Retired Justice Martin E. Johnstone of the Kentucky Supreme Court has been selected to receive the American Inns of Court’s 2008 Professionalism Award for the Sixth Circuit. The award will be presented by the Honorable Danny J. Boggs, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, at the Third Circuit Judicial Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on May 9, 2008.
The Sixth Circuit Professionalism Award is presented bi-annually to honor a senior practicing judge or lawyer whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity, coupled with ongoing dedication to the highest standards of the legal profession. Candidates are nominated through circuit-wide open nominations and selected by a panel of representatives from both the circuit and the American Inns of Court Foundation.
Justice Johnstone, who recently retired after 30 years on the bench, was the first person in Kentucky to be elected to all four levels of the Kentucky judiciary, significantly serving in leadership capacities in each of those levels. He has served as a Chief District Judge, Chief Circuit Judge, Chief Judge Pro Tem of the Court of Appeals, and finally as Deputy Chief Justice. In recognition of his judicial integrity and professionalism, he has twice been named “Judge of the Year” by the Louisville Bar Association and also received the Henry V. Penninton Award from the Kentucky Association of trial Attorneys. Justice Johnstone was instrumental in founding the Louis D. Brandeis American Inn of Court and has served most recently as its president.
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Justice Johnstone is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and the University of Louisville Law School.
The American Inns of Court Foundation, America’s oldest, largest and fastest growing mentoring organization, presents Professionalism Awards at participating circuits nationwide. The awards are underwritten in part by Thomson-West Group.
Firmly rooted in the noble 800-year-old tradition of the Inns of Court in England, the American Inns exist to supplement the academic and technical training of American lawyers through the time-honored English tradition and practice of “pupilage”—the sharing of wisdom, insight and experience of seasoned judges and lawyers with newer practitioners. Using this approach, the American Inns of Court seeks to foster excellence in professionalism
The American Inns of Court includes over 25,000 federal, state and local judges, lawyers, law professors and law students in some 350 chapters across the United States. Additionally, there are over 80,000 alumni members. Foundation offices are located in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. More information is available at www.innsofcourt.org.