The 2024 Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention is a wrap. I already wrote about our change of venue from the Mayflower to the Washington Hilton. Yet, there is a far more monumental change looming on the horizon. For the past four decades, Gene Meyer has served as the President of the Society. Indeed, he was the first employee hired by Steve Calabresi, Lee Liberman Otis, and David McIntosh. Over that time, FedSoc has flourished in ways that were simply unimaginable in the early 1980s. The Society's influence on the law, the courts, the academy, and our society, is difficult to quantify. This will be the final national convention with Gene Meyer at the helm. Gene has announced that he plans to step down. The search for his successor is drawing to a close, as I understand.
At the end of the convention, after Steve Sachs's excellent Bork Lecture, a tribute was given to Gene Meyer by Steve Calabresi, Chris DeMuth, and Richard Epstein. The video of that tribute does not appear online, though I hope it is posted soon. All three tributes were so moving. The ballroom became quite emotional.
Steve compared Gene to Queen Elizabeth II. Both led their institutions for decades without making a mistake. Both adopted an approach to governance, and stuck with that plan through very difficult and trying times. Steve also explained that Gene demonstrated all of attributes of ancient virtue, and none of the seven sins. Despite being in the center of power and money for decades, Gene did not succumb to any scandals, did not try to enrich himself, and maintained true to his principles.
