2011 ACTLM Distinguished Jurist Honoree
Filed under: Distinguished Jurist Award
The Honorable James M. Rosenbaum
Judge James M. Rosenbaum (Ret.) is a Minnesota native. He attended the University of Minnesota, earning his B.A., in 1966, and his J.D., in 1969. He began practice in Chicago, Illinois, as a VISTA lawyer, trying federal civil rights cases. In 1972, he returned to Minnesota to begin private practice, specializing in trial work.
In 1981, Judge Rosenbaum was appointed Minnesota’s United States Attorney, serving until 1985, when he was appointed to the United States District Court. The Judges of the Eighth Circuit elected him to serve as the Circuit’s elected representative to the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1997-2005. He was a member of the Conference’s Executive Committee during that time.
The judge is a frequent speaker and lecturer, and has taught judges and lawyers in more than 20 countries. He is a director of the Sedona Conference, a legal think tank and education provider. Judge Rosenbaum has participated in educational programs covering anti-trust, patent, legal technology, and eDiscovery.
His articles, “In Defense of the Delete Key,” and “In Defense of the Hard Drive” (accessible at www.greenbag.org) have been translated into nearly two dozen languages. The articles are recognized for their analysis of the intersection of law, privacy, and technology. His newest, “In Defense of Rule 808 F.R.Evid.,” focuses on email communications as trial evidence.
The Judge retired from the Federal Bench in 2010 to join JAMS – the Resolution Experts. In this new capacity, he does mediation and arbitration, often in areas of complex litigation, intellectual property, and eDiscovery.