These views are being presented only on behalf of the Sections of Antitrust Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Law and Science and Technology Law. They have not been approved by the ABA House of Delegates or Board of Governors and should not be construed as representing the policy of the American Bar Association.

Please click on the link below for the cover letter and comments:

http://www.americanbar.org/content/aba/groups/antitrust_law/resources/comments_reports_amicus_briefs/2013_comments.html

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, along with the BP oil spill, are a few of the disasters that affected communities recently and inspired this year’s conference theme, “Building Resilient Communities.” Other panels will focus on fair housing, low-income housing tax credits and community and economic development law.

Program highlights include:

“Disaster Assistance” — Panelists will engage in an interactive discussion about HUD disaster assistance programs, the federal response to disasters and the impact of the assistance.
Wednesday, May 22, 4 – 5:15 p.m.

“Stretching the Green Dollar — Energy-Oriented Financing to Preserve Affordable Housing” —Officials will discuss funding programs and tax incentives associated with energy financing designed to preserve public and affordable housing.
Thursday, May 23, 10 – 11:15 a.m.

“Rebuilding Community Infrastructure Post-Disaster” — Panelists will discuss how economic development policies impact the long-term economic development of a region.
Thursday, May 23, 3:45 – 5 p.m.

What:
22nd Annual Forum on the Affordable Housing
and Community Development Law Conference

When:
May 22-24

Where:
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
1330 Maryland Ave. SW
Washington, D.C.

A complete agenda and updated list of speakers can be found online.

For media credentialing, please contact Betsy Adeboyejo at Betsy.Adeboyejo@americanbar.org. This event is free and open to members of the press.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law. To review our privacy statement, click here. Follow the latest ABA news at www.abanow.org and on Twitter @ABANews.

Phyllis C. Borzi, assistant secretary of labor for the Employee Benefits Security Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor, will speak about the department’s enforcement program, including its structure, how it conducts investigations and its enforcement priorities and initiatives, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. May 21 via a live video Web conference.

Other program highlights include:

“Health Care Claims and Related Litigation Under ACA” — Panelists will discuss the litigation implications of the Affordable Care Act, including external review requirements, grandfathered plan status, retiree medical plan changes and the law’s expansive employee protection provision.
Monday, May 20, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

“LGBT Employee Benefits Litigation Issues” — As the number of states legalizing gay marriage increases, eligibility and disclosure issues affecting same-sex couples in employee benefit plans are increasingly leading to litigation. Panelists will discuss issues including the interpretation of potentially ambiguous terms such as “spouse” and “domestic partner,” employment discrimination claims, and the Supreme Court review of the Defense of Marriage Act.
Tuesday, May 21, 2 – 2:50 p.m.

What:
23^rd Annual National Institute on ERISA Litigation

When:
May 20-21

Where:
American Bar Association
321 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60654

A complete agenda and updated list of speakers can be found online.

For media credentialing, please contact Emily Ortman at Emily.Ortman@americabar.org. This event is free and open to members of the press.

Former Detroit Mayor Archer and Grey, executive director of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, will be honored at the 25^th Anniversary Gala Luncheon celebrating the two trailblazers.

Included in the activities is the ABA National Conference for the Minority Lawyer, a one-day career development program aimed at racially and ethnically diverse lawyers who have been in practice for less than 10 years.

Highlights of the programs, which can be found online, include:

“Managing Implicit Bias/Stereotype Threats Faced by Diverse Lawyers”
This session looks at how implicit bias affects the careers of diverse lawyers. What are strategies for overcoming these barriers to career success?
Wednesday, May 15, 1:15 – 2:30 p.m.

“Leadership Strategies for Women”
Featured speakers are ABA President Laurel G. Bellows and ABA Candidate for President-Elect Paulette Brown, chief diversity officer of Edwards Wildman Palmer in Madison, N.J.
Thursday, May 16, 10 – 11:15 a.m.

“Challenges and Opportunities for Diverse 21^st-Century Lawyers: Ethical Considerations of Emerging Practice Models”
Learn how attorneys are exploiting advances in technology and using emerging practice models to navigate market changes.
Thursday, May 16, 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.

“25^th Anniversary Gala Luncheon Celebrating Trailblazers”
Dennis W. Archer and Robert J. Grey Jr. will be honored.
Friday, May 17, 1 – 3 p.m.

The event is open to members of the press. For media registration, please contact Julie Brown at Julie.Brown@americanbar.org or at 312-988-6133.

Presented by the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, the Minority Counsel Program promotes diversity in the legal profession through education, relationship-building and professional development for attorneys of color, both in house and at majority and minority-owned law firms.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

The Annual Meeting for the Forum on the Construction Industry will be held on April 25-27 and will feature more than 20 sessions on domestic and global hot topics in construction law.

The opening plenary session on April 25, “The Legal Issues Arising from Future On-Site Construction Technologies,” which includes robotics and modular construction, features Martin Fischer, a professor of civil engineering at Stanford University. An ethical business development strategy session features David K. Keller of the Keller Business Development Advisory Group in Corte Madera, Calif., on April 27.

Other program highlights include:

“The Law of the Future — Workforce Issues” — The program will analyze the future of the construction workforce; local hire requirements; right-to-work statutes; diversity programs; the use of foreign workers in the U.S.; and U.S. workers employed cross-border.
April 25, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m.

“The Future is Now — The Impact of Globalization on Construction Dispute Resolution” — What do you do when you have a project in your backyard and the architect is from Sweden, the general contractor is owned by a Spanish conglomerate, and the steel is from China? Learn about the impact of globalization on the future of domestic dispute resolution.
April 26, 9:50 – 10:50 a.m.

“The Trial Time Machine — The Future of Preserving, Finding, and Presenting Construction Project Data at Trial” — Now that construction projects are managed in the cloud, what does this mean in the courtroom?
April 26, 1:30 – 3:15 p.m.

What:
Forum on the Construction Industry 2013 Annual Meeting

When:
April 25-27

Where:
St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort and Spa
One Monarch Beach Resort
Dana Point, CA 92629

For more information on the conference and a complete list of panels and speakers, please click here.

For media credentialing, please contact Betsy Adeboyejo at Betsy.Adeboyejo@americanbar.org. This event is free and open to members of the press.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

The task force, created in July 2012, is charged with making recommendations on how law schools, the ABA and others can address issues such as rising tuition and student debt, decreased employment prospects in the current economy and heightened demands for curriculum changes.

The agenda is as follows (all times Eastern):

9:30 a.m.

Welcome

• Randall T. Shepard, chair and former chief justice, Indiana Supreme Court
• Gary Roberts, dean, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
• James Silkenat, ABA president-elect

9:40 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The Current Legal Education Challenge

• Led by: Jay Conison, dean, Charlotte School of Law
• Panel:   Michael Fitts, dean, University of Pennsylvania Law School; Bryant Garth, professor, Southwestern Law School; Lauren Robel, professor, Indiana University Maurer School of Law; Richard Vedder, director, Center for College Affordability and Productivity

1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.         

Licensing, Finance and Admissions

• Led by: Paula Littlewood, executive director, Washington State Bar
• Panel:   Erica Moeser, president, National Conference of Bar Examiners;
• Charles Nash, vice chancellor, University of Alabama System; Jon Streeter, immediate past president, California State Bar; Frank Sullivan, professor, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law

2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.    

Delivery, Innovation and Barriers

• Led by: David Yellen, dean, Loyola University Chicago School of Law
• Panel:   Catherine Carpenter, professor, Southwestern Law School; William Henderson, professor, Indiana University Maurer School of Law; Sophie Sparrow, professor, University of New Hampshire School of Law

Due to space restrictions at the meeting site (Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis), reporters are encouraged to view the live webcast or video of the proceedings, which will be posted to the task force website (http://bit.ly/XLW4je). (Meeting information is listed under “Upcoming Events” on the right side of the task force’s home page.)

News reporters seeking media credentials and responses to other questions can contact Ira Pilchen, ira.pilchen@americanbar.org, 312-988-5743.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

The meeting, An Infrastructure Crossroads, is a three-part webinar series. The section will present three comprehensive sessions that will explore fundamental issues involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the latest regulations in renewable energy and updates on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure — the last of which will be introduced by ABA President Laurel G. Bellows.

Program highlights include:

“Manipulation or Arbitrage: Energy Traders, FERC and the RTOs” — Discussion will focus on the traders in the wholesale electricity markets who are under investigation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for strategies that are described as manipulative.
April 23, 12:30 – 2 p.m. (EST)

“Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure” — The program will explore the legal issues and examine how the nation could prepare for a major cyber-attack.
April 23, 2:15 – 3:45 p.m. (EST)

“A Green Tea Party? Government Support for Renewables in the Midst of the Budget Wars” —Renewable energy was spared this year from federal government budget cuts, but what is the future of renewables in other budget years?
April 23, 4 – 5:15 p.m. (EST)

What:
ABA Public Utility, Communications and
Transportation Law Virtual Spring Meeting

When:
April 23, 2013

A complete agenda and list of speakers can be found here.

Registrants and media can watch the program remotely. For media credentialing, please contact Betsy Adeboyejo at Betsy.Adeboyejo@americanbar.org. This event is free and open to members of the press.

The American Bar Association Section of Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law is the leading professional organization for those interested in the rapidly changing legal environment in the communications, cable TV, Internet, electricity, gas, oil pipelines, aviation, motor carriers, railroads and water industries.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

The meeting, sponsored by the ABA Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities, will bring together law students, young lawyers, experienced civil rights advocates and others in the community, including keynote speakers Raheemah Abdulaleem, an American Muslim civil rights lawyer with the U.S. Department of Justice, and Alyza D. Lewin, a criminal defense and civil litigation attorney.

The program will consist of a keynote address followed by small group discussions. It is part of a series of open sessions around the country that examine equality as it relates to race, gender, disability rights and LGBT issues. The Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities will develop a report at the completion of the program series.

What:
“Advocating for Equality in the Next
Generation: Religious Discrimination”

When:
Thursday, April 18
4 – 6 p.m.

Where:
The American Bar Association
740 15th Street, NW
John Marshall Conference Room
Washington, D.C.

There is no charge for media covering this event. For media credentials and more information, please contact Maria Gutierrez at 202-662-1091 or Maria.Gutierrez@americanbar.org.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

These views are being presented only on behalf of the Section of Antitrust Law and International Law. They have not been approved by the ABA House of Delegates or Board of Governors and should not be construed as representing the policy of the American Bar Association.

Cover letter and comments are online here.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

Once a case is posted, subscribers receive a corresponding email alert.  To subscribe to these alerts at no cost, please click here. For the first time, subscribers may also elect to receive alerts from particular circuits. For more information or questions about the Project, please contact Al Leeds at al.leeds@americanbar.org.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.