ABA

If you think a seeming pro se litigant has a lawyer, ask to confirm, ABA ethics opinion says

Lawyers should reduce limited-scope legal representation agreements to writing and should ask pro se litigants whether they are being represented by counsel to avoid violating the “no-contact” rule, explains a formal ethics opinion recently released by the ABA’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Formal Ethics Opinion 472 (PDF)…

Nov 30, 2015 8:50 AM CST

Greater diversity and inclusion in the legal profession will help achieve justice for all

The preamble to the United States Constitution promises to “establish justice.” In the Pledge of Allegiance, we vow “justice for all.” The American Bar Association motto states we are “pursuing justice.” Are they mere words on paper? Unfortunately, certain segments of society believe they are. As author and poet Maya…

Nov 1, 2015 4:00 AM CST

ABA joins the call for stricter laws regulating private possession of dangerous animals

The adage that there's no place like home should not apply to dangerous wild animals, in the view of a growing number of organizations pushing for the adoption of laws or regulations that would impose strict limits on the private possession of a menagerie of creatures, including lions and tigers and bears, wolves, leopards, nonhuman primates, and many types of reptiles.

Nov 1, 2015 1:00 AM CDT

Choir of lawyers is a hit at Magna Carta celebration

When the ABA was planning the Opening Session for its London Sessions commemorating the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta this summer, it wanted to strike just the right note for musical interludes. But rather than reach out into the ranks of London's professional ensembles, then-ABA President William C. Hubbard decided to stay within the family, so to speak.

Nov 1, 2015 12:50 AM CDT

ABA Announcements

2016 REGULAR STATE DELEGATE ELECTION The following jurisdictions will elect a State Delegate for a three-year term beginning at the adjournment of the 2016 Annual Meeting: PETITIONS Alabama Alaska California Florida Hawaii Kansas Kentucky Massachusetts Missouri New Mexico North Carolina North Dakota Pennsylvania Tennessee Vermont Virginia Wisconsin Nominating petitions for…

Nov 1, 2015 12:35 AM CDT

New York bar pass rates at their lowest point in at least 11 years

Bar pass rates in New York state have fallen to their lowest point in at least 11 years, new figures show. Only 70 percent of first-time test takers passed the July administration of the state bar exam, according to figures (PDF) released Tuesday by the New York State Board of…

Oct 27, 2015 2:35 PM CDT

ABA letter supports sentencing bill that cuts reliance on mandatory minimums

ABA President Paulette Brown has written to leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee to express ABA support for a bipartisan federal sentencing bill that reduces reliance on mandatory minimum sentences for low-level drug offenders. The letter (PDF) notes that the federal prison population has increased nearly 800 percent since 1980…

Oct 19, 2015 11:47 AM CDT

Judge dismisses class action suit against Florida Coastal School of Law

A judge has dismissed a class action suit against a Florida law school whose alumni claimed they were misled about their job prospects after graduation. U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis of Jacksonville held that the plaintiffs did not have a case against Florida Coastal School of Law under the…

Oct 7, 2015 5:20 PM CDT

Northwestern to end accelerated JD program

Northwestern University School of Law is pulling the plug on its accelerated JD program. The decision was announced in a news release and email on Friday to the law school community from Dean Daniel B. Rodriguez, Above the Law reports. In the email, Rodriguez acknowledged that the program has not…

Oct 7, 2015 12:25 PM CDT

Lawyers slow to adopt email encryption and other forms of secure communications, ABA survey finds

If you’ve ever received an email from a lawyer, it’s common to see a long statement at the end saying that the contents of the email are confidential and disclosure is strictly prohibited. For the vast majority of lawyers, that’s enough to ensure that client communications remain confidential. According to…

Oct 5, 2015 4:10 PM CDT

ABA and Rocket Lawyer launch on-demand legal advice pilot program

The American Bar Association and Rocket Lawyer have launched a new pilot program that provides on-demand legal advice for small businesses. In a Thursday press release, the ABA and Rocket Lawyer announced that they have begun testing ABA Law Connect in Illinois, Pennsylvania and California. First announced in August 2014,…

Oct 1, 2015 1:55 PM CDT

The power of pro bono: ABA day of service helps legal profession make ‘justice for all’ a reality

The legal profession has a strong tradition of service. No other profession provides more pro bono aid to those in need than ours.

Oct 1, 2015 8:45 AM CDT

Race and law enforcement were focal points at the 2015 ABA Annual Meeting

Race and law enforcement got the lion’s share of attention at the 2015 ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago as several sessions discussed aspects of an issue that has taken over national news coverage during the past year. Tension between police and racial minorities, significantly exacerbated by a series of fatal…

Oct 1, 2015 7:15 AM CDT

Attorney General Loretta Lynch praises ABA efforts in sentencing reform

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch says a program announced at the ABA Annual Meeting two years ago by then-Attorney General Eric Holder—reorienting the criminal justice system away from harsh mandatory sentences for minor drug offenses—has, with ABA help, “been a resounding success” through bipartisan efforts. Lynch received a standing ovation…

Oct 1, 2015 7:10 AM CDT

3 candidates vie for treasurer post

Three candidates have emerged in what has become a contested race to serve a three-year term as ABA treasurer starting in 2017. The candidates made their first formal presentations to the Nominating Committee in August during the ABA Annual Meeting. Michelle A. Behnke, Timothy W. Bouch and Kara I. Smith…

Oct 1, 2015 7:05 AM CDT