Budding cannabis law courses are growing—but not fast enough

An increasing number of law schools around the country are offering cannabis law courses, but some professors think that even more are needed. “We’re still playing catch-up.”

Apr 15, 2024 9:30 AM CDT

Should ABA strike ‘nonlawyer’ from its vocabulary? Petition says it’s time

The word “nonlawyer” fails to acknowledge the wide range of contributions of all legal professionals and should no longer be used by the ABA, according to a petition posted on LinkedIn.

Apr 11, 2024 11:14 AM CDT

Shake-up in US News’ 2024 law school rankings

Updated: The 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Law Schools rankings is riddled with ties, including three ties in the top tier, and a few unusual jumps. As predicted by rankings watchers, Stanford Law School and Yale Law School came out on top—but in a tie for first that those experts didn’t expect.

Apr 9, 2024 12:30 PM CDT

After man is sentenced for threat to kill chief justice, ABA president says threats risk ‘very fabric of our democracy’

ABA President Mary Smith issued a statement Monday that condemned “false statements and scurrilous accusations against judges for partisan, personal gain” that are being made by “national leaders and private citizens.”

Apr 9, 2024 11:07 AM CDT

2024 Margaret Brent Award winners announced

For the 34th year, the ABA will be honoring distinguished women in the profession with the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award.

Apr 8, 2024 3:17 PM CDT

ABA proposal to accredit online law schools faces opposition from law deans

A proposal to accredit fully online law schools has met pushback from 26 law school deans, saying more information is needed regarding bar pass and employment rates of online law school graduates.

Apr 3, 2024 12:25 PM CDT

Civil legal aid lawyers are often the last line of defense. Why are there so few of them?

As the 2023 ABA Profile of the Legal Profession reveals, civil legal aid lawyers are in short supply across the United States. According to the 142-page report, even though there are 1.3 million lawyers in the U.S., nationwide there are still only 10,000 paid civil legal aid lawyers, or about three for every 10,000 people in poverty.

Apr 1, 2024 3:00 AM CDT

The ABA leads way on access to justice

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Legal Services Corp., the United States’ largest funder of civil legal aid. With a current congressional appropriation of $560 million, the LSC funds 131 independent legal aid programs with more than 800 offices serving every state and the U.S. territories. The American Bar Association was critical to the LSC’s creation.

Apr 1, 2024 2:50 AM CDT

Lawyer’s actions in discipline matter lead to worse penalty

Knowing when to fight a charge, or accept it when the evidence isn’t great and you’re offered a decent outcome, is a significant part of practicing law. Mike Mbanza, an Iowa lawyer, may have learned that the hard way.

Apr 1, 2024 1:50 AM CDT

More lawyers—and clients—want to learn about sustainable development practices

As many industries develop sustainable development practices, lawyers can play a role too. In a book released by ABA Publishing, Sustainability Essentials: A Leadership Guide for Lawyers, John Dernbach, with co-authors Irma Russell and Matthew Bogoshian, provide digestible how-to tips for proactively infusing a sustainable development framework into legal work.

Apr 1, 2024 1:20 AM CDT

Labor attorney uses art and law to draw attention to workers’ rights

Mark Gaston Pearce uses his love of oil painting and expertise in labor history to highlight the lives of workers. Pearce, an ABA member, graduated from law school in 1978 and joined the National Labor Relations Board in Buffalo, New York, serving first as a field attorney and then as a district trial specialist. “We have seen that art contributes substantially to identifying the feelings and the desires and the power of working people. I hope to continue to facilitate that.”

Apr 1, 2024 12:30 AM CDT

Meeting the Moment: ABA leaders call for lawyers to respond to current challenges and look to the future

ABA President Mary Smith is urging members to “meet the moment” by helping the next generation of lawyers, protecting democracy and addressing how technology will change the practice of law.

Apr 1, 2024 12:25 AM CDT

ABA member dues will be raised for the first time since 2015

For the first time in a decade, ABA member dues will be rising. A new member dues structure will go into effect on Sept. 1.

Apr 1, 2024 12:20 AM CDT

Academic freedom standards are now part of ABA’s accreditation process for law schools

Apr 1, 2024 12:15 AM CDT

ABA Notices - April-May 2024

Apr 1, 2024 12:12 AM CDT