ABA

Former ABA president, ‘a towering figure in the legal community,’ dies at 85

Atlanta lawyer R. William (Bill) Ide III, who served as president of the American Bar Association for the 1993 to 1994 term, died on July 8 at the age of 85. Ide “was a towering figure in the legal community and a fierce advocate for civil rights, a fair and…

Jul 14, 2025 10:34 AM CDT

Deans, law school associations oppose Texas proposal to end ABA accreditation

Deans from eight Texas law schools—along with leaders of the Association of American Law Schools, the Law School Admission Council, the AccessLex Institute and the National Association for Law Placement—oppose ending Texas’ requirement that bar exam takers graduate from an ABA-accredited law school, according to responses to the Texas Supreme Court obtained by the ABA Journal.

Jul 10, 2025 9:26 AM CDT

ABA ethics opinion addresses jury selection discrimination from consultants and AI technology

When using peremptory challenges, lawyers should not strike jurors based on discrimination, according to an ethics opinion by the ABA’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility.

Jul 9, 2025 10:20 AM CDT

Lawyer for ABA, foreign-aid recipients tells DC Circuit US must spend appropriated ‘pots of money’

Congress in 2024 “appropriated very specific pots of money for foreign assistance purposes” and required the executive branch to spend the full amount, a lawyer representing the ABA and other groups challenging funding cutoffs told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Monday.

Jul 8, 2025 1:35 PM CDT

Chemerinsky: Supreme Court’s term was all about taking sides on the ideological divide

The court’s October 2024 term, which ended June 27, presented a number of cases that posed politically controversial issues concerning the aspects of the culture wars and challenges to the actions of President Donald Trump.

Jul 2, 2025 9:00 AM CDT

Bill Paul, ABA’s first Native American president, dies at 94

A firm believer in increasing diversity in the legal profession, Bill Paul and his wife funded the initial $100,000 to establish the ABA’s Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund, alongside his longtime firm, Crowe & Dunlevy.

Jul 1, 2025 1:34 PM CDT

Trump executive order ‘cuts Susman off at the knees,’ judge says, permanently blocking it

A fourth federal judge has granted a permanent injunction blocking President Donald Trump from targeting law firms because of the clients they represent and the causes that they back.

Jun 30, 2025 10:49 AM CDT

Nonlawyers can partly own law firms in Puerto Rico under revised ethics rules

Puerto Rico has enacted new lawyer ethics rules that allow nonlawyers to have an ownership interest in law firms, a departure from Model Rule 5.4 of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct on professional independence.

Jun 25, 2025 2:59 PM CDT

Attacks on rule of law will fail because lawyers ‘are fierce’ and ‘very resourceful,’ says DC Bar president-elect

“Lawyers are fighters, and judges will follow the law,” says Diane Seltzer, the president-elect of the D.C. Bar for the 2025-2026 term. “We are fierce; we care deeply about justice; and we are very, very resourceful in finding ways to make sure we prevail.”

Jun 20, 2025 11:17 AM CDT

Barrett belies claims of leftward drift as Supreme Court upholds ban on some medical treatments for trans minors

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 Wednesday that Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender minors does not violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

Jun 18, 2025 10:04 AM CDT

ABA sues over Trump administration’s intimidation of law firms and lawyers

The ABA filed a federal lawsuit on Monday to stop the Trump administration’s ongoing intimidation of lawyers and law firms. “This is the time to stand up, speak out and seek relief from our courts,” ABA President Bill Bay said.

Jun 16, 2025 2:40 PM CDT

Are you the bully at work? ‘Stand Up to Bullying Challenge’ includes introspection, education

Lawyers and bar leaders are being urged to take a six-day "Stand Up to Bullying Challenge" to address and prevent bullying in the workplace.

Jun 16, 2025 8:55 AM CDT

Data doesn’t support DOJ claims of bias in judicial ratings process, ABA President Bay says

The ABA is rebutting U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s claims of bias in its long-standing efforts to evaluate federal judicial nominees.

Jun 12, 2025 9:45 AM CDT

ABA Commission on Immigration launches new program to respond to ICE’s courthouse arrests

The Immigration Court Observation and Awareness Project aims to identify trends and systemic issues by asking volunteers to observe short preliminary hearings and record their observations. The commission plans to use this data to better support noncitizens’ access to counsel and due process rights.

Jun 11, 2025 11:33 AM CDT

Coco Su helps expand access to justice throughout California

Coco Su has worked with the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s lawyer referral service, SmartLaw, for more than a decade and is now its director. She has been the driving force behind many of its efforts to increase access to justice for underserved communities and low-to-moderate income consumers.

Jun 9, 2025 9:12 AM CDT