Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan Jr. and the Coca-Cola Company Legal Division are the recipients of the American Bar Association Section of Litigation’s 2010 Diversity Leadership Award. The awards will be presented to them during the section’s annual conference in New York City on April 21 at the Welcome & Outreach Reception, 6 – 7:30 p.m. in the Trianon Complex at the New York Hilton Hotel.

The American Bar Association Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities named civil liberties and human rights attorney Paul M. Smith as the recipient of this year’s Thurgood Marshall Award, which will be presented Aug. 7 at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

In the midst of the H1N1 pandemic, public health has become a primary focus of national security. Pandemics, detaining suspected terrorists, cyber security and civil liberties are just a few of the topics to be covered at the ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice’s 5th Annual Homeland Security Law Institute March 3 and 4.

The 2010 Spring Meeting of the American Bar Association Business Law Section in Denver, April 22-24, will feature discussions on financial services reform, identity theft, working with troubled companies, managing online reputations and board influence on corporate culture, among other topics.

Insurance industry executives along with more than 150 of the nation’s top insurance company and policyholders’ counsel and other industry leaders will gather in Tucson, Ariz., for the 22nd Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar.

The American Bar Association Law Student Division recognized the winning teams from its annual Negotiation Competition at a special reception on Saturday, Feb. 6 during the ABA Midyear Meeting in Orlando, Fla. This year’s national champions are Dustin Guzior and Ariel Soiffer from Boston University School of Law.

While many lawyers may not be familiar with the intricacies of bioethics, the study is a very important and substantive issue that directly affects the public as it relates to medical discoveries and health care costs. In a roundtable discussion sponsored by the American Bar Association Special Committee on Bioethics and the Law titled “Hot Topics in Bioethics,” experts William Allen, director, Program in Bioethics, Law and Medical Professionalism, University of Florida and Robyn Shapiro, partner at Drinker Biddle in the Health Practice Group, led and facilitated debate on current trends in the field, as well as legal and ethical issues.

A weekend summit at the ABA Midyear Meeting highlighted challenges facing the indigent defense system around the country. The ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants – together with a group of co-sponsors – organized the 6th Annual Summit on Indigent Defense Improvement. During an afternoon panel discussion Saturday, panelists focused on Michigan’s challenges in delivering free or low-cost legal services to the poor.

The American Bar Association nominated a slate of new officers headed by William T. (Bill) Robinson III from Florence, Ky., who is in line to become president‑elect following the ABA 2010 Annual Meeting in San Francisco during August. The nominations were announced Feb. 8 at the ABA 2010 Midyear Meeting in Orlando, Fla.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida told the American Bar Association on Feb. 8 that he will ask Sen. Harry Reid to urge Pres. Barack Obama to make recess appointments to the federal bench during the one-week Presidents Day Congressional recess, by-passing Senate confirmation hearings.

An estimated 300,000 children of illegal immigrants are born in the United States every year, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. Because they are born in the United States, these children are automatically U.S. citizens.

An expert panel of speakers shared ideas about practicing law in a solo or small firm Friday at the ABA Midyear Meeting. “Smart Soloing: Effective Strategies for Diverse Lawyers” – which also was webcast live for an online audience – was part of the Presidential Diversity Commission’s Distance Learning Program Series.