Judges hear from chief justice Roberts

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — When Robert Lasnik was helping plan this year's annual gathering of federal judges from nine Western states, he and his colleagues had an ambitious idea: Let's invite John Roberts, who was named the 17th chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in October.

Lasnik is chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Seattle, but he had never met or spoken to Roberts.

So he enlisted a journalistic skill he cultivated as a young newspaper reporter in Staten Island, N.Y.

"I cold-called him," Lasnik said Thursday, shortly after Roberts concluded his remarks to the 9th Circuit Judicial Conference in this Southern California beach town.

"Sure enough, he returned the phone call the same day [in February] and only identified himself as John Roberts, 'Can I speak to your judge, please?' " Lasnik recalled. "Fortunately, my law clerk was prepped and said, 'Yes, Mr. Chief Justice, we'll put you right through.' "

Lasnik was the program chair of this week's conference, which drew judges from 12 federal judicial regions in the U.S., including Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Lasnik and his fellow organizers were repeatedly congratulated for recruiting such prestigious entertainment.

"He's very charming," Seattle attorney Marrilee MacLean said of Lasnik's ability to recruit Roberts. "He's very good at what he does."

Lasnik was also one of three judges who got to query Roberts during a question-and-answer session Thursday.

Lasnik's work as program coordinator for the judges' conference didn't end there. When he visited Roberts in his Supreme Court chambers in April to discuss this week's events, he also introduced himself to Samuel Alito, the newest member of the Supreme Court. By the time he left the building, Lasnik had secured a commitment from Alito to keynote next year's 9th Circuit Judicial Conference in Hawaii.

David Bowermaster: 206-464-2724 or dbowermaster@seattletimes.com