Chief Judge Randall Rader has announced some changes to the Advisory Council for the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Ed Reines is taking-over as Chair. [Link] New members of the Council include Tina Chappell (Intel), Chip Lutton (Apple), Dean Whealan (GWU), and Professor Katherine White (Wayne State). Chappell, Lutton, Whealan, and White all clerked for Judge Rader.
Other members of the Council include:
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Meredith Martin Addy (Brinks Hofer);
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Jeanne Davidson (DOJ);
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Professor Lisa Dolak (Syracuse);
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Robert Huffman (Akin Gump);
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Michael Jakes (Finnegan);
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Joe Re (Knobbe);
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Michael Schaengold (Patton Boggs);
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Ronald Smith (Finnegan); and
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Richard Stanley (Howrey).
One role of the Advisor Council is to ensure that the Court is aware of concerns from the bar and litigants. Direct contact information for the council members is available online. [Link]
Council members generally serve three-year terms.
Update: To be clear, I don't see any problem with Judge Rader appointing his former clerks. These are people that the Judge trusts because he has worked closely with them. Trust is important — especially when dealing with potentially sensitive inner-workings of the court system. At the same time, I know from experience that each of these new Council Members are incredibly strong, intelligent, and independent thinkers.