Help Spread the Word

Inform your colleagues of benefits and public service aspects of ABA membership

Dec 2, 2009 5:09 AM CST

Notoriety for Notarios

ABA project targets consultants who steer noncitizens afoul of U.S. immigration laws

Dec 2, 2009 1:49 AM CST

Pro Bono Blockbuster

Weeklong event spotlights pro bono work

Dec 2, 2009 1:39 AM CST

A Brutal Pandemic

ABA urges passage of measure aimed at curbing violence against women worldwide

Dec 2, 2009 1:29 AM CST

ABA Announcements

Dec 2, 2009 1:19 AM CST

ABA Launches Searchable Detainee Habeas Database

The ABA announced today that it has created an extensive database to help lawyers deal with the litany of unresolved questions following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Boumediene v. Bush ruling that established the right of habeas corpus for detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Outstanding questions include the scope of the executive’s…

Dec 1, 2009 10:52 PM CST

ABA Praises Holder for Decision to Bring Gitmo Detainees to Trial

ABA President Carolyn Lamm sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder Wednesday, praising his move to bring detainees suspected of being involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks to trial. “The transfer of these high-profile cases to federal court affirms this nation’s adherence to due process and the rule of…

Nov 25, 2009 8:05 PM CST

Veterans Courts Poised to ‘Exponentially Increase,’ Backer Says

Special courts set up to help veterans caught up in the criminal justice system are increasing in popularity. The idea is to divert veterans accused of minor crimes into drug treatment or job training, allowing them to avoid jail time or fines, USA Today reports. In the last two years,…

Nov 24, 2009 3:48 PM CST

ABA Launches Technology Marketplace Offering Member Discounts

The ABA has launched ABA TechEZ, an online directory of technology and services being offered at discounts for ABA members. So far, the directory includes about 25 software packages, ranging from billing programs to collaboration and legal research applications, according to a press release. The directory is meant to serve…

Nov 24, 2009 3:16 PM CST

ABA Leader & Land Use Expert Loved Baseball and Hawaiian Shirts

Renowned for his Florida land-use expertise and love of baseball, David Cardwell was seemingly more comfortable in a Hawaiian shirt than a business suit. “But once he opened his mouth, you knew this guy was the smartest man in the room. And you had to listen,” John Jacobsen of the…

Nov 21, 2009 12:29 AM CST

ABA Executive Director Resigns

ABA Executive Director Henry F. White Jr. has resigned after three years at the helm of the world’s largest voluntary professional membership organization. ABA General Counsel R. Thomas Howell Jr. has been named interim executive director. “I wish Hank White well in his future endeavors, and thank him for his…

Nov 17, 2009 6:16 PM CST

Survey Says: U.S. Lags on International Rule of Law

The United States lags significantly behind other developed countries in its adherence to international rule of law principles, according to a study released today by the World Justice Project. The group’s Rule of Law Index (PDF), covering 35 nations, is thought to be the most comprehensive international survey of its…

Nov 11, 2009 10:01 PM CST

ABA Lobbies for Student Loan Relief for Unemployed Attorneys

The American Bar Association is lobbying Congress and the Obama administration, seeking student loan debt relief for struggling law graduates. A number of graduates haven’t yet found work and would benefit from having their private educational debt converted to government loans, according to a new ABA Commission on the Impact…

Nov 11, 2009 7:41 PM CST

Alito Concurrence ‘Rejects ABA’s Nonsense,’ Commentator Says

A concurring opinion by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. on the ABA’s capital representation standards and the association’s membership has one conservative commentator doing the blog equivalent of a victory dance. On Monday Alito wrote separately—and “curiously,” in the words of the National Law Journal—to emphasize that the 2003 standards…

Nov 11, 2009 4:50 PM CST

Supreme Court Says ABA Counsel Guidelines Can’t Help Ohio Death Row Inmate

In a summary disposition, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled a federal appeals court should not have judged a murder defendant’s representation based on ABA standards enacted 18 years after his trial. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Robert Van Hook, convicted of finding his murder victim…

Nov 9, 2009 5:23 PM CST