Chief Justice, Professor, Conductor, Mascot Profiled in 'Arkansas Lawyer'

Russell Cothren

Howard W. Brill, Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice and the Vincent Foster Professor of Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The fall issue of The Arkansas Lawyer, a magazine produced by the Arkansas Bar Association, features a profile of Supreme Court Chief Justice Howard Brill as its cover story. Brill is a University Professor and the Vincent Foster Professor of Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility in the University of Arkansas School of Law.

"Professor Brill is an institution unto himself," said Stacy Leeds, dean of the law school. "Now the readers get to see what so many of us know so well, that he is a funny, kind and talented educator who has been admired in our legal community for decades."

The article, written by Anna Hubbard, includes insights about and praise for Brill from Eddie H. Walker, Jr., president of the Arkansas Bar Association, and Jim Julian, a Little Rock attorney and one of Brill's former students.

The piece goes on to outline Brill's career path - including a stint in the Peace Corps - love for teaching and travel, passion for legal and judicial ethics and interest in college sports, student athletes and mascots. It also explores how he's adapting to his new role and some thoughts on taking chances, community service, raising children and work-life balance.

While Brill seems eager to get back to the classroom, he is enjoying the new challenges as chief justice. He is on unpaid leave from the university while he serves on the Arkansas Supreme Court. He will return to his faculty duties in January 2017.

During a news conference announcing Brill's appointment, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said, "The qualities that I look for in this position as chief justice is someone that is experienced in the law, someone who is respected among judges and lawyers, an individual who has a judicial temperament that can bring people together in the court, someone that can lead, someone that can guide and elevate the law here in Arkansas."

The individual described in The Arkansas Lawyer fits the bill.

About University of Arkansas School of Law: The University of Arkansas School of Law prepares students for success through a challenging curriculum taught by nationally recognized faculty, unique service opportunities and a close-knit community that puts students first. With alumni in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, two territories and 20 countries, it has been ranked among the top 10 "Values in Legal Education" by the National Jurist magazine for three consecutive years and is among the top 41 public law schools, according to U.S. News and World Report.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.