan following his retirement as Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court, where he served for more than a decade. During his time on the bench, he wrote scores of opinions and became well known for his judicial scholarship, insight, and intellectual rigor.
Prior to his time on the Court of Appeals, Judge Smith practiced law in New York City, and was a partner with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison for over 25 years. He has argued dozens of appeals before the federal and New York appellate courts, and two appeals before the United States Supreme Court. His trial experience in complex commercial cases is also extensive. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Since joining Friedman Kaplan, Judge Smith has been active primarily in appeals, trial-level commercial litigation, expert witness testimony, and alternative dispute resolution.
Co-Director, Global Law Scholars Program; Co-Director, Center on, Georgetown University Law Center
Professor Stewart joined the faculty as Visiting Professor of Law following his retirement from the U. S. Department of State, where he served as Assistant Legal Adviser for Private International Law. Previously he had been Assistant Legal Adviser for Diplomatic Law and Litigation, for African Affairs, for Human Rights and Refugees, for Law Enforcement and Intelligence, and for International Claims and Investment Disputes, as well as Special Assistant to the Legal Adviser. Before joining the government, he was in private practice with Donovan Leisure Newton &Irvine in commercial and antitrust litigation. He was Adjunct Professor for over 25 years and received Georgetown's Charles Fahy award for distinguished adjunct faculty teaching in 2003-2004.
Prof. Stewart is President of the American Branch of the International Law Association and a member of the Board of Editors of the American Journal of International Law and the Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on Private International Law. The American Law Institute has selected him to serve as one of the reporters working on the Restatement (Fourth), Foreign Relations Law of the United States. He previously served on the Executive Council of the ABA's Section of International Law and the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law. In 2012 he was re-elected to the Inter-American Juridical Committee, which advises the Organization of American States on juridical matters of an international nature and promotes the progressive development and codification of international law.
Professor Stewart co-directs the Global Law Scholars Program, directs the Center on Transnational Business and the Law, and teaches courses in public and private international law, foreign relations law, international immunities, international criminal law and civil litigation. He co-edited the multi-volume Digest of U.S. Practice in International Law for the years 1990-2003.With Professors Luban and O'Sullivan, he co-authored International and Transnational Criminal Law (Aspen 2nd ed., 2014).
2025 Eastern Leadership Meeting
Invite-Only Event
New York, NY2008 James Madison Award Dinner
New York, NY