Forum on Vocation and Law 2026 - Christian Legal Society

Thinking About Faith and Vocation

The John Witte, Jr. Forum on Vocation and Law is a gathering created specifically for young attorneys seeking to answer a crucial question: What does good stewardship look like in legal practice?

The forum will be theologically rich, practical, and transformational—focused on individual growth and the need for renovating the culture of the legal profession. The goal for our time together is to equip and catalyze young attorneys (in practice less than 7 years with a special focus on attorneys in practice 3 to 7 years) to deepen their understanding of vocation and thereby cultivate a truly human legal culture that discerns and responds to the needs of society.

We are capping participation for this weekend at 16.

When: August 21-23, 2026

Where: Old Town Alexandria, Virginia

Cost: For those accepted into the program, we will cover your hotel, provide four meals, and up to $300 per attendee toward travel costs.

The application window will be open from June 1 to June 30. Acceptance notices will be sent by July 10.

Apply Now

“No piety in the worker will compensate for work that is not true to itself; for any work that is untrue to its own technique is a living lie.”

Dorothy L. Sayers

A Weekend With No Brakes!

Those accepted into the program will spend an immersive weekend discussing a broad range of topics connected to the theological, philosophical, and practical dimensions of vocation, including:

the meaning and purpose of work in the Old and New Testament
the importance of cultivating a biblical model for work and rest
vocation as rooted in God’s design and Christian mission
philosophical components relating to, e.g., leisure and burn-out culture
engagement with co-workers and clients as a product of faithful presence
other applications of legal stewardship

Those are just some of the topics. As John Witte, Jr. writes, the law stands “at the center of the city, at the center of matters spiritual and temporal, at the center of everyone’s life.” We will have a lot of ground to cover! With special guest facilitators, we will navigate discussions toward the transformative aims of the program. Importantly, each participant will play their role in changing the trajectory of our time together. Come prepared to engage!

Meet the Director of the Forum

Jeff Ventrella (Ph.D.) is a visiting professor at Trinity Law School, who directs its Center for Public Legal Theology and teaches constitutional law and jurisprudence. Following a successful career as a partner in “Big Law,” he became senior counsel and senior vice president of academic affairs and training at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), including serving on ADF’s executive team for many years. While there, Jeff designed and developed the curriculum for a number of ADF training programs, including the Blackstone Legal Fellowship and ADF International’s Areté Academies in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

As an approved speaker for the Federalist Society, he serves as an appointed member of the Society’s executive committee—guiding its Religious Liberties Practice Group. Jeff is also an elected member of The Philadelphia Society.

He has practiced law since 1985 and is a member of the state bar of Idaho serving in its Professionalism & Ethics Section, as well as its Diversity Section. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Jeff received a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Northern Colorado, where he specialized in trumpet performance. He holds a doctorate (Ph.D.) in church and state studies from Whitefield Theological Seminary and earned his J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of the Law.