I saw in the Bar Bulletin in fall that the Joseph B. Campbell Inn of Court was awarded the platinum level of excellence by the American Inns of Court organization for the 2021-22 year.
I called Amar Hatti of Amar M. Hatti – Collins + Collins LLP, who was president that year, to talk about it.
He said the chapter, which serves San Bernardino County, met a series of requirements, many of which are part of being accountable to the national organization, like submitting documents — but creating programs that foster the spirit of the Inns is what he feels is what earned the award.
“It’s more than being in good standing,” he said. “We were in excellent standing. Platinum standing.”
The Inns of Court were established in the early 1980s to promote civility, professionalism and ethics in the practice of law. The Campbell Inn was chartered in March of 1992, the first in the Inland Empire.
Joseph Campbell was a Superior Court judge turned Fourth Appellate District, Division Two, presiding justice. He had also been a Victorville councilman, from 1962 to 1972. He died in 1990.
In May, the Campbell Inn members took a field trip to Campbell’s Victorville ranch to learn the history of their chapter and founder.
“It’s a good way to connect with the legacy of Justice Campbell and his achievements and history in the area,” said Hatti, whose theme for his presidency year was San Bernardino Legal Community – Past, Present and Future. “He lived there when he was on the bench. It ties this chapter of the Inn to the history of our local legal community.”
The field trip was the first in-person meeting for the Inn since the COVID-19 shutdown. For most of Hatti’s year meetings were held over Zoom. He was the third president to run the chapter under the restrictions of the pandemic.
“The presidents before me were the ones who had to pivot, to reinvent,” Hatti said. “Our biggest issue was deciding when to go back to in-person meetings. We had to be very cautious about doing that.”
Other Campbell Inn programs include scholarships, mock trials and community outreach. They work in collaboration with the University of La Verne College of Law putting on workshops and mentoring students.
Hatti said the Campbell Inn’s most important purpose is to connect lawyers to the legal community, but they are also dedicated to helping lawyers develop a sense of professionalism and collegiality, and offering ethical guidance and opportunities to meet educational requirements.
Caryn Worcestor, American Inns of Court chapter relations director, told me the Campbell Inn is “a very good Inn,” and has achieved platinum – the highest of the organization’s four levels of excellence – every year since 2013.
And they are not alone.
“We’re quite lucky to have several good Inns in that area,” she said. “Attorneys happen to be a little bit competitive, so once one achieves platinum in one area all of the others in the area want to do the same.”
She gave me a rough context off the top of her head: About 25% of the 300 Inns across the nation are engaged in the program, and of that maybe a fifth achieve platinum, so around 5% of all.
This year’s president is Linda Lindsey of Lindsey Law A.P.C., and her year’s theme is Do More with Less in the Legal Profession Post COVID-19.
Dinner programs are the second Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 106, at 814 W. Colton Ave. in Redlands. To attend, contact membership co-chair Ryan Gallant at ryan@kpatricklaw.com.
