The Impact of Retention Elections on State Courts of Last Resort and Judicial Independence

The Folwell Lecture will be given by Thomas D. Waterman, JD, Iowa Supreme Court Justice.

Justice Thomas D. Waterman was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court in 2011 and selected to a full term on the Court in a retention election in 2012. He is the resident Justice for the Seventh Judicial District and Liaison Justice for the Eighth Judicial District.

Before his appointment to the bench he served as a member of the State Judicial Nominating Commission, ISBA Jury Instruction Committee, and as co-editor of Defense Update, a publication of the Iowa Defense Counsel Association. He was named to Best Lawyers in America and received a top tier ranking in the Chambers Guide to Leading Business Lawyers for commercial litigation.

Justice Waterman graduated Order of the Coif from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1984, and served as associate editor of the law review. He practiced law for 27 years at Lane & Waterman, LLP, in Davenport, the oldest continuous law partnership west of the Mississippi River. Justice Waterman has authored numerous articles on legal subjects and is a frequent lecturer.

Chris Larimer, University of Northern Iowa, panel chair
Thomas Waterman, State Supreme Court Justice, Iowa
Thomas Kilbride, Chief Justice State Supreme Court, Illinois
Brenna Findley, Legal Counsel to Iowa Governor Branstad
Cindy Winckler, State Representative, District 86, Iowa
Ryan Koopmans, JD

The Folwell Lecture in Political Science and Pre-Law
The Folwell Chair Endowment was established in 2001 by Jane Folwell, an energetic volunteer and generous benefactor for educational, health and community groups and initiatives, including Junior Achievement, Genesis Health Services Foundation and St. Ambrose University. Folwell's interest in political science and pre-law stems from her 30-year career as a Congressional staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives and in the United States Senate. Mrs. Folwell's husband, Frank, was a highly respected Quad City businessman and philanthropist.

Sponsored through the generosity of Jane Folwell in conjunction with the Frank and Jane Folwell Endowed Chair in political science and pre-law.

The Rogalski Center is located at the corner of Ripley and Lombard Streets, one block west of Harrison Street.