I probably have a bad setup , but I get an NPE in a method that probably shouldn't. I have a Context Listener that is starting up the JUL-to-SLF4J bridge.

Failed to instantiate SLF4J LoggerFactory
Reported exception:
java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.slf4j.impl.StaticLoggerBinder.getLoggerFactoryClassStr(StaticLoggerBinder.java:111)
at org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.reportActualBinding(LoggerFactory.java:256)
at org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.bind(LoggerFactory.java:130)
at org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.performInitialization(LoggerFactory.java:107)
at org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getILoggerFactory(LoggerFactory.java:295)
at org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger(LoggerFactory.java:269)
at org.apache.commons.logging.impl.SLF4JLogFactory.getInstance(SLF4JLogFactory.java:156)
at org.apache.commons.logging.impl.SLF4JLogFactory.getInstance(SLF4JLogFactory.java:132)
at org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory.getLog(LogFactory.java:272)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.initWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:191)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener.contextInitialized(ContextLoaderListener.java:47)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4135)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.start(StandardContext.java:4630)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.start(ContainerBase.java:1045)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.start(StandardHost.java:785)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.start(ContainerBase.java:1045)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngine.start(StandardEngine.java:445)
at org.apache.catalina.startup.Embedded.start(Embedded.java:825)
at org.codehaus.mojo.tomcat.AbstractRunMojo.startContainer(AbstractRunMojo.java:558)
at org.codehaus.mojo.tomcat.AbstractRunMojo.execute(AbstractRunMojo.java:255)
at org.apache.maven.plugin.DefaultBuildPluginManager.executeMojo(DefaultBuildPluginManager.java:101)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:209)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:153)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:145)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject(LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:84)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject(LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:59)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.singleThreadedBuild(LifecycleStarter.java:183)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.execute(LifecycleStarter.java:161)
at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute(DefaultMaven.java:319)
at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.execute(DefaultMaven.java:156)
at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.execute(MavenCli.java:537)
at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.doMain(MavenCli.java:196)
at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.main(MavenCli.java:141)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launchEnhanced(Launcher.java:290)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launch(Launcher.java:230)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.mainWithExitCode(Launcher.java:409)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.main(Launcher.java:352)

Another exception below:

Failed to instantiate [ch.qos.logback.classic.LoggerContext]
Reported exception:
java.lang.ClassCircularityError: java/util/logging/LogRecord
at org.slf4j.bridge.SLF4JBridgeHandler.getSLF4JLogger(SLF4JBridgeHandler.java:200)
at org.slf4j.bridge.SLF4JBridgeHandler.publish(SLF4JBridgeHandler.java:289)
at java.util.logging.Logger.log(Logger.java:478)
at java.util.logging.Logger.doLog(Logger.java:500)
at java.util.logging.Logger.logp(Logger.java:616)
at org.apache.juli.logging.DirectJDKLog.log(DirectJDKLog.java:165)
at org.apache.juli.logging.DirectJDKLog.debug(DirectJDKLog.java:99)
at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1525)
at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1491)
at ch.qos.logback.core.spi.ContextAwareBase.addError(ContextAwareBase.java:104)
at ch.qos.logback.core.joran.action.AppenderAction.begin(AppenderAction.java:80)
at ch.qos.logback.core.joran.spi.Interpreter.callBeginAction(Interpreter.java:276)
at ch.qos.logback.core.joran.spi.Interpreter.startElement(Interpreter.java:148)
at ch.qos.logback.core.joran.spi.Interpreter.startElement(Interpreter.java:130)
at ch.qos.logback.core.joran.spi.EventPlayer.play(EventPlayer.java:50)
at ch.qos.logback.core.joran.GenericConfigurator.doConfigure(GenericConfigurator.java:147)
at ch.qos.logback.core.joran.GenericConfigurator.doConfigure(GenericConfigurator.java:133)
at ch.qos.logback.core.joran.GenericConfigurator.doConfigure(GenericConfigurator.java:96)
at ch.qos.logback.core.joran.GenericConfigurator.doConfigure(GenericConfigurator.java:55)
at ch.qos.logback.classic.util.ContextInitializer.configureByResource(ContextInitializer.java:75)
at ch.qos.logback.classic.util.ContextInitializer.autoConfig(ContextInitializer.java:148)
at org.slf4j.impl.StaticLoggerBinder.init(StaticLoggerBinder.java:84)
at org.slf4j.impl.StaticLoggerBinder.<clinit>(StaticLoggerBinder.java:54)
at org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.bind(LoggerFactory.java:128)
at org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.performInitialization(LoggerFactory.java:107)
at org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getILoggerFactory(LoggerFactory.java:295)
at org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger(LoggerFactory.java:269)
at org.apache.commons.logging.impl.SLF4JLogFactory.getInstance(SLF4JLogFactory.java:156)
at org.apache.commons.logging.impl.SLF4JLogFactory.getInstance(SLF4JLogFactory.java:132)
at org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory.getLog(LogFactory.java:272)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.initWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:191)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener.contextInitialized(ContextLoaderListener.java:47)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4135)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.start(StandardContext.java:4630)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.start(ContainerBase.java:1045)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.start(StandardHost.java:785)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.start(ContainerBase.java:1045)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngine.start(StandardEngine.java:445)
at org.apache.catalina.startup.Embedded.start(Embedded.java:825)
at org.codehaus.mojo.tomcat.AbstractRunMojo.startContainer(AbstractRunMojo.java:558)
at org.codehaus.mojo.tomcat.AbstractRunMojo.execute(AbstractRunMojo.java:255)
at org.apache.maven.plugin.DefaultBuildPluginManager.executeMojo(DefaultBuildPluginManager.java:101)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:209)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:153)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:145)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject(LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:84)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject(LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:59)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.singleThreadedBuild(LifecycleStarter.java:183)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.execute(LifecycleStarter.java:161)
at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute(DefaultMaven.java:319)
at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.execute(DefaultMaven.java:156)
at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.execute(MavenCli.java:537)
at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.doMain(MavenCli.java:196)
at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.main(MavenCli.java:141)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launchEnhanced(Launcher.java:290)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launch(Launcher.java:230)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.mainWithExitCode(Launcher.java:409)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.main(Launcher.java:352)