Trial Magazine

It has been my honor to serve as AAJ president and witness the spirit of our trial lawyer community. We don’t bend, we don’t break, and we don’t surrender—it’s the only way we know in our quest for civil justice.

During my presidency, AAJ faced challenges such as the ongoing pandemic, but we also saw opportunities to achieve greater justice in America. As always, my family, faith, and good fortune guided my leadership. And I knew that AAJ staff-colleagues and members would be ready.

AAJ has fought tenaciously to restore the rights of consumers, workers, and patients by ending forced arbitration. In March, President Biden enacted a law that returned the rights of sexual assault and sexual harassment survivors to seek justice in court. This was an emotional moment and a significant step forward. Also, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act, which would eliminate this shameful practice in other contexts. Along with brave allies who raise public awareness about the harm of forced arbitration, we will keep fighting until that day comes.

In a better world, our judiciary would look more like our country and act more in the interests of all Americans. Thanks to the persistent advocacy of AAJ and its allies, the U.S. Senate confirmed a demographically and professionally diverse slate of 42 district and appellate judges in President Biden’s first year—the most in any president’s first year in office since John F. Kennedy. And with the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson—a Black woman and a former public defender—we made historic progress.

One of my priorities this past year has been the AAJ Member Firm Pledge to Act. I’m very pleased that at the time of this writing, 191 member firms have signed the pledge to recruit, retain, and promote minority lawyers. Our firms have shown great resolve in embracing diversity, and I encourage others to pledge at www.justice.org/community/pledge-to-act. AAJ’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee is overseeing this initiative, which will grow for years to come.

With the pivotal 2022 midterm elections nearly here, I would like to thank AAJ members for supporting political fundraising events this year. Members realize the critical importance of supporting pro-civil-justice House and Senate candidates to further issues such as ending forced arbitration and diversifying the federal judiciary. Thank you to the members of AAJ’s National Finance Council and Executive Committee for leading these events.

Members also have come out in force to support AAJ PAC in this election cycle. Thanks to the leadership of the PAC Board of Trustees and the hard work of the PAC Development Committee, we have recruited over 600 new PAC contributors, with more initiatives underway. Without these contributions, AAJ’s advocacy would not be possible.

AAJ also was very involved this year in protecting clients’ rights through the federal rules amendment process. We actively engaged in the Federal Rule of Evidence 702 comment period, with AAJ members filing comments, and I testified with other members at a public hearing. While some extreme changes sought by the defense bar were not adopted, the amended rule may present new challenges for members. We will ensure that everyone is prepared.

Lastly, AAJ continues to weather through the pandemic with sound fiscal management. I appreciate the hard work of the Budget Committee, Retirement Committee, and AAJ staff-colleagues in this endeavor.

AAJ made great progress this year, and I am grateful to many for their support, including my wife, Bridget; my family; my firm; my AAJ staff-colleagues; my AAJ officers; and my AAJ Executive Committee members.

We never acquiesce, so I know we can win. Our resolve matters more than our opponents’ might. This defiance is our greatest strength, and it’s why AAJ and its members can achieve that better world. Thank you for trusting me to lead our trailblazing association. It has been an honor.

Navan Ward Jr. is a principal at Beasley Allen Crow Methvin Portis & Miles in Atlanta and can be reached at navan.ward@justice.org.