Welcome to the Bar Association of the Third Federal Circuit (3CBA) web site, the Association for lawyers who practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Federal Circuit. With hundreds of members, including 98 Founding Members and 18 Founding Firms, the 3CBA’s mission is to work with the Court to:
We hope that you will join us and become an active member of our growing association. Click here for information about how to join the 3CBA. Since our formation in 2007, the 3CBA has presented state of the art appellate programs in every corner of the Circuit – from Pennsylvania to the Virgin Islands – covering topics such as electronic filing, appellate motions practice, brief writing, and effective oral argument. Most recently, we are providing CLE presentations for the 2017 Third Circuit Judicial Conference on "Professional Ethics in Appellate Advocacy" and "What Attorneys Hope Judges Know and Vice Versa." We have also developed the Third Circuit Practice Guide and publish "On Appeal," a periodic newsletter keeping our members informed of recent developments. Please feel free to contact any of our officers or Board of Governors, who welcome your input. We look forward to working with you, to getting to know you, and to your active involvement in our Association.
The Third Circuit Bar Association is committed to promoting excellence in federal appellate practice by attracting members from every corner of the Circuit, every type of background, and every level of experience. Membership is open to attorneys in good standing of the Court of Appeals or any District Court within the Circuit, as well as the Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States assigned to the Court of Appeals and all federal Judges, Magistrate Judges, law clerks, and judicial staff within the Circuit. We hope that you will join us and become an active member of our Association.
Membership is a bargain at just $60 and only $30 for government and public interest lawyers, lawyers admitted to the bar for less than five years, and academics. (Judges, law clerks, court staff, law students, and attorneys admitted to the bar 50 years or more are exempt from dues.) This modest investment will yield significant dividends. If you are interested in improving the quality of your practice and practice before the Third Circuit generally, if you want to understand and provide input on the Court’s rules of practice and procedure, if you are looking for CLE credits, or if you would like to network with other appellate practitioners, judges, and staff and enhance bench/bar relations, this is the organization for you. We do all of those things:
Our periodic newsletter On Appeal is a good way to keep abreast of Court news and developments in the law and to hear practice tips from judges, Court personnel, and experienced advocates. By drafting a short article yourself, you can deepen your understanding of an issue and gain visibility in the Circuit. Editing articles of others also offers valuable opportunities to work with other practitioners. If you are interested in writing or editing, contact our Publications Committee.
Our educational programs on federal appellate practice are offered all around the Circuit and address topics of interest to its bar – and 3CBA members enjoy preferred rates! Programs have covered effective advocacy, the “dos and don’ts” of federal appellate practice, how to avoid waiving arguments on appeal, and Third Circuit motion practice. Many CLEs include a networking or social component (and we sponsor some receptions even without the excuse of a CLE program). We also provide CLE programming for and sponsor the opening reception and other social activities at the Third Circuit Judicial Conferences. Helping to organize or speak at a CLE provides the additional opportunity to develop a working relationship with both Third Circuit judges and staff and highly regarded practitioners, which is rewarding on multiple levels. To get involved, join our Programming Committee.
The 3CBA is your voice with the Court. We provide comments that the Court takes into account before revising local rules, and we sometimes suggest areas where we think current procedures could be handled better. Our Third Circuit Practice Guide serves as a handy reference to the Court’s rules and procedures; we are currently working on a new edition and can always use more help. Our efforts have enhanced the clarity and effectiveness of the Circuit’s rules for practitioners and the Court. If you have an interest in procedure, our Rules Committee is the place for you.
Finally, the 3CBA serves as an umbrella organization that connects appellate lawyers, judges, and staff in the Third Circuit through all of the above activities and others. We would love to hear your ideas about how to increase those connections. If you are interested in enhancing your professional relationships with the bench and bar, contact Deena Jo Schneider about joining our Membership Committee.
To continue and expand on the good we have already accomplished, we need involved members. You can join or renew your membership online here or download our printed membership form and mail a check. Please become active in the 3CBA! Join one or more of our Committees; suggest new programs, articles, or other initiatives; and recruit others to support our mission. Reach out to any of our officers or other Board members with questions.
A strong bar association benefits us all: the Courts, the lawyers who practice before them, clients, and the public. We look forward to increasing our efforts with your help.
Nieves Heimall
Bar Association of the Third Federal Circuit
P.O. Box 4041
Brick, NJ 08723
We are pleased to publish a guide to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The guide provides straightforward answers to some of the more common questions we hear from lawyers whose practices may not take them to the Third Circuit on a regular basis. We are in the process of creating a new updated edition and will post it here when it is completed.
Download the Guide
