Economic Slide Dominates Midyear Meeting

ABA leaders urge lawyers to aid the distressed

Mar 2, 2009 2:40 AM CST

Wells Boosts Legal Corps

Just three days after the in­auguration of President Barack Obama, ABA Presi­dent H. Thomas Wells Jr. was meeting with new White House Counsel Greg Craig about some of the association’s key policy initiatives.

Mar 2, 2009 2:30 AM CST

Survey: Young Lawyers Glad They’re Attorneys

Contrary to media reports suggesting widespread lawyer dissat­isfaction, a new study of 4,160 individuals who became lawyers in 2000 has found that three out of four say they are either extremely or moderately satisfied with their decision to become an attorney.

Mar 2, 2009 2:20 AM CST

The Foreclosure Learning Curve

In these days of crisis, a foreclosure takes place every 13 seconds in the U.S. So, doing the math, that means more than 400 foreclosures were initiated somewhere in the nation during the 90-minute program “Foreclosing on the American Dream” at the midyear meeting.

Mar 2, 2009 2:10 AM CST

ABA Endorses Detainee Rights

The ABA’s policymaking house of Delegates voted overwhelmingly at the midyear meeting to endorse rights of due process for detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Mar 2, 2009 2:05 AM CST

Zack in Line to Head ABA

Talk about your landslides. the ABA Nominating Com­mittee voted unanimously at the midyear meeting in Boston to confirm Stephen N. Zack of Miami as the next pres­ident-elect of the ABA. Zack ran unopposed.

Mar 2, 2009 2:04 AM CST

Lawyer Knits to Pass Time During Meeting

Mar 2, 2009 2:00 AM CST

ABA House OKs Lateral Lawyer Ethics Rule Change

After a debate that lasted more than 90 minutes—the longest so far today—the ABA’s policymaking House of Delegates adopted Resolution 109, an ethics rule that allows a firm to “screen” a lawyer who joins it from any participation in a case that might create conflicts for clients represented by the…

Feb 16, 2009 9:04 PM CST

Economy & Politics Threaten State Courts, ABA House Told

Massive state budget shortfalls threaten the ability of courts to continue to operate, Massachusetts Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall, who is president of the Conference of Chief Justices, told the ABA House of Delegates today. At least 46 states face revenue shortfalls totaling $350 billion from this year through 2001,…

Feb 16, 2009 5:13 PM CST

Detainee Rights Measure Passed by ABA House

The ABA’s policymaking House of Delegates this morning passed a measure calling on federal courts to grant detainees rights as habeas petitioners. It also called for individuals who are not enemy combatants to be resettled in other nations. And it urged that individuals who are charged with violations of criminal…

Feb 16, 2009 4:09 PM CST

ABA House Passes Disaster Insurance Measures

The ABA’s policy-making House of Delegates this morning passed a series of resolutions aimed at improving insurance protection for individuals and companies affected by natural disasters. The measures were put forward by the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section. They were opposed by the Section of Real Property, Trust &…

Feb 16, 2009 3:34 PM CST

Times Have Changed, ABA President Tells House

Corrected: With ample understatement, ABA President H. Thomas Wells Jr. of Birmingham, Ala., told the ABA House of Delegates this morning that “the world has changed since we last met” in August. “We have a new President and a new Congress. We’ve had productive outreach to the Obama Administration about…

Feb 16, 2009 2:55 PM CST

ABA House Calls for Immigration Representation

Individuals detained for alleged immigration law violations should be told they have a right to counsel, be allowed to contact their lawyers by telephone, and be instructed of their rights in a language they can understand, the ABA’s policy-making House of Delegates said today. “These are just basic American due…

Feb 16, 2009 2:18 PM CST

Judges Should Control Sex Offender Registration, ABA House Says

Congress should amend existing statutes to allow judges to determine whether juveniles convicted of sex crimes should be required to register as sex offenders, the ABA’s policymaking House of Delegates said today. Federal law currently require all youths 14 years old or older who are convicted of sex-related offenses to…

Feb 16, 2009 2:07 PM CST

ABA House to Air Live on the Web Today

Live from Boston, it’s the ABA House of Delegates. For the first time, the ABA’s policymaking body will webcast its sessions live from the ABA Midyear Meeting. The House session, scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET today, will be available online here. The ABA Journal’s homepage will be…

Feb 16, 2009 12:16 PM CST