Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
John K. Bush is a Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. His chambers are in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to joining the court, Judge Bush was a partner in the Louisville office of Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP, where he also was co-chair of the firm’s litigation department. He began his legal practice in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
Judge Bush served as a law clerk for Judge J. Smith Henley of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He was graduated summa cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 1986, and cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1989.
Judge, United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
Lee Philip Rudofsky is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Prior to his 2019 appointment by President Trump, Judge Rudofsky served as the Solicitor General of Arkansas, an Assistant General Counsel at Walmart, a Senior Litigation Associate at Kirkland & Ellis, and counsel to several Republican political campaigns. Today, in addition to his judicial service, Judge Rudofsky teaches law school classes on founding-era constitutional history and, separately, speaks to students across the country about the October 7th Massacre and the subsequent Israeli response. In 2024, Judge Rudofsky helped establish an annual judicial education mission to Israel that offers American judges the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Israeli legal system, Israeli society, and legal issues related to the Israel-Hamas war.
Judge, United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
Lee Philip Rudofsky is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Prior to his 2019 appointment by President Trump, Judge Rudofsky served as the Solicitor General of Arkansas, an Assistant General Counsel at Walmart, a Senior Litigation Associate at Kirkland & Ellis, and counsel to several Republican political campaigns. Today, in addition to his judicial service, Judge Rudofsky teaches law school classes on founding-era constitutional history and, separately, speaks to students across the country about the October 7th Massacre and the subsequent Israeli response. In 2024, Judge Rudofsky helped establish an annual judicial education mission to Israel that offers American judges the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Israeli legal system, Israeli society, and legal issues related to the Israel-Hamas war.
President and Chairman of the Board, Judicial Education Institute
James Heilpern is President and Chairman of the Board of the Judicial Education Institute, a
501(c)(3) organization that provides high quality judicial education seminars to judges
nationwide. He specializes in helping judges harness new technology to improve the
interpretive process. In the last three years alone, he has trained approximately 250 judges
from at least 50 different jurisdictions, as well as hundreds of practicing attorneys, on
topics related artificial intelligence, corpus linguistics, and statutory interpretation. He also
serves as counsel at the law firm Schaerr-Jaffe, where he regularly represents clients at all
three levels of the federal judiciary, as well as before state supreme courts. He was part of
the team the represented the state of Georgia in Texas v. Pennsylvania, et. al., successfully
persuading the Supreme Court to dismiss Texas’ last-ditch effort to overturn the results of
the 2020 presidential election. Heilpern’s scholarship has been cited by the Second
Circuit, the DDC, and the Virginia Supreme Court, as well as dozens of times in the merits
and amicus briefs of Trump v. Anderson. He is a Research Fellow at the Georgetown Center
for the Constitution, and previously served as a Senior Fellow at the BYU Law School; as
General Counsel of an ed-tech start up; and as a strategic advisor to an artificial
intelligence company. He graduated magna cum laude from the BYU Law School and with
highest honors and with distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He
previously clerked from Judge Edith Clement on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth
Circuit and Judge Robert H. Cleland on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of
Michigan.
Judge, United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
Lee Philip Rudofsky is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Prior to his 2019 appointment by President Trump, Judge Rudofsky served as the Solicitor General of Arkansas, an Assistant General Counsel at Walmart, a Senior Litigation Associate at Kirkland & Ellis, and counsel to several Republican political campaigns. Today, in addition to his judicial service, Judge Rudofsky teaches law school classes on founding-era constitutional history and, separately, speaks to students across the country about the October 7th Massacre and the subsequent Israeli response. In 2024, Judge Rudofsky helped establish an annual judicial education mission to Israel that offers American judges the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Israeli legal system, Israeli society, and legal issues related to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lead Counsel, Government Affairs, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)
Tyler is a 2010 graduate of Indiana University – Bloomington with dual degrees in political science and history. He was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and a director on IU’s largest student programming board, helping plan events such as Culture Fest and Homecoming activities. After spending time working as a program facilitator at Camp Miniwanca in Michigan, he enrolled at Michigan State University College of Law and graduated in May 2015. At MSU Law, he participated in the school’s First Amendment Clinic and was president of MSU Law’s chapter of the Federalist Society.
In his free time, Tyler enjoys hiking, soccer, and playing a variety of games on Playstation 4, though typically not simultaneously. He is an avid supporter of the Indianapolis Colts, Chelsea FC, and the Indiana Hoosiers.
First Amendment Lawyers Association
Edward S. Rudofsky P.C. has been associated with the firm since 1978 and a member since 1980. Mr. Rudofsky is a highly regarded litigator and appellate advocate with a wealth of practical experience in cases involving commercial and real estate issues, zoning, administrative law, and constitutional questions; has substantial experience counseling non-profit and religious institutions; administers the alternative dispute resolution program of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; and serves as a mediator for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The more than 100 reported decisions in which Mr. Rudofsky has been counsel include a number of leading cases in which he has represented clients of the firm.
Mr. Rudofsky, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School and Queens College of the City University of New York, and is a member of the charter class of Hofstra University School of Law, where he was the Managing Editor of the Law Review.
Upon graduation from law school, he was accepted into the Attorney General's Program for Honor Law Graduates and served as a Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Rudofsky was then appointed as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, ultimately serving as Deputy Chief of the Civil Division.
He has been admitted to practice law in New York and in various Federal trial and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States; and is a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Federal Bar Council, the Eastern District Association, and the First Amendment Lawyers Association (FALA); is rated AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell, has been recognized as a "Super Lawyer", and is named an "Elite" Lawyer by Avenue Magazine. He has been a member of the FALA Board of Officers since 2014 and served as the President of the FALA.
Judge, United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
Lee Philip Rudofsky is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Prior to his 2019 appointment by President Trump, Judge Rudofsky served as the Solicitor General of Arkansas, an Assistant General Counsel at Walmart, a Senior Litigation Associate at Kirkland & Ellis, and counsel to several Republican political campaigns. Today, in addition to his judicial service, Judge Rudofsky teaches law school classes on founding-era constitutional history and, separately, speaks to students across the country about the October 7th Massacre and the subsequent Israeli response. In 2024, Judge Rudofsky helped establish an annual judicial education mission to Israel that offers American judges the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Israeli legal system, Israeli society, and legal issues related to the Israel-Hamas war.
Professor of Law, University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law
Professor Robert Steinbuch joined the Bowen School of Law faculty in 2005 after several years in government and private practice. Professor Steinbuch’s government service includes clerking on the United States Court of Appeals and working for the United States Department of Justice. Most recently, he worked for the United States Senate Judiciary Committee. He is well published in law reviews, legal periodicals and medical journals, and he has been interviewed by various news sources for his legal expertise. Professor Steinbuch’s publications include articles in the Harvard BlackLetter Law Journal (renamed the Harvard Journal on Racial & Ethnic Justice), the Houston Law Review, the Maryland Law Review, the Loyola of L.A. Law Review, the Kentucky Law Review, the Health Matrix, the National Law Journal, the American Journal of Cardiology, and the Journal of the National Medical Association. His article “Mere Thieves” was republished in the Securities Law Review as one of the year’s ten best securities-law articles. Professor Steinbuch has served as an expert witness on complex economic matters and is singular at Bowen to have testified before the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. He has also testified before the Arkansas Legislature. Professor Steinbuch serves as a Peer Reviewer for United States Department of State’s Fulbright Program. In addition, he is an editor for Journal of the National Medical Association. As a scholar in health law, Professor Steinbuch currently serves as a Commissioner on the Arkansas Commission for Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Bank Initiative and as a Board of Trustees Member for the Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium. He has previously served on the Board of the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Professor Steinbuch is the recipient of the law school’s Faculty Excellence Awards in both Scholarship and Service.
CEO, President, and General Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom
As the CEO, president, and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, Kristen Waggoner leads the faith-based organization in advancing every person’s God-given right to live and speak the truth in the U.S. and around the world. She oversees more than 450 ADF team members in 10 global offices.
Since 2011, ADF has won 15 cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, three of which were argued by Waggoner: Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, Uzuebgunam v. Presczewski, and 303 Creative v. Elenis. ADF also has a strong record of international success at the European Court of Human Rights, United Nations, and other leading courts and tribunals and has secured the release of more than 1,000 imprisoned Christians.
After clerking with Washington Supreme Court Justice Richard B. Sanders, Waggoner practiced law for over 16 years at a Seattle firm before joining ADF in 2013. She is Peer Review Rated AV® Preeminent™ in Martindale-Hubbell. Waggoner is a sought-after public speaker who often appears in national and international media outlets.
Judge, United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
Lee Philip Rudofsky is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Prior to his 2019 appointment by President Trump, Judge Rudofsky served as the Solicitor General of Arkansas, an Assistant General Counsel at Walmart, a Senior Litigation Associate at Kirkland & Ellis, and counsel to several Republican political campaigns. Today, in addition to his judicial service, Judge Rudofsky teaches law school classes on founding-era constitutional history and, separately, speaks to students across the country about the October 7th Massacre and the subsequent Israeli response. In 2024, Judge Rudofsky helped establish an annual judicial education mission to Israel that offers American judges the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Israeli legal system, Israeli society, and legal issues related to the Israel-Hamas war.
Judge, United States District Court, District of Nebraska
Brian C. Buescher is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump on November 13, 2018, and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 24, 2019. He received commission on August 6, 2019.
Mr. Pekron’s practice is primarily devoted to complex business, tort, and class action litigation. Mr. Pekron is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Commercial Litigation, recognized as a Rising Star in the area of Business Litigation by Mid-South Super Lawyers, and a Future Star in Litigation by Benchmark Litigation. He has represented companies and individuals in cases throughout the nation involving breach of contract, professional liability, consumer fraud, products liability, and ERISA issues. He has significant experience in representing accounting firms, publicly-traded companies, and corporate officers and directors in securities litigation, regulatory matters, professional malpractice actions, and internal investigations.
Mr. Pekron also has an active appellate practice and has appeared in numerous state and federal appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of Illinois, the New York Court of Appeals, and the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Circuits. He has argued cases before the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Arkansas Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He has also been responsible for petitions for certiorari and amicus briefs in the United States Supreme Court.
Mr. Pekron received his law degree from Yale Law School, where he served as Book Reviews Editor of the Yale Law Journal. His work has been published in the Hamline Law Review.
After graduating from law school, Mr. Pekron clerked for Judge Morris Sheppard Arnold of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. During his clerkship, he served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law. He then worked as an associate at the Chicago law firm of Sidley Austin LLP.
Judge, United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
Lee Philip Rudofsky is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Prior to his 2019 appointment by President Trump, Judge Rudofsky served as the Solicitor General of Arkansas, an Assistant General Counsel at Walmart, a Senior Litigation Associate at Kirkland & Ellis, and counsel to several Republican political campaigns. Today, in addition to his judicial service, Judge Rudofsky teaches law school classes on founding-era constitutional history and, separately, speaks to students across the country about the October 7th Massacre and the subsequent Israeli response. In 2024, Judge Rudofsky helped establish an annual judicial education mission to Israel that offers American judges the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Israeli legal system, Israeli society, and legal issues related to the Israel-Hamas war.
Judge, United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Steven C. Seeger is a judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. On June 18, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Seeger to a seat on this court. The U.S. Senate confirmed Seeger on September 11, 2019. He received commission on September 13, 2019.
Judge, United States District Court, District of Nebraska
Brian C. Buescher is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump on November 13, 2018, and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 24, 2019. He received commission on August 6, 2019.
Mr. Pekron’s practice is primarily devoted to complex business, tort, and class action litigation. Mr. Pekron is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Commercial Litigation, recognized as a Rising Star in the area of Business Litigation by Mid-South Super Lawyers, and a Future Star in Litigation by Benchmark Litigation. He has represented companies and individuals in cases throughout the nation involving breach of contract, professional liability, consumer fraud, products liability, and ERISA issues. He has significant experience in representing accounting firms, publicly-traded companies, and corporate officers and directors in securities litigation, regulatory matters, professional malpractice actions, and internal investigations.
Mr. Pekron also has an active appellate practice and has appeared in numerous state and federal appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of Illinois, the New York Court of Appeals, and the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Circuits. He has argued cases before the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Arkansas Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He has also been responsible for petitions for certiorari and amicus briefs in the United States Supreme Court.
Mr. Pekron received his law degree from Yale Law School, where he served as Book Reviews Editor of the Yale Law Journal. His work has been published in the Hamline Law Review.
After graduating from law school, Mr. Pekron clerked for Judge Morris Sheppard Arnold of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. During his clerkship, he served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law. He then worked as an associate at the Chicago law firm of Sidley Austin LLP.
Judge, United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
Lee Philip Rudofsky is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Prior to his 2019 appointment by President Trump, Judge Rudofsky served as the Solicitor General of Arkansas, an Assistant General Counsel at Walmart, a Senior Litigation Associate at Kirkland & Ellis, and counsel to several Republican political campaigns. Today, in addition to his judicial service, Judge Rudofsky teaches law school classes on founding-era constitutional history and, separately, speaks to students across the country about the October 7th Massacre and the subsequent Israeli response. In 2024, Judge Rudofsky helped establish an annual judicial education mission to Israel that offers American judges the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Israeli legal system, Israeli society, and legal issues related to the Israel-Hamas war.
Judge, United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Steven C. Seeger is a judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. On June 18, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Seeger to a seat on this court. The U.S. Senate confirmed Seeger on September 11, 2019. He received commission on September 13, 2019.
Topics
“Oral-argument Affirmative Action?" Nonprofit’s Ethics Complaint Against Three Federal Judges Raises Questions on the Judicial Role
Do federal judges violate judicial ethics codes and the constitutional equal protection guarantee when they...
A Conversation with Judge Bush
Little Rock Lawyers Chapter
Little Rock, AROriginalism with Judge Rudofsky
Arkansas-Little Rock Student Chapter
Little Rock, ARPanel 1: What Does the Text Mean? A Discussion of Corpus Linguistics
2023 Arkansas Chapters Conference
Bentonville, AR2023 Harvard Alumni Symposium & Banquet
Cambridge, MAPanel 1: The First Amendment Under Attack
Inaugural Arkansas Chapters Conference
Little Rock, ARTopics
Arkansas State Conference NAACP v. Arkansas Board of Apportionment: Textualism in Action in a Voting Rights Act Case
On February 17, 2022, in Arkansas State Conference NAACP v. Arkansas Board of Apportionment, the...
Lunch with Judge Lee Rudofsky
DC Young Lawyers Chapter
Washington, DCDoes the Road to the Bench Influence Judging?
Brian C. Buescher, Chad W. Pekron, Lee Rudofsky, Steven C. Seeger
On December 14, 2020, the Little Rock, Nebraska, and Chicago Lawyers Chapters co-hosted Judges Steven...
Does the Road to the Bench Influence Judging?
Brian C. Buescher, Chad W. Pekron, Lee Rudofsky, Steven C. Seeger
On December 14, 2020, the Little Rock, Nebraska, and Chicago Lawyers Chapters co-hosted Judges Steven...