Humphreys Complex Litigation Center Events and Projects Patron and Sponsor Levels and Annual Benefits

The James F. Humphreys Complex Litigation Center gratefully acknowledges the financial support of its patrons and sponsors. The center is fully self-sustaining. It would not be able to hold events and conferences and conduct studies and projects without the financial support of its patrons and sponsors. We deeply appreciate the generous contributions of our supporters.

The center offers two main ways to financially support the center’s activities, including conferences, studies, and projects, e.g., development and issuance of best practices. The financial contributions of center “patrons” are used to defray expenses incurred for all center activities for a 12-month period. While the financial contributions of “sponsors” are specifically earmarked to defray expenses incurred for a single conference or certificate program. The patron and sponsor benefits are tailored to address the interests of both.

All Center-related patron and sponsorship fees, conference registration fees, and donations are collected in a GW Law School fund. Center conferences and certificate programs are self-funded, and the reimbursement of travel and lodging expenses incurred by judges and others who are invited to participate in Center-held activities are entirely offset by the registration fees collected for each conference. Any payments by patrons, sponsors or others to the Center will be used to support the relevant conference or project. If any funds remain after all such expenses are paid, then these excess funds will be retained by the Center and used to support future Center activities.

The management of patron and sponsorship fees is consistent with Advisory Opinion No. 67, Judicial Conference of the United States, Committee on Codes of Conduct (June 2009), which addresses questions about whether judges may attend seminars and similar educational programs organized, sponsored, or funded by entities other than the federal judiciary. The Code of Conduct for United States Judges, Canon 4 and its Commentary states that: “judges are encouraged to take part in law-related activities.” And a judge’s participation in law-related activities is encouraged because “[a]s a judicial officer and a person specially learned in the law, a judge is in a unique position to contribute to the law, the legal system, and the administration of justice, including revising substantive and procedural law and improving criminal and juvenile justice.” Commentary to Canon 4.

Consistent with Advisory Opinion No. 67, the Center has numerous financial patrons and sponsors, “none of which contributes a substantial portion of the cost of a particular conference or other Center-presented program.” As noted in Advisory Opinion No. 67, “when no single entity contributes more than a small proportion of a seminar’s cost, there is little reason for concern about the identity of individual contributors as the resulting benefits are too minor and attenuated to create ethical concerns.” Center-held programs are also funded by patron contributions to the Center, sponsorships of targeted events, and registration fees. The Center exercises final control over the curriculum, faculty, and invitation list. Certain patron and sponsor benefits described below (such as exhibit tables and hosting lunches, dinner, and receptions) will not be available at virtual conferences.

Patron Benefits
(Center-Wide Events and Projects)

Patron: $5K

Five 25% discounted event registrations
Recognition on all event and project printed materials and GW Center website

Elite Patron: $10K

One complimentary and five 25% discounted event registrations
Recognition on all events and projects printed materials and GW Center website

Premier Patron: $25K

Three complimentary and ten 25% discounted event registrations
Recognition on all events and projects printed materials and GW Center website
One Advisory Council membership
Exhibit table for promotional materials at every event
Opportunity to recommend lawyers to be invited to every event
Opportunity to recommend panelists for every event
Host one event lunch, faculty dinner, or reception

Founding-Member Patron: $100K

Personal recognition at every event
Title “Founding-Member Patron” and year (2020-2021) listed beneath Humphrey Complex Litigation Center on all events and projects printed materials, websites, and promotions
Five complimentary and ten 25% discounted event registrations
Two Advisory Council memberships
Exhibit table for promotional materials at every event
Opportunity to recommend lawyers to be invited to every event
Opportunity to recommend panelists for every event
Host three event lunches, faculty dinners, or receptions

Sponsor Benefits
(Individual Events)

Collaborator Sponsor: $1K-$2.5K

Opportunity to provide promotional swag
Recognition on event printed materials and GW Center website

Contributor Sponsor: $5K

Above benefits and one complimentary event registration
Exhibit table for promotional materials
Opportunity to recommend lawyers to be invited to event

Supporter Sponsor: $10K

Above benefits and two complimentary and three 25% discounted event registrations
Host event lunch (including speaker), faculty dinner, general dinner (if held), or reception
Opportunity to recommend panelists

Partner Sponsor: $25K

Above benefits and four complimentary and five 25% discounted event registrations
Personal recognition at event
Invite up to three guests to event reception