ABA

ABA President Expresses ‘Grave Concerns’ About Guantanamo Trials

ABA President William H. Neukom is expressing “grave concerns” about coerced evidence, restrictions on lawyers and other aspects of the Guantanamo trial process. In an op-ed released today, Neukom says American lawyers are “deeply troubled” by six Guantanamo death penalty cases involving alleged plotters in the Sept. 11 attacks. The…

Mar 24, 2008 6:12 PM CDT

Legal Thriller Author Bashes Judicial Elections, to Chagrin of Newspaper

An editorial writer at the Wall Street Journal is taking legal thriller writer John Grisham to task for supporting merit selection of judges over judicial elections. Grisham backs merit selection of judges, as do retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and the American Bar Association (PDF). The method,…

Mar 20, 2008 1:02 PM CDT

Emphasis on Money Can Be Source of Depression in Law School

Stress during law school can cause anxiety and depression, especially if students focus on the need to make money and land a big-firm job, according to an article published online as part of an ABA group’s effort to tackle the problem. Law schools need to acknowledge the problem of student…

Mar 13, 2008 1:47 PM CDT

Longtime Ropes & Gray Partner Moving to ABA Governmental Affairs

After 27 years at Ropes & Gray, Thomas M. Susman is leaving his legislative and regulatory practice there to join the American Bar Association. Beginning May 5, he will represent the ABA’s more than 413,000 members as director of the Governmental Affairs Office, an ABA press release explains. Susman’s extensive…

Mar 11, 2008 11:55 PM CDT

Drexel Gets Higher Profile Due to ABA Provisional Accreditation

Receiving provisional ABA accreditation hasn’t made any difference in the way that Drexel University College of Law operates. But students are looking forward to being able to take the bar exam in the many states that require graduation from an ABA-accredited school as a prerequisite. And accreditation has made a…

Mar 7, 2008 10:26 PM CST

100s of Court Orders in 2 Days Under New Crack Sentence Rules

Some 400 federal court orders reducing inmate sentences have been issued in the first two days since new rules took effect that eliminate a disparity in the penalties for powder and crack cocaine offenses. “A spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons could not say how many prisoners have already…

Mar 5, 2008 11:58 PM CST

ABA Report Shows Little Change in Law School Enrollment

Enrollment for first-year law students at ABA-approved law schools was nearly flat for the 2007-08 school year, according to a new report by the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. First-year enrollment stood at 48,964 students, an increase of only 27 students over the previous year,…

Mar 4, 2008 5:11 PM CST