NITA -- The Founding and the People

With the encouragement of an American Bar Association (ABA) task force and other interested groups, three professional organizations funded the creation of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) in 1971: the Section of Judicial Administration of the ABA; the American College of Trial Lawyers; and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

In its early activities, NITA received additional financial support from the ABA endowment, the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration Section of the Justice Department, and the Committee on Legal Education for Professional Responsibility, Inc. During its later years, NITA enjoyed financial support from a number of professional organizations including the ABA Section of Litigation, the International Society of Barristers, and the American Board of Trial Advocates.

The thirteen founding trustees from the three funding sources were: Philip H. Corboy, Jacob D. Fuchsberg, Peter H. Holme, Jr., Thomas S. Jackson, Hon. William J. Jameson, Hon. William B. Jones, Hon. Richard M. Markus, William L. Marbury, Hon. Frank J. Murray, Hon. John T. Reardon, Howard Silver, George A. Spiegelberg, and William B. West IV.

Judge Jones served as NITA's first Board Chairman for seven years, followed by Judge Markus for three years. Thereafter to date, officers served two year terms as Chair: Robert F. Hanley, Walter H. Beckham, Jr., Philip H. Corboy, John P. Arness, James E. Colemen, Jr., Kenneth S. Broun, Hon. Jim R. Carrigan, James E. Ferguson II, Deanne C. Siemer, Donald A. Ruston, and Patricia C. Bobb.

Professor Leo A. Levin, then of the University of Pennsylvania, served as NITA's first director in 1971. He has been followed in this position by: Professor Robert Keeton (Harvard), Professor Kenneth S. Broun (University of North Carolina), Professor James H. Seckinger (Notre Dame), and Professor Anthony J. Bocchino (Temple University). The current President & CEO is Laurence M. Rose (University of Miami).

The first NITA education program was held in July 1972 at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The faculty included Levin, Carrigan, Keeton, Arnold Miller, James W. Jeans, John Kaplan, Andrew Kaufman, and Prentice Marshall.