Defense Counsel Journal
President's Page - Volume 88, Number 3
Volume 88, No. 3
October 20, 2021
Andrew S. Chamberlin
Andrew S. Chamberlin
Andrew Chamberlin is a trial attorney at Ellis & Winters in Greensboro with a broad national and international practice. Andrew has handled product liability, and catastrophic injury defense cases as well as the prosecution and defense of commercial, construction, and intellectual property disputes.
Reviewing the articles that make up this important edition of the Defense Counsel Journal served as a reminder that, in the midst of crisis, important and challenging legal issues continue to confront the business community and the defense bar. It is reassuring that the incredible work of the International Association of Defense Counsel and the Defense Counsel Journal has continued without interruption and that the quality of its work remains unparalleled.
Leading the IADC over the past year has brought a few simple observations into focus if not stark relief.
- The rule of law is crucial to every aspect of modern life. If we are to live together in peace and prosperity, it is essential that the rule of law remains central to our lives.
- A commitment to the pursuit of scientific endeavor, and the application of scientific evidence to our actions, unaffected by partisan politics, is equally important to the rule of law.
- The earth is a small place, our countries, cities, and towns are smaller still, and social media has made the ability to communicate (truth or lies) inconceivably fast.
- Conflicts based on nationality, religion, race, sexual orientation, or politics have not been relegated to historical status and the risk that such conflicts may lead to unimaginable tragedy remains real.
As lawyers and advocates, our work for our clients continues unabated, but our greater challenge may lie in finding a way to serve a larger purpose. We must work together within our societies to ensure that the rule of law evolves and adapts to address the explosive power of social media, the rapid development of technology, the ongoing social upheaval driven by mass population migrations, inequality and climate change, and the positive and negative impacts of globalization in a shrinking world. It is not within our power to solve these problems ourselves, but it is within our power to contribute our best efforts to support peaceful and prosperous societies – even as we practice law.
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