Abraham Lincoln’s Impact on Today’s Legal Practice – A Dialogue with President Lincoln and His Lessons for Lawyers
Date: Jul 16, 2026 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick, and Online
Member Price: $159.00
Non-Member Price: $199.00
Section Price: $0.00
Areas of Law: Ethics, For All Attorneys
Earn up to 3.3 credits, including 1.2 in Ethics! (More Information)
Keynote
Moderator
Presenters
- Hon. Travis L. Francis, A.J.S.C. (Ret.)
- Riker Danzig LLP
- Hon. John A. Jorgensen, J.S.C. (Ret.)
- Blick Law, LLC
- Hon. Gregg A. Padovano, J.S.C.
- Bergen County Superior Courtwas sworn in as a judge of the New Jersey Superior Court in February 2015 and sits in Hackensack, New Jersey. He initially served in the Family Division and has served in the Civil Division in Bergen since 2015. He has been assigned to handle civil trials, actions in lieu of prerogative writs and Mt. Laurel/affordable housing matters.
Prior to his appointment to the Superior Court, Judge Padovano worked at the law firm Beattie Padovano, LLC in Montvale, New Jersey, where he concentrated his practice in land use, real property tax, municipal law and insurance defense litigation. He served as a Municipal Court Judge for the Township of South Hackensack and was a Municipal Court Prosecutor for the Borough of Moonachie. He represented land use boards for several municipalities, including Leonia, Oradell, Maywood and Weehawken, and also served as Mayor of the Borough of Maywood immediately prior to his appointment to the bench.
Judge Padovano received his B.A. from Gettysburg College and his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law.
(9/23) - Bob Gleason
- Portraying President Lincoln
- William Pat Schuber
- Clinical Professor of Public Administration, Silberman College of Business
Fairleigh Dickinson University, Florham Park
For over 150 years, the world’s greatest leaders have been compared to President Abraham Lincoln. Now, 163 years after the Gettysburg Address, the events of that time remain instrumental – and relevant – in teaching attorneys vital lessons about the practice of law and the role of ethics.
This program presents a unique and compelling opportunity to engage with Lincoln, played by renowned Lincoln portrayer Bob Gleason, as he provides fascinating insights into Lincoln as a man, a president and a lawyer. The seminar will include the masterpiece, 272-word Gettysburg Address – which is not only a model of conciseness but is also fertile grounds for a better understanding of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Our legal panel consisting of esteemed judges and an esteemed law professor, Lincoln’s modern-day friends, will tie this dialogue to legal practice today demonstrating the role of the modern-day attorney in advancing Lincoln’s principles. They will examine Lincoln the lawyer, Lincoln the commander in chief and Lincoln’s relationship with the U.S. Supreme Court of his time in an effort to gain insights into this historic lawyer known for his strength, ethics and integrity. As an attendee, you’ll witness history come to life as you glean lessons from the 19th century president that you can put to use in your 21st century legal practice.
Program Agenda
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9:00 | Welcome and Introduction of Speakers
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9:05 | Keynote Address from Abraham Lincoln
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9:15 | Lessons from Abraham Lincoln the Lawyer - Hon. Travis L. Francis, A.J.S.C. (Ret.)
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9:50 | Lessons from The Gettysburg Address – Professor William Pat Schuber and President Lincoln
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10:25 | Break
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10:35 | Lessons Learned from Lincoln as Commander in Chief - Hon. John A. Jorgensen, J.S.C. (Ret.)
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11:15 | Lessons Learned from President Lincoln and the Supreme Court - Hon. Gregg A. Padovano, J.S.C.
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11:55 | Q&A with the President and Panel
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12:00 | Adjourn
About Bob Gleason as President Lincoln
Bob Gleason has a degree in Theatre Arts from West Chester University. He has performed on stage, screen, television, radio, and in opera and ballet (Peter and the Wolf). While serving in the U.S. Army he toured Europe with the 7th Army Soldiers Chorus. Joining the American Historical Theatre as James Wilson in 1991, the Bicentennial for the Bill of Rights. Mr. Gleason had been portraying this Founding Father for the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge since 1985. In-depth historical research and audience interactivity have become hallmarks of Mr. Gleason’s historical portrayals.
Bob has presented programs featuring nearly 150 historical figures, stretching over 2000 years of history. These programs have taken him to 21 states, so far. He has performed at the White House Visitors Center, The Smithsonian Institution, Constitution Hall, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Ford’s Theatre, Independence Hall, The National Constitution Center, The Union League of Philadelphia, Valley Forge National Park, Federal Hall in NYC, numerous historic sites, and a long list of schools, libraries and other venues public and private.
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