Boston, Mass. (October 3, 2008) – Ropes & Gray is pleased to announce that Joan Lukey, a litigation partner in the firm's Boston office, was elected president-elect of the American College of Trial Lawyers (“ACTL”) at its annual meeting in Toronto, Canada, on September 27. Lukey is the first woman to hold national office in the ACTL and will become its first woman president at the 2009 annual meeting in Boston.

“My colleagues in the College are among the most accomplished trial lawyers in the United States and Canada," said Lukey. "I am honored that they have elected me to serve as president-elect and am excited to begin what will be a very busy year."

John J. Dalton, a partner at the Atlanta office of the law firm Troutman Sanders, was elected president of the ACTL at the Toronto annual meeting. Dalton is a highly respected trial attorney with considerable experience in complex litigation, as well as white collar crime and government investigations.

The ACTL is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession. Through its Board of Regents, its general committees and its state and province committees, the College engages in a wide variety of activities to further those purposes.

As president-elect, Lukey will begin developing the organization’s agenda for her year as president and will play a key role in advancing the organization’s objectives. One of her priorities will be to develop an agenda for protecting the independence of the judiciary.

At Ropes & Gray, Lukey focuses on complex business litigation. She has tried more than 70 cases in federal and state courts and argued more than 45 appeals before various federal and state appellate courts.

Lukey has been widely recognized for her trial experience. The National Law Journal named Lukey one of “America’s Top 50 Top Women Litigators,” while Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly designated her as one of the “35 influential judges and lawyers in Massachusetts of the past 35 years.” She has been recognized as a top trial lawyer by Chambers USA and the Best Lawyers in America. She is also a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Contact:
John D. Tuerck
Director of Communications
t. 617-951-7817
john.tuerck@ropesgray.com

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