Bar Associations

50 Years of Service: ABA has been a ‘stalwart ally’ for LSC funding

Over the last half-century, the ABA has been a steadfast advocate for the Legal Services Corp., actively working to fulfill its mission of addressing the civil legal needs of vulnerable Americans and upholding America’s commitment to “justice for all.”

Feb 1, 2024 12:10 AM CST

2024 ABA Midyear Meeting kicks off in Kentucky

The 2024 ABA Midyear Meeting opens in the Derby City this week, giving members the chance to network with colleagues, attend CLE programs and events and honor inspiring leaders in the legal profession.

Jan 31, 2024 8:44 AM CST

Legal Ed council calls for comments regarding fully online law schools

Two proposals regarding the accreditation of fully online law schools were posted for comment by the council of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar this week.

Jan 25, 2024 2:25 PM CST

What to do when friends or family members ask for legal advice

“It’s never going to go well,” Arizona attorney Lynda C. Shely says about the prospect of representing anyone you are close to, including family members and friends. Shely, the immediate past chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, works in private practice and has advised more than 2,500 law firms around the country on legal ethics matters.

Jan 25, 2024 8:34 AM CST

Living through Hurricane Katrina inspired Alessandra Jerolleman’s disaster justice advocacy

Alessandra Jerolleman lost her home, her car and much of her community to the Hurricane Katrina’s powerful surge and flood waters. But Jerolleman found the hurricane also changed her life in another profound way.

Jan 24, 2024 2:32 PM CST

Lawyers should take these precautions when using artificial intelligence, Florida ethics opinion says

Generative artificial intelligence—which can generate new content based on a prompt—has the potential to “dramatically improve the efficiency of a lawyer’s practice,” but it also can pose ethical concerns, according to a Florida Bar ethics opinion approved Jan. 19.

Jan 23, 2024 12:28 PM CST

Facing undergraduate debt and law school loans, students wonder whether it’s worth it, new AccessLex study says

Almost half of all law school students have debt from their undergraduate education, more fund their legal education with loans and less than half say it was worth it, according to the AccessLex Institute’s Legal Education Data Deck.

Jan 23, 2024 8:06 AM CST

Half of law schools worry about creating diverse student body, new Kaplan study says

After the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision striking down affirmative action, half of law school admissions officers are “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about creating a diverse student body, according to a survey conducted by test prep company Kaplan released Monday.

Jan 22, 2024 9:40 AM CST

ABA achieves lobbying successes despite tumultuous session of 118th Congress

Despite the political highs and lows of the first session of the 118th Congress, the ABA worked hard to advance policy issues of interest to our members and saw progress.

Jan 18, 2024 1:55 PM CST

Interested in policy supporting homeless youths? ABA group provides guidance

“Best practices have changed, and how this crisis unfolds itself is changing,” says Richard Hooks Wayman, a liaison to the ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty. “We thought it was time to really pick up on what we’ve been learning in the field over the last 15 years and come out with a new publication.”

Jan 18, 2024 9:09 AM CST

JD-Next should be backup to traditional entrance requirements, says ABA consultant

JD-Next, a prelaw school exam administered by Aspen Publishing, should be used only as a secondary supplement to more established measurements of potential law student success, such as undergraduate grades or more established testing scores, according to a new report from a consultant for the ABA.

Jan 17, 2024 12:26 PM CST

Retiring Reluctantly: As lawyers age, many struggle with exit strategies

For years, law firms across the country have been grappling with what to do with the baby boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964, as they reach and surpass the typical retirement age of 65. The problem, law firm consultants say, is that lawyers often don’t want to leave.

Jan 11, 2024 9:24 AM CST

LSAC launches hybrid program for DC-area law school applicants

As diversity remains a hot topic after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College decision, the Law School Admission Council is piloting a hybrid version of its Plus Summer program to offer support to more potential law school applicants from underrepresented communities around Washington, D.C.

Jan 10, 2024 12:33 PM CST

Top 10 Your Voice columns of 2023

One of the ABA Journal's most precious assets is our access to engaged legal professionals with a knack for writing and a point of view to share. With that in mind, we launched our Your Voice section in 2018, inviting guest columnists to spark conversations about issues relevant to the profession. Your Voice is chock-full of five years of evergreen advice and thought-provoking pieces of writing, but these 10 were the most read from 2023.

Dec 22, 2023 8:56 AM CST

State Bar of Wisconsin’s diversity clerkship program ‘discriminates behind closed doors,’ suit says

The State Bar of Wisconsin is facing a lawsuit claiming that its diversity clerkship program for law students is violating the First Amendment rights of a lawyer who pays mandatory dues.

Dec 21, 2023 11:18 AM CST