Josh Blackman | 11.15.2024 1:18 AM

The first day of the 2024 Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention is in the can. And unfortunately, the Fifth Circuit could not stay this change of venue. After nearly four decades at the Mayflower, FedSoc moved about a mile down Connecticut Avenue to the Washington Hilton. Yes, the hotel where President Reagan was shot. Not exactly the best vibes. But I will still try to be objective. The verdict, from my perspective, is mostly negative, but there are some upsides.

I'll start with the downsides. The Mayflower is a classic hotel. Every ballroom was finely crafted with accents on the walls, and a welcoming ambiance. So much history was made in those rooms. The Washington Hilton feels like a hospital. It is cold, sterile, and soulless. The smaller conference rooms have low ceilings and obstructive columns in the middle. The cavernous ballroom has dreadful acoustics. It is nearly impossible to hear anything close to the stage (thankfully there were closed captions). I felt like I was attending someone else's conference. Moreover, the hotel rooms are dark and drab, and desperately in need of renovation. The wireless in the........

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