The Virtues of Debatebr The Federalist Society - The Federalist Societybr U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas delivered this address at the 2007 Annual National Lawyers Convention on Thursday, November 15. Introductions by Hon. Lee Liberman Otis, Faculty Division Director and Senior Vice President of the Federalist Society, and Hon. C. Boyden Gray, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union.