ABA

2 judicial nominees rated as ‘not qualified’ among group of 17 to advance to the Senate

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday advanced to the Senate 17 judicial nominees—including two who received “not qualified” ratings from the ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary. U.S. News & World Report described the 17 as an “abnormally large group.” Liberal interest groups have charged that Republicans grouped together…

Jan 19, 2018 9:45 AM CST

ABA president expresses concern about loss of provisional residency for more than 300,000 immigrants

ABA President Hilarie Bass issued a statement on Thursday raising concerns about the end of temporary protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the United States following natural disasters in their native countries. In the statement, Bass said the ABA is concerned over the fate of about…

Jan 11, 2018 12:12 PM CST

Facts in Cooley Law School decision weren’t challenged, ABA argues in summary judgment motion

Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School admits applicants who are unlikely to graduate and be admitted to practice law, and a recent decision to publish a letter about its noncompliance with an admissions standard was based on undisputed facts, the American Bar Association wrote in a summary judgment motion (PDF) to dismiss the Michigan law school’s due process lawsuit.

Jan 10, 2018 4:15 PM CST

ABA urges Senate action on bipartisan sentencing reform bill

The ABA is calling for swift action by the U.S. Senate to pass a bipartisan sentencing reform bill. The Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017 (S. 1917) was introduced in October after similar legislation failed to move forward during previous sessions of Congress. “Although S. 1917 does not go…

Jan 9, 2018 10:19 AM CST

Advocating for at-risk children is Richard Hooks Wayman’s mission

Richard Hooks Wayman is national executive director of the Children’s Defense Fund. The privately financed nonprofit promotes medical care, education, housing, nutrition and safety for children, particularly the 13 million who live in poverty.

Jan 1, 2018 1:25 AM CST

The top 10 legal news stories of 2017

It’s hard to imagine a year more packed with major legal news than 2017, much of it generated by President Donald Trump's administration. We may never get used to the frenetic pace. Here are 10 stories—themes, really—that dominated legal news reports.

Dec 22, 2017 9:00 AM CST

Proposed changes to ABA model rules on advertising are a ‘philosophical shift’

The ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility released proposed changes (PDF) to the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct focusing on false and misleading communications and solicitations.

Dec 21, 2017 5:28 PM CST

New bar pass rate questionnaire will yield better information but create more work for law schools

There’s no bar passage data on this year’s law school consumer information reports, which came as a surprise to some. That information, with more recent numbers than in years past, is expected to be released in March 2018.

Dec 21, 2017 2:00 PM CST

These 15 startups will go head-to-head at ABA Techshow

The winners of the 2018 ABA Techshow Startup Alley competition were announced Tuesday. Chosen by a public vote held on Above the Law, the winners will give their pitch during the opening night of Techshow and take part in the exhibition hall on March 7-10 in Chicago. More than 6,000…

Dec 20, 2017 2:01 PM CST

ABA sends lawyer delegation to Poland and urges veto of bills threatening judicial independence

The ABA is urging President Andrzej Duda of Poland to veto legislation that would undermine judicial independence, according to a statement by ABA President Hilarie Bass. The ABA has sent a delegation of lawyers to the Eastern European country to monitor the situation and to support efforts to preserve an…

Dec 18, 2017 4:12 PM CST

Federal judicial nominee who couldn’t define ‘motion in limine’ withdraws

A federal judicial nominee has withdrawn after a viral video clip of his confirmation hearing showed him struggling to define “motion in limine” and “the Daubert standard.” Matthew Spencer Petersen, a member of the Federal Election Commission, said in a letter to President Donald Trump that his nomination had become…

Dec 18, 2017 2:15 PM CST

Consensus tax bill includes law firms in pass-through tax relief, with limits

Law firms and other professional service entities won’t be entirely excluded from tax relief for pass-through entities in the final version of the tax bill that is awaiting passage.

Dec 18, 2017 1:38 PM CST

Law school enrollment shows loss and gain—both slight

There’s a 0.7 percent decrease in law students at ABA-accredited schools between 2017 and 2016, according to data released Friday.

Dec 15, 2017 12:01 PM CST

Clip of judicial nominee who can’t define motion in limine goes viral

A clip of a federal judicial nominee struggling to define legal terms and concepts, such as motion in limine and the Daubert standard, has received more than 5.5 million views. The nominee, Matthew Spencer Petersen, is a former Wiley Rein associate and a current member of the Federal Election Commission.…

Dec 15, 2017 9:56 AM CST

Cooley Law School loses request for temporary restraining order in lawsuit against ABA

A Michigan federal district court has declined to grant Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School a restraining order against the American Bar Association, saying Cooley was essentially asking the ABA to withhold information from prospective law students.

Dec 13, 2017 6:28 PM CST