13th Biennial Bench-Bar Conference
The United States District Court for the District of Maryland invites you to attend the 13th Biennial Bench-Bar Conference. This timely session explores one of the most consequential matters facing the legal profession today.
Themed "Artificial Intelligence and the Practice of Law," this program will bring together federal and state judges, practitioners, and academics for frank, expert discussion on AI's rapidly expanding role across civil and criminal practice. Attendees will hear directly from the bench on how courts are grappling with AI-generated submissions, ethical obligations, and the practical realities of a technology that is reshaping the practice of law.
The conference will be held at the Greenbelt Courthouse, 6500 Cherrywood Lane, Greenbelt, MD. Immediately following the conference, the Court will host a for legal professionals to network and continue the conversation.
13th Biennial Bench-Bar Conference Featured Speakers
Hon. George L. Russell, III
Chief Judge
U.S. District Court District of Maryland
Chief Judge George Levi Russell, III serves as Chief District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, a position he has held since May 2024. A graduate of Morehouse College (B.A., 1988) and the University of Maryland School of Law (J.D., 1991), he began his legal career clerking for Chief Judge Robert M. Bell of the Maryland Court of Appeals before entering private practice and serving two tenures as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, first in the Civil Division and later in the Criminal Division.
In 2007, Judge Russell was appointed to the Circuit Court for Baltimore City by Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., and in 2012 was confirmed to the federal bench following a nomination by President Barack Obama. Beyond the courtroom, he has dedicated himself to civic life, serving on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maryland, the Community Law Center, and the Enoch Pratt Free Library, among others.
Hon. Matthew J. Fader
Chief Justice
U.S. Supreme Court of Maryland
Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader has led the Supreme Court of Maryland since April 2022, having previously served as Chief Judge of the Court of Special Appeals and as a Judge at Large. In his judicial leadership roles, he chairs the Maryland Judicial Conference and the Hall of Records Commission, and oversees several judicial council committees. A Towson native, he holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia (1995) and a J.D. from Yale Law School (1998).
Before joining the bench, Chief Justice Fader built a distinguished legal career spanning public service and private practice, including work as a Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division, nearly a decade as an associate and equity partner at K&L Gates LLP, and seven years as Chief of Litigation in Maryland's Office of the Attorney General. He is a member of the Maryland and Howard County Bar Associations and a recipient of the Daily Record's Influential Marylander and Power 100 honors.