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STORIES
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OUR VISION
“Seeking Justice with the Love of God”
Luke 11:42; Matthew 23:23
Christian Legal Society (CLS), founded in 1961, seeks to fulfill God’s command found in Micah 6:8 by bringing glory to God by inspiring, encouraging, and equipping Christian attorneys and law students, both individually and in community, to proclaim, love, and serve Jesus Christ through the study and practice of law, through the provision of legal assistance to the poor and needy, and through the defense of the inalienable rights to life and religious freedom.
CLS OBJECTIVES
- To proclaim Jesus as Lord through all we do;
- To defend the religious freedom of all Americans through the legislatures and courts;
- To defend the religious freedom of students to gather on their campuses as Christian organizations;
- To promote justice for the poor, religious freedom, sanctity of human life, and biblical conflict resolution;
- To encourage Christian attorneys to view law as a ministry and help them integrate faith and their legal practice;
- To provide Christian attorneys a means of society and fellowship;
- To encourage and disciple Christian law professors and students;
- To provide a forum for discussing issues related to Christianity and the law;
- To encourage attorneys and law students to serve the poor and needy.
OUR INVITATION TO ALL
Professor Elton Trueblood called it the “Strategy of Jesus.” This strategy, as set forth by Professor Trueblood, well describes what we all need and the kind of “society” CLS aspires to be:
What we need is not intellectual theorizing or even preaching, but a demonstration. One of the most powerful ways of turning people’s loyalty to Christ is by loving others with the great love of God. We cannot revive faith by argument, but we might catch the imagination of puzzled men and women by an exhibition of a fellowship so intensely alive that every thoughtful person would be forced to respect it. If there should emerge in our day such a fellowship, wholly without artificiality and free from the dead hand of the past, it would be an exciting event of momentous importance. A society of genuine loving friends, set free from the self-seeking struggle for personal prestige and from all unreality, would be something unutterably priceless and powerful. A wise person would travel any distance to join it.
Should you seek such a society, you are cordially invited to join CLS, and add your voice to the many other Christians in the legal profession.
All are encouraged to associate through a CLS attorney or law student chapter. If there is not yet a convenient local chapter to join in your area, we would invite all to associate with at least three like-minded attorneys or law students for the purpose of starting a chapter. CLS will help you join or start a local chapter. It’s easy. Just ask for a copy of our Attorney or Law Student Manuals.
If you are already a member of Christian Legal Society, use the CLS membership brochure and membership application to encourage a friend or colleague to join.
In the memorable words of former Chaplain of the Senate, Dick Halverson, we believe that each member of this Society can be like “a garment which Jesus Christ wears every day to do what Jesus wants to do” with his or her life. Seen from this perspective, “we don’t need power; our weakness is an asset. If Christ is truly in each of us as we all have confessed, then what more do we need to follow Him?” And so, as we move forward, we are committed to following the example of servant-leadership Jesus has modeled for us. John 13:14-15
STATEMENT OF FAITH
Christian Legal Society (CLS) is a non-denominational Christian membership association whose members participate in the broad and rich variety of Christian congregational life and traditions. Membership in Christian Legal Society is open to all who believe in and sign CLS’ Statement of Faith.
As most recently reaffirmed by CLS’ Board of Directors on May 4, 1996, CLS “affirms that the Society welcomes believers in Jesus Christ of all denominations and traditions consistent with the Christian Legal Society Statement of Faith.” Subsequently, the CLS Board of Directors has approved a CLS Community Life Statement and its principles, which informs all CLS ministries and is affirmed by all officers (local and national), directors, and staff.
All officers, directors, members, advisory council members, and staff of CLS shall, as a condition of their employment or membership in CLS, acknowledge in writing their acceptance of, and agreement with the following Statement of Faith, as set forth in Article II, Section 1 of CLS’ corporate by-laws, as amended:
- Trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior, I believe in:
- One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
- The Deity of our Lord, Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; His vicarious death for our sins through which we receive eternal life; His bodily resurrection and personal return.
- The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration.
- The Bible as the inspired Word of God.
CLS TEAM
LAKUITA BITTLE
Director, Attorney Ministries
AUSTIN SUTER
Attorney Ministries Coordinator
BRENT AMATO
Barnabas Fellow, Chicagoland
DAVID NAMMO
CLS Executive Director + CEO
COURTNEY HERRON
and Communications
Lakuita Bittle
Director of Attorney Ministries
Lakuita Bittle is the director of Attorney Ministries at Christian Legal Society. Previously, Lakuita worked for the Office of the State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County (Maryland), which she joined in 2015 as a law clerk in the Grand Jury Unit. She was sworn in as an Assistant State’s Attorney in 2017 where she first handled misdemeanor criminal and jailable traffic cases before prosecuting cases involving domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, motor vehicle theft, armed robbery, attempted murder, and other related felonies. Lakuita is a graduate of David A. Clarke School of Law at The University of the District of Columbia. Lakuita also has her associate’s degree from Guilford Technical Community College and her bachelor’s degree in sociology from High Point University. Lakuita also has over nine years of professional work experience in the legal field prior to attending law school.
Lakuita is actively involved in her church as a deacon and worship leader. She also serves as founding the board vice president and the executive director of Kadesh Community Development Corporation, which provides community outreach and support to families in need in the DC and Maryland areas. In her spare time, Lakuita enjoys music, traveling, mentoring youth, and coaching and playing softball, as well as spending time with friends and family (especially her cherished nieces and nephews).
AUSTIN SUTER
Attorney Ministries Coordinator
Austin Suter is a graduate of George Mason University and current student at Reformed Theological Seminary (Charlotte), where he is pursuing a Masters of Divinity. Austin first joined CLS staff in 2012 and is back after a few years working with other ministries. Austin is married to Michelle and they are active in ministry at their local church.
BRENT AMATO
Barnabas Fellow, Chicagoland
Brent practiced transactional law in the Chicago area for forty years, specializing in corporate business and non-profit work. That practice was split about equally between private practice as a partner at two law firms and in-house corporate practice for two publicly-traded companies, first as an Associate Counsel and then as General Counsel. As of December 31, 2014 he retired from the practice of law.
Brent has sought to integrate his Christian faith and his law practice through (i) the Christian Legal Society (as former Board member and President and now Staff member, working with lawyers and law students); (ii) Peacemaker Ministries and Crossroads Resolution Group (as a Certified Christian Conciliator for conflict resolution, mentor and teacher); (iii) Administer Justice (whose mission is to meet the legal and spiritual needs of the poor) and (iv) Judson University (as a Business Law Adjunct Professor).
Over these years, Brent has been a speaker and teacher at national, regional and local law-related conferences.
Brent serves as an Elder, Community Group Coordinator and Leader at his Church.
Sports and grandparenting are his two favorite extra-curricular activities.
Brent is married to Sherrie (his “better seven-eights”) and has been blessed with two children and six grandchildren.
David Nammo
David Nammo has served as executive director and CEO of Christian Legal Society since 2012.
He is the former executive vice president of the Leadership Project for America, where he worked closely with conservative leaders such as former Reagan Attorney General Ed Meese, Publisher Al Regnery, Club for Growth founder Steve Moore, and U.S. Rep. David McIntosh, in preparation for the 2012 election cycle.
He also was the executive director of the Family Research Council Action (FRCA), the 501(c)(4) arm of the Family Research Council, where he worked on political issues, interfaced with Congress, and met with candidates from across the country. He also started the first PAC for the Family Research Council and engaged in the 2008 election cycle in over 40 states.
David consulted and worked for a variety of employers over several years, including Gammon & Grange, a Virginia law firm; defense consultants for the Defense Intelligence Agency, and as a sole practitioner practicing trademark and business contract law. His prior employment at the Christian Legal Society was as the former director of attorney and law student ministries of Christian Legal Society. He also helped found the IVCF/CLS joint taskforce and restarted The Christian Lawyer magazine in 2005.
He has been interviewed by national and international media, including the NBC Nightly News, Fox News, the Associated Press, CBN News, as well as various radio stations from across the country and around the globe. His op-eds have been published in USA Today, the Washington Times, the National Review, and many online news sites. Prior to attending law school at both George Mason University School of Law and Chicago-Kent College of Law, David worked as a journalist for the Fox News Service, a Middle East wire service, and WTTG-TV in Washington D.C.
David writes an occasional blog called Babylonian Thoughts, given his Chaldean heritage, as the son of a Christian-Iraqi. He is co-owner of a record label out of Southern California. He resides in Northern Virginia with Laura, his wife (a patent attorney), their six children, a cat, and a St. Bernard dog.
COURTNEY HERRON
CLS Director of Development and Communications
Courtney Herron is the the director of development and communications for Christian Legal Society. A graduate of Regent University (M.A. Political Management) and the University of Central Florida (B.A. Political Science/Business), she has worked in nonprofit fundraising since 2002. An advocate for underserved communities, she recently served on the Board of Directors of Let My People Go, a national nonprofit ministry dedicated to empowering the local church to fight human trafficking, and is a foster care advocate in her community.
OUR HISTORY
60 Years of CLS
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Christian Legal Society (CLS) is a non-denominational Christian membership association whose members participate in the broad and rich variety of Christian congregational life and traditions. Membership in Christian Legal Society is open to all who believe in and sign CLS’ Statement of Faith.
As most recently reaffirmed by CLS’ Board of Directors on May 4, 1996, CLS “affirms that the Society welcomes believers in Jesus Christ of all denominations and traditions consistent with the Christian Legal Society Statement of Faith.” Subsequently, the CLS Board of Directors has approved a CLS Community Life Statement and its principles, which informs all CLS ministries and is affirmed by all officers (local and national), directors, and staff.
All officers, directors, members, advisory council members, and staff of CLS shall, as a condition of their employment or membership in CLS, acknowledge in writing their acceptance of, and agreement with the following Statement of Faith, as set forth in Article II, Section 1 of CLS’ corporate by-laws, as amended:
- Trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior, I believe in:
- One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
- The Deity of our Lord, Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; His vicarious death for our sins through which we receive eternal life; His bodily resurrection and personal return.
- The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration.
- The Bible as the inspired Word of God.
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