Please join the Eastern District of Louisiana and the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. for the Annual Alvin B. Rubin Symposium: A Night at the (Courthouse) Theater: A play reenacting the historic civil action Vietnamese Fishermen vs. The Ku Klux Klan. This ethics and professionalism program is a living memorial to Judge Alvin Rubin’s contribution to federal jurisprudence and legal scholarship.

Performing a script co-authored by United States Second Circuit Judge Denny Chin and Kathy Hirata Chin, a cast of federal judges and other distinguished guests will reenact the historic court proceedings that took place in 1981, when a group of Vietnamese fishermen sued the Ku Klux Klan in federal court in Houston, in an attempt to stop the Klan's campaign of violence and intimidation. The group of Vietnamese fishermen sought an injunction and asserted claims under civil rights, racketeering and antitrust laws.

This historic courtroom theater will use real excerpts from transcripts and will be accompanied by slides of historic photographs, drawings, and documents to be projected as the script is performed, transporting viewers back to the historical context of the time. Using the original words and images will lead to a deeper understanding of the court system and to new insights into important ethics and professionalism issues that are still relevant today. Following the play, Judge Eva Dossier will lead a panel discussion of relevant ethics and professionalism issues illustrated in the performance.

The play’s all-star cast includes: United States Second Circuit Judge Denny Chin and Kathy Hirata Chin, Eastern District of Louisiana Chief Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, District Judges Susie Morgan, Wendy Vitter, Brandon Long, and Darrel James Papillion; Eastern District of Louisiana Magistrate Judges Karen Wells Roby and Eva Dossier; as well as Federal Public Defender Claude Kelly and United States Attorney Duane Evans.

The program will be followed by a light reception, from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The program will also be accessible via zoom.

Approved for 1 Hour of Professionalism and 1 Hour of Ethics CLE Credit.

33rd Annual Judge Alvin B. Rubin Symposium