Ennis Foundation Establishes Fellowship for First Amendment Law

Friends and colleagues of the late Bruce J. Ennis have established a foundation in his honor, and a reception to publicize the new organization was scheduled for November 29 in Washington, D.C., at the offices of Jenner & Block. Ennis, a partner at Jenner & Block, was a director of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), and was long recognized as an eloquent voice in the defense of the First Amendment and free expression, both in his legal work for Jenner & Block and during his tenure as national legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union from 1976 to 1981.

The Ennis Foundation was created "to build upon and capture the impassioned spirit" that the celebrated lawyer demonstrated throughout his career, according to the organization. The goal of the foundation is to encourage in young lawyers the "extraordinary commitment to excellence and integrity in legal advocacy" on behalf of freedom of expression and freedom of conscience that characterized Ennis's life and career.

The foundation has created the Bruce J. Ennis Fellowship for First Amendment Law. The fellowship is available to young lawyers, and fellows can work in any one of a wide range of public interest organizations that promote First Amendment protections and values. Through these fellowships, the foundation will give young lawyers a start in a First Amendment job that they might not otherwise secure.

For more information on how to support the foundation or to apply for a fellowship, contact: Bruce J. Ennis Foundation, c/o Jenner & Block, 601 Thirteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 639-6051; [email protected].