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A Note from Rudman Center Executive Director Anna Brown

Dear Friends,

This spring, the Rudman Center celebrated the legacy of principled leadership that defines our state. From the original drafters of the New Hampshire Constitution to our students leading today’s legal and ethical debates, our community remains at the forefront of civic discourse. We also marked a milestone in leadership with the election of Brad Cook and Annie Kuster as our new bipartisan Rudman Center Advisory Board co-chairs.

This year, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence (and the first New Hampshire Constitution!), I hope we are all inspired to recommit to our founding principles: the rule of law, civic virtue, and independence. 

Ultimately, our mission depends on an engaged network. My call to action is for you to stay connected with us and with the many other civic organizations that will celebrate the 250th this summer. Follow our LinkedIn page to engage with our latest content, stay up to date on upcoming events, and help us champion principled leadership in the public square.

Warmly,

Anna Brown 

Executive Director

Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership & Public Service                                                          

UNH Franklin Pierce ����ֱ��

Leadership Unplugged: A Conversation with Retired Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster and Retired Justice James Bassett 

Professor Lucy Hodder, Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster, Justice James Bassett

Close friends for more than fifty years, Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster and Justice James Bassett, both recently retired, discussed their paths to the United States Congress and the New Hampshire Supreme Court, and the personal and professional relationships that supported them along the way. Professor Lucy Hodder moderated the discussion.  Read an op-ed piece about the event by Will Stewart, executive director of Leadership New Hampshire, .  

In a small state, reputations travel faster than résumés. You never know when the person you meet today will be someone you work with, rely on, or answer to years later. As Justice Bassett put it, “Be kind and generous to everyone. It’s good advice for humanistic reasons, but also professionally.” You never know, he said, how someone you interact with today might help or hinder you in the future.   — Will Stewart

First in the Nation: NH's 1776 Constitution to the Present

Hon. N. William Delker, Lorianne Updike Schultzke, Robert F. Williams

Panelists argued in defense of state constitutions and explored the legacy of New Hampshire's first constitution — the first state constitution in the nation —&�Բ�����;signed six months before the Declaration of Independence.  New Hampshire's second constitution was adopted in 1784 and continues as the state's basic law today.  Watch a video of this event .  Read our write-up .  

People commonly talk about exercising their First Amendment rights, whether it's free speech or freedom of religion. They talk about taking the Fifth and people commonly understand that to mean exercising the right to silence under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But not as many people understand that each state, including New Hampshire, has its own constitution, which contain not only similar rights, but often different or more protective rights than we have under the federal constitution.                                                                            — Hon. N. William Delker                                     

Can We Defuse Our National Debt and What Happens If We Don't?

Professor Andrew Smith, Dennis Lockhart, Carolyn Bourdeaux

America has been accumulating debt in astounding and unsustainable amounts, about $2 trillion every year,  expected to reach a total of $40 trillion this year. What does this portend for critical government programs? Panelists discussed the causes 

Our challenge right now is this is not even on the radar. Both parties are just  putting one thing after the next on the table – none of it paid for. We're getting ready to probably have a big defense supplemental appropriation come up.  It’s not paid for. They're not even thinking about it.  

                                                            —  Carolyn Bourdeaux, Executive Director of Concord Coalition

The Rudman Center’s fiscal responsibility programming, including this event, is made possible through a generous grant from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation

Attorney Bradford E. Cook and Former Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster Elected Co-Chairs of the Rudman Center Advisory Board

Bradford E. Cook and Ann McLane Kuster

The Rudman Center welcomes Bradford E. Cook and Ann McLane Kuster as new co-chairs of the Rudman Advisory Board.  Cook and Kuster replace long-time chairs Tom Rath and Ned Helms, who are now members of the Rudman Center Emeritus Board.  

Brad Cook, a champion of Senator Rudman’s legacy, and Annie Kuster, a veteran of modern legislative bridge-building, provide the perfect spectrum of experience for the Rudman Center. Their leadership offers a roadmap for navigating today’s political landscape without compromising on integrity. It is an honor to stand with them in New Hampshire’s tradition of bipartisan public service.                                                                                                                        — Anna Brown

UNH Law Students Present Compelling Panel Discussions

This spring, UNH Law students organized excellent discussions  —  choosing topics and panelists, writing questions, moderating, and promoting the events.    The Rudman Center was pleased to provide some support for these efforts, and we look forward to continuing to work with the impressive students at UNH Law, including the Students for Public Interest Law,  who go beyond their law-school curricular requirements to take on demanding and important projects.   

It has been a true honor to help relaunch a public interest student organization at UNH Franklin Pierce ����ֱ�� two years ago. With a dedicated group of officers, we have hosted multiple fundraisers benefiting the Concord community, planned a networking event with NHWBA public interest attorneys, helped launch the UNH Law food pantry, Franklin's Cubbard, developed an immigration resource website, and most recently organized our first panel on ethical issues in the profession. We hope this organization will continue to create meaningful opportunities for students committed to careers in public interest work.                — Reiko Johnson, President of Students for Public Interest Law

Working on the HLLSA immigration panel was a really meaningful experience. While it came with challenges, especially navigating last-minute changes as a student organizer, the event ultimately came together in a way I’m proud of. Most importantly, it helped highlight and center the presence of Latinx students on campus, which was a key goal for me. 

            —&�Բ�����;Mariana Marquez-Farmer, President of the Hispanic & Latinx Law Student Association (HLLSA)

Legal Ethics and Responsibility Panel

Hon. Landya McCafferty; Jane Young, former US Attorney for the District of N.H.; Professor Julian Jefferson; Dr. Eric Drogin; Brooke Houser, UNH Law student and moderator

This semester, Students for Public Interest Law had the pleasure of hosting a legal ethics panel with over 100 years of legal experience on the panel. These times are tumultuous for attorneys, and our hope is that our students of UNH Law are now better equipped to navigate these difficult situations with confidence, courage, and principles.           

—&�Բ�����;Brooke Houser, UNH Law student, panel moderator

Examining Punishment with Carol Steiker: Courts, Institutions, and Reform

Maria Wilkinson, UNH Law student and moderator, and Professor Carol Steiker  

It was a pleasure to have Professor Carol Steiker join us. As an educator and an academic, she is a wealth of knowledge regarding criminal justice policy reform and the American death penalty. It was through a combination of support from the Rudman Center, the New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, professors at the school — especially Professor Jefferson — If/When/How Lawyering for Reproductive Justice UNH Law Chapter, and the New Hampshire Humanities that helped make the event a success.                                           —&�Բ�����;  Maria Wilkinson, UNH Law student, panel moderator

Stay Tuned!

The Rudman Center and New Hampshire Public Radio are planning a June 18 discussion exploring the rise of citizen journalism and the reporting of NPR immigration reporter Jasmine Garsd, who brings firsthand insight into how immigration stories unfold and the rise of citizen observers documenting ICE.  More info to come.

If you are interested in contributing to our Rudman Summer Fellows program, the James Duggan Scholarship, or the Bruce E. Friedman Pro Bono Award, please visit . 

And thank you for your support.