You can learn a lot about dogs from the Michael Vick case. Just ask Florida State Representative Luis Garcia or State Senator Jim Norman. They have filed HB 4075/SB 722 to repeal the arbitrary ‘dangerous’ designation given to dogs seized in fighting busts. It makes sense to me. My sweet little princess and a former fight bust dog Karma thinks it’s a no brainer. How on earth could anyone arbitrarily deem a dog dangerous simply because of the abuse it was subjected to? Dogs in the hands of dog fighters are victims not villains. … And lawyers like myself do have a heart. The American Bar Association’s House of Delegates is considering a Resolution (pdf) to protect all victims of cruelty — regardless of whether the animals are seized from fighting yards, puppy mills, or hoarding situations. The 560-member House of Delegates meets on Feb. 14 in Atlanta.

American Bar Association President Stephen Zack appeared on the local morning news in Memphis to speak on several ABA initiatives including recruiting minority attorneys, civics education and funding for legal services.

The American Bar Association will hold its midyear meeting in Atlanta Feb. 9-15. Watch ABA leaders from Atlanta give previews of meeting sessions in which they will participate.

Indian lawyers are in great demand in the United States – not for their arguing skills, but for their writing and editing skills. According to an article in the journal of the American Bar Association, attorneys in India have been correcting grammatical and other mistakes of partners and associates at some of the top 100 law firms in the US. … Training Indian legal eagles to write the American way works out to be cost-effective for these law firms in the long run.

This afternoon the ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 sent an email through the listserv announcing a public hearing in mid-October in Chicago.  The Commission is looking for comments on two topics: 1) ‘Client Confidentiality and Lawyers’ Use of Technology’ and 2)  ‘Lawyers’ Use of Internet Based Client Development Tools.’

The ABA’s Commission on Ethics 20/20 released two issues papers this afternoon.  One deals with confidentiality-related ethics issues arising from lawyers’ use of new technology, including cloud computing.  The second paper identifies a variety of ethics issues arising from lawyers’ use of Internet-based client development tools, such as social and professional networking sites, blogging, pay-per-click (and pay-per lead) advertising, and law firm websites. … Both papers seek comments and feedback on the issues that are identified.

On Sept. 17, 1787 the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the U.S. Constitution, a written charter for a new, and enduring, federal government. It was one of the defining events in our nation’s history. … Further distressing news about our civic knowledge was revealed when retired U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice David Souter addressed the American Bar Association at a meeting. He said, ‘We know from survey results that about two-thirds of the people in the United States cannot even name all three branches of the national government.’ My commitment to the Constitution and to civic education is rooted in my childhood. I lived in Cuba when Fidel Castro came to power. In 1961, when I was a young teen, my family and I fled to the United States. My experience in Cuba taught me that a constitution is just words on a page unless people understand what those words mean and what their obligations are under that constitution.

The American Bar Association shares the concerns expressed in The Post’s Sept. 9 editorial ‘Fill that bench.’ A polarized political climate has long characterized the Senate’s consideration of federal judges and hamstrung efforts to fill much-needed judgeships. At a time when our courts are taxed with overflowing dockets, more than 100 Article III judgeships go unfilled. While the Senate recently confirmed one nominee who had waited more than 400 days for a final confirmation vote, 16 additional nominees already reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee await a floor vote. Fourteen of the 16 nominees, all of whom have been vetted by the ABA, have no recorded opposition from members of either party. Our federal courts have a constitutional responsibility to execute fair and timely decisions. Persistent judicial vacancies threaten the courts’ ability to do this, eroding public confidence in our system of justice.

ABA President Zack Discusses Judicial Budget Cuts

ABA President Zack on WABC’s “Tiempo”

‘This program saved my life.’ A woman stood before Crow Wing County commissioners Tuesday and told them she owed her life to the drug court program. Jailed several times, flunked out of school, with an overdose and 90 percent of her time sick from withdrawal and unable to keep a job, the woman said she had destroyed her family relationships and was facing loss of custody of her daughter. Now, as she approaches graduation from the program, she said she had turned her life around and was recently accepted for the St. Scholastica social work program. … David Hermerding, assistant county attorney and drug court team member, cited a letter in the May/June issue of Bench&Bar magazine from the American Bar Association’s chairman on its standing committee on substance abuse. The letter said by conservative estimates $3.36 is saved by the justice system for every $1 invested in drug court and as much as $12 is saved for each dollar in foster care, property loss and medical care.