How can we as a profession eradicate the stigma that prevents lawyers with disabilities from reaching the pinnacle of their careers? That was the question posed during “Disability Inclusion: Corporate and Law Firm Best Practices,” a panel during the Third National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities.

There are 800 million Facebook users; 100 million on LinkedIn. And there are billions of users worldwide on social media sites. Social media is the future of e-commerce, laid out Rob Holmes, of IPCybercrimes.com, during a recent American Bar Association Section of Intellectual Property Law panel.

With two clicks of a mouse, you can provide homeless veterans with access to justice, help foster children transition to independent living, or build awareness of Law Day! The American Bar Association recently launched the “Make Your Likes Count” sweepstakes on Facebook, which invites legal professionals to support three ABA Fund for Justice and Education charities. The sweepstakes runs through May 15.

An effective antitrust compliance program does not mean everyone in the company becomes a legal expert, said moderator Kathleen Beasley, of Haynes & Boone LLP, at a “General Counsel Roundtable on Compliance” program, in recapping thoughts from the guests. Rather, it means that there is an atmosphere, a culture of compliance; there’s a dialogue and ongoing communications about abiding by the rules.

Aileen M. McGill, a 2010 graduate of University of Pennsylvania Law School and a second-year litigation associate at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler in New York City, displays the plaque she received as winner of the 2012 Bert W. Levit Essay Contest, sponsored by the ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability. Her winning essay was a legal memorandum to the general counsel of an international law firm on ethics questions concerning how the firm handles engagement letters, office restructuring and taking on new matters in a cross-jurisdictional scenario.



WASHINGTON, D.C., April 13, 2012 — The American Bar Association will honor three exceptional lawyers, the State Bar of Michigan and the Texas Supreme Court with its annual Grassroots Advocacy Award during a reception at the U.S. Supreme Court on April 18. 

The awards are given as part of the ABA’s annual effort to connect policymakers with constituents in the legal profession.

The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession has chosen five women lawyers to receive its 2012 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award. The award ceremony luncheon will take place Sunday, Aug. 5 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, during the ABA Annual Meeting.

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 5, 2012 — The American Bar Association Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, in partnership with West LegalEdcenter, is offering ABA members a complimentary program, “When the Levees Broke: Lessons Learned From Judicial and Governmental Response to Hurricane Katrina,” available April 5 – May 5.

A recent Section of Business Law-sponsored CLE program, “Privacy and Anti-Money Laundering: An Oxymoron?” described the challenges of navigating the conflicting guidance and legal requirements relating to anti-money laundering efforts and privacy requirements. The program also provided operational tips on managing those requirements, and some scenarios that may arise because of the tension between the two sets of rules.

Human trafficking is a $32 billion industry, with an estimated 27 million people entrapped at any given time, said Norman Greene, the moderator of a recent panel, “Combating Human Trafficking: The U.S. Government’s Response.” Attendees and webinar listeners of the program sponsored by the Section of International Law, of which Greene is also a member, heard from several agency representatives who explained some of the ongoing efforts against trafficking.

“Ask.” “Gather information.” And “assess and change.” Those were just a few tips that Vernā Myers offered in her presentation, “Intentional Inclusion: Key to Member Retention.” The program—presented by the Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity, Office of the Executive Director, Section Officers Conference and Center for CLE —addressed ways to improve diversity and the experience, specifically in bar associations.

More than 300 presidents-elect, officers and executive staff from about 150 state, local and specialty bar associations and foundations are receiving training and tips March 14-16 at the American Bar Association’s Bar Leadership Institute in Chicago.