AFI Board Member Wylie Aitken Meets Cillian Murphy

Wylie Aitken, founding partner of Aitken Aitken Cohn in Southern California and a long-time member of the Irish Legal 100, recently made headlines as the first trial lawyer to be elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Film Institute (AFI), rubbing shoulders with industry giants like Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy. 

In connection with his membership on the board, Aitken attended the recent AFI annual awards luncheon, where he met with new Best Actor Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, whose film, "Oppenheimer," earned recognition as one of the top 10 films of the year.  Irish native Murphy, who lives in Dublin, and Aitken both have Cork roots which they spoke about during their meeting.

Last July, the AFI announced that Aitken had joined the board, along with Oscar winning actress Ariana DeBose and Pamela Abdy, the co-chair and CEO of Warner Brothers Picture Group.

“AFI is the place where artistry and academia meet,” said Kathleen Kennedy, Chair of AFI Board of Trustees. “The addition of Pam, Wylie and Ari to the board will further propel our national mandate to inspire, to educate and, ultimately, to drive culture forward.”

The AFI Board of Trustees comprises a panel of leaders from the film and television communities who set the Institute’s priorities and guide its national education programs and includes Jeanine Basinger, Alan Bergman, Halle Berry, Gary Birkenbeuel, Jim Breyer, James L. Brooks, Charlie Collier, Fran Drescher, Ava DuVernay, Nancy Collins Fisher, Lesli Linka Glatter, Bonnie Hammer, Dr. Carla D. Hayden, John Hendricks, Alan Horn, Lisa P. Jackson, Patty Jenkins, Michael B. Jordan, Donna Langley, Debra L. Lee, Lori Lee, David Linde, Eva Longoria, Bryan Lourd, Lori McCreary, Jonathan Miller, Edward James Olmos, Shonda Rhimes, Charles Rivkin, Jay Roach, Brian Robbins, Josh Sapan, Ted Sarandos, Frank Scherma, Chris Silbermann, Octavia Spencer, Steven Spielberg, Meredith Stiehm, Anthony Vinciquerra, Todd Wagner and Janet Yang.

The American Film Institute was established by presidential proclamation in the White House Rose Garden and launched its national mandate on June 5, 1967 — to preserve the heritage of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. AFI’s founding Trustees included Chairman Gregory Peck, Vice Chairman Sidney Poitier, Francis Ford Coppola, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., Jack Valenti and George Stevens, Jr., as Director.

Aitken is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and founding partner of Aitken Aitken Cohn, in Santa Ana, California. He was the youngest president in the history of the State Trial Bar and is continually recognized by publications such as the Los Angeles Daily Journal and the Orange County Business Journal as one of the top lawyers of California.

He was recently inducted in the LawDragon 500’s “Hall of Fame,” is repeatedly designated a “Southern California Super Lawyer,” and is featured in the Best Lawyers in America and The Preeminent Lawyers of America for over 20 years.