Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    For Further Information
Contact: Kathleen L. Arberg
202-479-3211

Timothy F. Averill, the 2008-2009 Supreme Court Fellow assigned to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, formerly the deputy judicial administrator and general counsel at the Louisiana Supreme Court, has been selected to continue his fellowship at the Administrative Office of the United States Courts for 2009-2010.

The Supreme Court Fellows Program was created in 1973 by the late Chief Justice Warren E. Burger to provide promising individuals with a first-hand understanding of the federal government, in particular, the judicial branch.  In the words of Chief Justice Roberts, the program offers “a unique opportunity for exceptional individuals to contribute to the administration of justice at the national level.”

Each year fellows work with top officials in the judicial branch of government. With assignments at the Supreme Court, the Federal Judicial Center, the Administrative Office of the U. S. Courts, and the U. S. Sentencing Commission, fellows have been involved in various projects examining the federal judicial process and seeking, proposing, and implementing solutions to problems in the administration of justice.

As the fellow at the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, Averill’s duties include the analysis and implementation of studies requested by Congress, the Judicial Conference, researching the federal rulemaking process, and drafting publications on administrative issues of interest to judges. 

Following law school, Averill engaged in the private practice of law, principally in the field of maritime insurance defense.  Averill also clerked for then Associate Justice Pascal Calogero, Jr., of the Louisiana Supreme Court before beginning his present employment at the Louisiana Supreme Court, where he has served for 19 years.  Averill taught legal and maritime terminology to court reporting students, and he has written articles on legal and ethical issues of importance to court reporters. 

Averill earned a B.A. in English from James Madison University in 1979, a M.P.A. from the University of Alabama in 1980, and a J.D. from Loyola University School of Law in 1985.

The Supreme Court Fellows are selected by a commission comprised of 9 members selected by the Chief Justice of the United States.

 

"The Supreme Court Fellows Program provides a year of challenge, hard work, and first-hand exposure to the federal court system. By the year's end, Fellows take with them useful knowledge and a unique experience, and leave behind a personal contribution toward the Judiciary's important work."

David Leitch