The State Bar of Michigan's Representative Assembly will hold an informational presentation and round-table discussion concerning the manner in which appellate judges are selected at its meeting on Saturday, February 10, 2001 at the East Lansing Marriott Hotel. The presentation is the first attempt by the organized Bar to address concerns, heightened by the recent acrimonious and partisan Michigan Supreme Court elections, that the current electoral process might not be the best manner in which to select appellate judges.

The final policy-making body of the State Bar of Michigan, the Representative Assembly is composed of 150 attorneys from around the state, including several district and circuit court judges. The Assembly is beginning the process of studying this issue so that it can provide information to State Bar members and promote further discussion about Michigan's judicial selection process. The Assembly will not be voting on the issue or any specific proposed changes to the current method at the February 10 meeting, which promises to be the first in a number of serious discussions of this issue to be held by the State Bar.

The panel will be moderated by Reginald M. Turner, State Bar Vice President and member of Clark Hill, PLC in Detroit. Panelists include:

• Professor John W. Reed, former dean of the University of Michigan Law School

• Jon R. Muth, former State Bar president

• Andrew Nickelhoff, General Counsel, Michigan AFL-CIO

• Sen. Ken Sikkema

• Lucille Taylor, Counsel to Governor Engler

• Edward Madeira, member of the ABA Standing Committee on Judicial Independence

Also on the Assembly's February 10 agenda is consideration of a report and recommendation regarding multidisciplinary practices.