Membership Paid by Public and Private Funds
What adds to the controversy is the funding structure of the American Inns of Court. Public funds, including government email accounts and taxpayer dollars, have been used to cover the costs of meetings and dinners. Additionally, private law firms and big-ticket attorneys fund and manage the administrative functions of the organization, raising questions about the fairness of this arrangement.
It has been revealed that membership dues cover costs such as meals, social activities, and formal annual dinners, often held at expensive venues. Judges are encouraged to invite attorney guests to these events, which may create opportunities for the expansion of the group’s membership—and, by extension, its influence over the judicial and legal spheres.
Yet, for all its glitz and glamour, the American Inns of Court may be a breeding ground for unethical relationships between judges and the attorneys who appear before them. Social interactions that occur within the confines of the group could impact judicial decision-making and give certain attorneys an edge over others in legal battles—an issue that is more than just theoretical.
