The Miller Center of Public Affairs and University Law School hosted the Lloyd N. Cutler Conference on White House Counsel last Friday and Saturday. The conference included several past attorneys involved in the executive branch of the federal government, who spoke about their work.
"We had every presidential administration since John F. Kennedy represented by either their attorney general or White House counsel," said George Gilliam, director of special programs for the Miller Center.
University Law alumnus Leigh Middleditch, who helped organize the event, said the conference was one of a kind.
"There's never been a conference before that brought together most of the living White House counsel and former government officials that related to them," Middleditch said.
The program featured seven different panels each covering responsibilities and changes in the office.
"We had very candid conversations with people from the highest legislative positions," Gilliam said.
Gilliam said the highlight was the speakers' sharing of their otherwise private conversations with presidents and giving advice in response to presidents' requests.
Panel topics ranged from defending the president, which covered both the Iran-Contra affair and the Monica Lewinsky trial, to a panel on presidential war powers where lawyers advised the presidents on what to do in such situations.
The White House counsel also discussed their role in government ethics as they advised "how a president should divide the cost of Air Force One between [the president's] party and taxpayers when he goes to speak at events," Gilliam said.
The event was named after a Washington D.C. lawyer who served both the Carter and Clinton administrations.
"His career was the best example of the changes that had occurred over that 25 year period between his services," Gilliam said.
Middleditch said he was happy with the turnout of Law and undergraduate students, especially since the event was held on a Friday and Saturday.
"There were a nice group of students at each session ... there was an impressive degree of interest in serious discussion of public policy issues," Gilliam said.
Both agreed that the event was a success.
"Every one that attended the conference said it was the great," Gilliam said.
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