Where the Action Is

The ABA seeks more recruits for its legislative advocacy campaign

Nov 1, 2010 8:25 AM CDT

ABA Announcements

Nov 1, 2010 5:15 AM CDT

As Pro Bono Week Kicks Off, NY Chief Judge Expands ‘Emeritus’ Legal Help Program

New York’s chief judge is expanding an “emeritus” program that pairs retired lawyers with low and moderate-income people needing free legal help. Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced Monday that the program will be expanded to include lawyers who are still practicing law but nearing retirement, the New York Law Journal…

Oct 26, 2010 4:34 PM CDT

ABA Weighs Required Disclosure of Law School Job Stats, More Rigorous Reporting

ABA President Stephen Zack says potential law students lack awareness about lawyer jobs and salaries, and the association is considering ways to correct the misimpression. Zack was quoted by the National Law Journal about concerns that a record number of applicants are applying to law schools even as law firms…

Oct 19, 2010 3:30 PM CDT

ABA Probes Lawyer Raters—Avvo, Am Law and Best Lawyers

Lawyer and law firm rankings and ratings providers all profess to employ a “completely transparent” methodology for arriving at the choices they make. But one provider’s idea of what constitutes complete transparency may differ from another’s, as an ABA commission studying the issue learned Saturday. The ABA Commission on Ethics…

Oct 18, 2010 1:30 PM CDT

New Commission Aims to Improve Access to Justice for Fast-Growing Hispanic Population

The ABA’s new Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities will look at how to improve access to the justice system for Hispanics but also at how to bring a deeper understanding of the culture of the rule of law to the nation’s biggest and fastest growing minority population, ABA…

Oct 14, 2010 3:34 PM CDT

US Lags Well Behind Other Wealthy Nations on Rule of Law, Report Says

A U.S. justice system already pummeled by blows from the Great Recession is getting more bad news this morning. A report released by the World Justice Project—a 3-year-old initiative sponsored by the ABA and a number of other organizations representing various disciplines—says the United States lags behind other leading developed…

Oct 14, 2010 1:00 PM CDT

‘Many Small Steps’ Lead to Happy 20th Birthday for ABA Rule of Law Initiative

Two decades ago, volunteer lawyers staffed an American Bar Association project to help rebuild legal institutions in central Europe, following the destruction of the Berlin Wall. Today, that project has morphed into the ABA Rule of Law Initiative, which administers programs in more than 40 countries throughout the globe with…

Oct 13, 2010 9:45 PM CDT

ABA: New Law Would Help Soldiers Focus on Missions Abroad Instead of Legal Problems at Home

For years, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act has helped protect those on active duty, allowing them to, among other things, terminate leases and capping the interest rate creditors can charge at 6 percent. But to invoke these protections military personnel may need a lawyer. Yet even with representation, some creditors…

Oct 8, 2010 5:35 PM CDT

Law Giving BP Cleanup Responsibility Created ‘Cognitive Dissonance,’ Admiral Says

The admiral in charge of overseeing the response to the BP oil spill says federal laws that put the company in charge of the cleanup created a perceived conflict between the company’s duties to the public and to its shareholders. Speaking in New Orleans last week at a meeting of…

Oct 5, 2010 4:35 PM CDT

Law Dean Points to Encouraging Labor Report, But Paralegal Deans Should Be Happier

The dean of a new law school slated to open in Nashville, Tenn., next year is optimistic about the legal job market, providing a stark contrast to the assessment by the chairman of an ABA committee studying the impact of the recession. Belmont University will open Nashville’s third law school,…

Oct 5, 2010 3:53 PM CDT

ABA President to Senate: Confirm 16 Judges Now

The U.S. Senate should immediately confirm 16 judicial nominees who have received no on-record opposition, ABA President Stephen N. Zack writes on The Hill’s Congress Blog. There are more than 100 vacant judgeships in the federal trial and appellate courts. “The nomination [process] is needlessly divisive, contributing to the critically…

Oct 5, 2010 2:14 PM CDT

Minority Report

Hispanics must be integrated into our profession, our law schools and our courts

Oct 1, 2010 9:00 AM CDT

The Ultimate Field Trip

Senior Lawyers Division helps make admission to the Supreme Court bar a special moment

Oct 1, 2010 6:30 AM CDT

Lingering Wounds

The ABA enlists in efforts to help homeless veterans deal with their burdens

Oct 1, 2010 6:10 AM CDT