Charter Fellows

The College salutes its Charter Fellows for their vision, commitment, inspiration and leadership!

  • Austin G. Anderson
  • James E. Brill
  • Charles R. Coulter
  • Kathleen Fisher
  • J. Harris Morgan
  • Francis H. Musselman
  • Carol F. Phillips
  • Roberta Cooper Ramo
  • Richard C. Reed
  • Lowell E. Rothschild
  • Nancy J. Siegel
  • Samuel Smith
  • Warren Tomlinson
  • Robert P. Wilkins
  • Richard Williams

20th Anniversary Remarks from Founding Fellow, Chuck Coulter

A special tribute to this outstanding group of dedicated volunteers took place at the 2014 Futures Conference held in Boston, Massachusetts. Chuck Coulter delivered the following message to commemorate the occasion:

“It was an honor to be a charter fellow of the College, but it was also humbling to be working with some of the early giants of LPM – Fran Musselman, J. Harris Morgan, Roberta Ramo, Jimmy Brill. I’m sorry that Lowell Rothschild is not able to be with us here in Boston, since forming the College was really his brainchild – based on his experience with the College of Bankruptcy Lawyers.

The first mission of the College was – and still is – to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the field of law practice management for over ten years. The real genius of the College was and continues to be the inclusion of the wide range of participants in law practice management – legal secretaries, paralegals, administrators, professors, recruiters, consultants, and even lawyers. No other organization has this breadth of membership.

So, many were inducted, but many were seldom seen again. Thus, the College faced the question of what this incredible amalgamation of dedicated, talented practice management folks could offer for the benefit of the legal profession and its clients. Annual meetings were wonderful get-to-gathers of old friends who had fought together in the practice management trenches. The Fellowship Maggie mentioned this afternoon.  And the tales were, and continue to be, many. 

But educational programs had to compete with the multiple CLE providers who were much better at it. So, what besides the great fellowship would draw the Fellows to an annual meeting, entice them to continue as dues-paying Fellows, and what else could/should the College do with all its talent? There was the rub.

And we wrestled with those questions for quite a while.

Then Lowell Rothschild said, “You know, we ought to reward those who innovate!” And the InnovAction Awards were born, and the College had found a niche.

And Ed Flitton said, “Why don’t we meet at law schools and involve some students?”

And Ron Staudt has parlayed his work with Legal Services Corporation into a program in which Fellows assist Legal Aid offices in working better and faster and serving their clients more effectively – an outstanding mission and a truly noble effort that I hope will continue to grow.

These Futures Conferences are intriguing, inspirational, and present global views of the legal profession and the sea changes that are affecting its future that most of us in our day-to-day practices do not see otherwise. So the College seems to have found another niche. Though I have trouble getting any CLE credit in Iowa.

At this 20th Anniversary, it’s most gratifying to witness the College grow, both in numbers and in missions. So, to try to answer Sylvia’s question from this afternoon, the Purpose of the College is still, first, to honor those who have labored in Practice Management. What other Purposes it can serve, with volunteers and a part-time staff, will be defined by what we, the Fellows, decide to it can do.

And, just perhaps, its greatest missions still lie before us. Thank you.”