Attorney-client privilege should cover electronic messages to federal prisoners, ABA president says

Dec 19, 2024 9:24 AM CST

Law school diversity persists after affirmative action ban, new ABA report finds

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against race-conscious affirmative action policies did little to impact the makeup of 2024’s first year law students, according to the 2024 Standard 509 Information Report data overview from the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Dec 18, 2024 9:20 AM CST

Florida Bar drops diversity and inclusion language from its internal policy

The Florida Bar’s board of governors on Friday eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion language from its organizational policy, a move that follows the Florida Supreme Court’s February mandate for the bar to stop funding diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Dec 16, 2024 10:07 AM CST

Bar admission denied for applicant who won’t take constitutional oath

A bar applicant who won’t take an oath to support the U.S. Constitution and the New York Constitution has failed to demonstrate that she has the character and fitness to become an attorney, according to a New York appeals court.

Dec 9, 2024 2:22 PM CST

Pilot project allowing nonlawyer legal providers gets OK in Washington

The Washington Supreme Court has authorized a pilot project that will allow nonlawyer entities to provide legal and law-related services in Washington.

Dec 9, 2024 11:13 AM CST

Lighting a Spark: Students learn about environmental justice from attorneys in public service project

Last month, students in Washington, D.C., got to learn about environmental justice from actual environmental lawyers.

Dec 5, 2024 11:29 AM CST

Reopening the Gift

“If we want our profession and our bar to be all we envisioned when we graduated from law school, then it’s time to get that box off the shelf and reopen it,” writes ABA President Bill Bay. “It’s too important a gift to leave unassembled.”

Dec 1, 2024 2:40 AM CST

Home Renovations: ABA President Bill Bay promises changes for members

“Sure, we need some renovations,” ABA President Bill Bay says. “But it is about telling our story and making the experience memorable when you get here.”

Dec 1, 2024 12:30 AM CST

ABA Notices - December 2024-January 2025

Dec 1, 2024 12:25 AM CST

ABA Legislative Priorities Survey helps members set the agenda

As lawyers and legal professionals, the importance of our collective voice in shaping the future of our profession and society cannot be overstated. The American Bar Association is once again inviting its members to participate in the Legislative Priorities Survey, a critical tool that helps determine the focus of the ABA’s advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C.

Dec 1, 2024 12:20 AM CST

ABA’s Impact: Confronting anti-Asian bias through civics education

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic created a wave of anti-Asian harassment in the United States. The number of incidents increased so sharply that in May 2021, President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law with a special emphasis on protecting Asian Americans.

Nov 27, 2024 11:15 AM CST

Michelle Rozovics’ love of learning and teaching takes her around the world

ABA member Michelle Rozovics—the managing attorney of Rozovics Law Firm in McHenry, Illinois, a small city northwest of Chicago—says curiosity led her to the legal profession. It inspired her to pursue international and business law and to work with clients, law students and judges around the world.

Nov 27, 2024 8:48 AM CST

Supporting Survivors: ABA and its members have shaped the Violence Against Women Act for 30 years

The Violence Against Women Act passed in September 1994. VAWA, as it’s commonly known, was the first federal law to focus on preventing and combating sexual assault and domestic violence. Maricarmen Garza credits VAWA for bringing her to the ABA Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence.

Nov 26, 2024 2:27 PM CST

Want to help rural Alaskans with their tax needs? Volunteers sought for pro bono

The ABA is looking for volunteers to go to Alaska. The ABA Section of Taxation recently launched its Alaska Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Project, a pro bono initiative that will take six attorneys to prepare tax returns in remote villages in the state.

Nov 25, 2024 1:56 PM CST

Under Pressure: Understanding alcohol addiction in the legal profession

It’s no secret that lawyers have a high rate of problem drinking. According to data from the ABA, “as many as one in five lawyers is a problem drinker—twice the national rate.” These drinkers are able to keep their jobs because they’re considered to be either gray area drinkers or functional alcoholics. The former display early signs of an alcohol use disorder, while the latter appear to be somewhat in control of their drinking.

Nov 25, 2024 8:53 AM CST