Washington, DC (April 25, 2024)Epstein Becker Green (EBG) is pleased to announce that Ruth Zeltzer was awarded the Robert D. Reif Fellowship in Legal Ethics and Professional Values (Fellowship) at a reception held on April 24, 2024.

After a review of essays submitted on topics involving legal ethics and professional values, five finalists were interviewed. Ruth was chosen by the Selection Committee to receive this year’s Fellowship award of $5,000 for her paper, titled “Certiorari Denied: How the Supreme Court Refuses to Defend Brady v. Maryland and Batson v. Kentucky, Damages Its Legitimacy, and Encourages Prosecutorial Misconduct,” which “argues that during the October 2022 Term, the Supreme Court delegitimized its own rulings in Brady and Batson by denying multiple certiorari petitions where lower courts flagrantly violated those precedents, thereby creating a permission structure for prosecutors to commit ethical violations.”

The Selection Committee would also like to acknowledge and congratulate the other finalists, Connor Charney, whose paper was titled “Legal Confidentiality in the New Data Paradigm;” Kirsten Companik, whose paper was titled “High and Dry: ‘Access to Justice,’ Legal Deserts, and Ethics in Small-Town Lawyering;” Andrew Gamble, whose paper was titled “Custodians of Culture: The Crucial Role of Ethical Lawyering in Safeguarding Cultural Heritage;” and Bradley Kata, whose paper was titled “Exploring Ethical Frontiers: The Juncture of AI Technology and the Law.”

EBG created the Fellowship in 2012 with the assistance of American University Washington College of Law. The mission of the Fellowship is to honor the memory of EBG’s longtime partner, Bob Reif, by furthering his commitment in the practice of law to maintaining the highest level of ethical standards and professionalism in dealing with clients, fellow attorneys, and the community.

We would like to extend a special thank you to this year’s Selection Committee: Susan Carle, Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law; Jim Flynn, Member of the Firm, EBG; Corrine Parver, Retired, Founder of the Health Law and Policy Project, Program on Law and Government, American University Washington College of Law; Amy Reif; William Snape, Assistant Dean of Adjunct Faculty Affairs, American University Washington College of Law; Alan Wasserman, M.D., Chairman, Department of Medicine, George Washington University; and Kathy Williams, Member of the Firm, EBG.

Ruth Zeltzer speaking at Robert D. Reif Fellowship ceremony

Ruth Zeltzer (Winner)

From L to R:  Brad Kata, Ruth Zeltzer (Winner), Andrew Gamble, and Kirsten Companik

From L to R:  Brad Kata, Ruth Zeltzer (Winner), Andrew Gamble, and Kirsten Companik

From L to R:  Brad Kata, Ruth Zeltzer (Winner), Professor Stephanie Joseph, Andrew Gamble, and Kirsten Companik

From L to R: Brad Kata, Ruth Zeltzer (Winner), Professor Stephanie Joseph, Andrew Gamble, and Kirsten Companik

From L to R: Kathy Williams, Melissa Reif, Amy Reif, Brad Kata, Ruth Zeltzer (Winner), Andrew Gamble, Kirsten Companik, Professor Stephanie Joseph, Corrine Parver, Professor Susan Carle

From L to R: Kathy Williams, Melissa Reif, Amy Reif, Brad Kata, Ruth Zeltzer (Winner), Andrew Gamble, Kirsten Companik, Professor Stephanie Joseph, Corrine Parver, Professor Susan Carle

About Epstein Becker Green

Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., is a national law firm with a primary focus on health care and life sciences; employment, labor, and workforce management; and litigation and business disputes. Founded in 1973 as an industry-focused firm, Epstein Becker Green has decades of experience serving clients in health care, financial services, retail, hospitality, and technology, among other industries, representing entities from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Operating in locations throughout the United States and supporting domestic and multinational clients, the firm’s attorneys are committed to uncompromising client service and legal excellence.  For more information, visit www.ebglaw.com.

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