Whether guiding the audience through the legal maze of education statutes, or sharing real world experience with bilingual education program implementation, a panel of leading local and national experts at a recent ABA Section of State and Local Government Law conference offered varying perspectives on the practical implementation of bilingual education programs in their municipalities, as well as a basic legal background of this often controversial topic.

On the expected eve of the Senate passage of the financial regulatory bill, certain elements — including what a consumer protection agency would look like under the Senate bill— are becoming clearer. However, the Senate and House will still need to come to agreement on final language.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson has been named recipient of the American Bar Association Justice Center’s 2010 John Marshall Award in recognition of her exemplary lifelong commitment and dedication to the improvement of the administration of justice.

Economic turmoil around the world set the tone for the 58th Annual ABA Section of Antitrust Law Spring Meeting in the nation’s capital. With leadership changes at several major competition authorities, including several agencies in the United States as well as the European Commission, conversations about competition law and policy developments in jurisdictions around the globe took center stage.

The ABA expressed strong support April 27 for increasing the federal investment in the only two government efforts targeted at providing critical services to homeless children, youth and families: the Department of Education’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth program and the Department of Health and Human Services Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs.

This spring lawyers from the ABA Section of State and Local Government Law gathered in Miami to discuss the latest legal issues in land use, zoning codes, bilingual education, property rights and other pressing issues of interest to municipal and state practitioners.

More regulation and oversight for corporate America are on the forefront of congressional debates. In light of this, businesses should be knowledgeable about internal investigation protocol and how to be prepared in a world where communication channels seem endless, and are discoverable through E-discovery. Legal experts gathered recently to discuss “Nuts & Bolts: How to Conduct an Effective Ethical Internal Investigation,” during the American Bar Association’s Internal Corporate Investigations and Forum for In-House Counsel 2010 meeting.

Miami lawyer Stephen N. Zack, a partner in the national law firm Boies, Schiller and Flexner, will speak at law school commencements in Gainesville, Ft. Lauderdale and Jacksonville, Fla., May 14 – 16. Zack, the association’s first Hispanic American president-elect, will challenge the graduating law students to fulfill their potential and right the wrongs they will inevitably encounter in their future legal careers.

This year’s Law Day theme – “Law in the 21st Century: Enduring Traditions, Emerging Challenges” – set its focus on the dramatic changes in the law as it seeks to shape and adapt to new conditions presented at the beginning of this second decade of the century.

The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division, in conjunction with the Virgin Islands Bar Association, will host its Spring Conference beginning Thursday, May 13, and ending Saturday, May 15, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. With headquarters at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa, the conference will provide three days of networking, continuing legal education and community service opportunities.

The second annual Diversity Leadership Award was presented at the Section of Litigation welcome reception in April. This year’s recipients included Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan Jr. and the Coca-Cola Company Legal Division. “This year’s recipients have proven their commitment to diversity through long-standing efforts to make a difference in improving the opportunities for all,” said Section Chair Lorna Schofield of New York.

When it comes to defamation suits about online comments, no one wins, according to Laurence Wilson, general counsel of the San Francisco-based Yelp! Wilson told a panel, “Astroturfing, Take-Downs and Anonymous Commentary: Protecting (and Enhancing) Reputation,” during the American Bar Association Business Law Section 2010 Spring Meeting that defending against online defamation often ricochets back on the victim.