Law students and young lawyers face more stress and uncertainty today than ever.  Today, the cost of legal education and average student loan debt loads are unprecedented, while job prospects for graduates are uncertain.  The ABA and its Law Student and Young Lawyers Divisions understand these realities, and are creating and leading initiatives to assist you during the initial stages of your career.

Tremaine “Teddy” Reese, the 2011-2012 Law Student Division chair who attends Florida A&M University College of Law, said, “Considering the challenges for today’s law students, I am encouraged by the leadership, support and resources provided by the ABA.  We are arguably attending law school during very challenging economic times.  However, this is not the time to give up.  With the continued support of many judges and attorneys throughout the ABA, we will continue our push to be movers and shakers in the legal community.

“I speak from my experience as a member that the ABA is in full support of all law students and is committed to developing resources that will assist law students in their job search, and providing access to experienced attorneys.  With signs of economic improvement, our job seeking resources and our attendance at vital meetings, I am convinced that ABA law student members will be in a better position as they embark on their careers in the legal profession.”

The ABA is working to ensure that you can make an informed decision about your choice in law schools.  The Young Lawyers Division sponsored a resolution calling on law schools to report more detailed job employment statistics.  This resolution was ultimately adopted by the ABA House of Delegates and became official policy of the ABA.  The ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is changing the way law schools report that information—providing more accurate and clear data about the types of jobs held by recent graduates, whether those jobs require a J.D., and whether they are part- or full-time jobs.  The Young Lawyers Division established a Truth in Law School Education Committee to study the section’s work and ongoing efforts to increase law school transparency.

We are working to make law school more affordable once you enroll.  In August of last year, the House of Delegates approved another resolution sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division that urged Congress to assist students with debt relief.  We are pleased to report President Obama signed a law two months later adjusting the deadlines for income-based repayment relief and allowing loans to be consolidated with lower interest rates.

We are also working to provide networking and other resources for career placement and professional development.  The Law Student Division offers internships, fellowships and clerkships in a variety of specialties, plus campus programs involving practicing lawyers in your community.  The Young Lawyers Division’s Career Development Initiative features a different potential career path each month, giving you insight into the field within the legal profession you might consider after graduation or another career transition.  Once in practice, you may join any of the ABA’s specialty practice groups covering more than 30 areas of law, to network with and learn from peers in your chosen field.  Hundreds of continuing legal education courses provide you with the tools to sharpen your skills and stay abreast of the latest trends in the industry.

We are working to give you a voice.  The Law Student Division and the Young Lawyers Division have official voting representatives on the ABA Board of Governors, as well as voting delegates in the ABA House of Delegates.  Additionally, both divisions have their own governing bodies—the LSD Assembly, which consists of two delegates from each of the 200 ABA-approved law schools; and the YLD Assembly, which consists of young lawyers from young lawyer organizations across the county.  In each of these governing bodies, the divisions personally advocate on behalf of the needs and concerns of law students and young lawyers across the country.

According to the 2011-2012 Young Lawyers Division chair, Michael G. Bergmann of Chicago, “My involvement with the ABA, and specifically the Young Lawyers Division, has been extremely rewarding to me both personally and professionally.  I have developed a network of lawyers from across the country, have had a voice in addressing issues that impact our profession, have been able to make a difference in the lives of others through public service efforts, and have grown personally and professionally.”

The ABA is the largest voluntary association in the world, which means no other organization can match our ability to help you gain knowledge, develop skills, build networks and be heard.  We are your partners for a productive and rewarding career in the field of law.

Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III, president of the ABA, said, “Our Law Student and Young Lawyer Divisions are doing an exceptional job with networking, job placement, continuing education and other programs that help those just starting their careers.  Working together, we will continue to address the concerns young lawyers and law students have about the job market, debt loads and other issues that they care about.”

The ABA Young Lawyers Division is the home for young lawyers who are under the age of 36 or within the first five years of practice.  With over 130,000 members and 300 affiliated young lawyer organizations, the ABA YLD is the largest young lawyer organization in the world.  The ABA Law Student Division is the largest professional student organization in the country and one of the largest dues paying entities of the Association.  All students attending ABA-approved law schools are eligible to join.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization 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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The Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar and its Accreditation Committee are both recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) as the only federal accreditors for programs leading to the first degree in law. In this function, the Section and its Council are separate and independent of the ABA, as required by DOE regulations.

This is a great step that rewards dedication to public service. The ABA looks forward to continued efforts regarding debt relief for young lawyers, especially in light of the continuing economic uncertainties facing them.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization 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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The dated and somewhat demeaning view of the role of in-house counsel is especially disturbing because of its potential impact in today’s modern, multinational business world. For the sake of clarity, compliance and modernity, the court should have used this opportunity to recognize the role of the legal professional privilege in the current global environment.

Attorney-client privilege is an essential element of a successful and meaningful client-lawyer relationship. The association will continue to work on this issue in concert with the many other entities and legal experts who share our concerns.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization 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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With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization 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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Sept. 8, 2010

The unanimous Senate vote on this long-contentious issue represents a rare bipartisan achievement in the criminal justice reform area. Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Sessions (R-AL) led Senate efforts that resulted in an historic compromise on this legislation to ease the harsh mandatory minimum sentences for low-level crack cocaine offenses. The bill was unanimously approved by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.  Senate Judiciary Chairman Leahy (D-VT), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Senator Hatch (R-UT) and Senator Cardin (D-MD) each played important roles in moving this reform towards passage by the Senate.  The ABA commends these Senate leaders for reaching common ground on this much-needed reform.  We stand ready to take the next steps to improve fairness in federal sentencing.

The public should understand that this important decision to try terrorists accused of criminal conduct in federal court is separate from any decision regarding the physical location for the trial. A federal court trial is defined by the substantive and procedural rules that guide the proceedings, not by the location of the court house. An Article III prosecution of these alleged terrorists can be conducted in any secure location that will provide for the safety of all participants without requiring a vast expenditure of new resources.

Nine years have passed since the attacks, and none of the individuals alleged to be responsible has been prosecuted, in large part because the rules governing military commissions have been in a state of flux. It is still unclear what constitutional provisions might be binding in commission trials. The possibility that a military commission trial ultimately may be held to have violated constitutional principles is real. This uncertainty is avoidable: the rules governing Article III criminal trials are clear, as are the governing constitutional provisions. The American Bar Association believes that a verdict in an Article III court is more likely to inspire confidence among American citizens and be accepted by the international community than any determination by a military commission.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization 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.

Lawyers have an ethical obligation to uphold that principle and provide representation to people who otherwise would stand alone against the power and resources of the government — even to those accused of heinous crimes against this nation in the name of causes that evoke our contempt.

The American people understand this obligation, and the corollary principle stated in rule 1.2(b) of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct that “A lawyer’s representation of a client does not constitute an endorsement of the client’s political, economic, social or moral views or activities.”  Impugning the character of lawyers who have sought to protect the fundamental rights of unpopular clients is a divisive and diversionary tactic.

Instead of charged political rhetoric, we should move forward — adhering to due process and rule of law — principles that continue to make our country a beacon before the rest of the world.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization 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.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization 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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The agency also concludes that differences in academic preparation are the primary barrier to attaining a more diverse legal profession.

Recognizing those facts, the American Bar Association remains committed to addressing law student debt, to broadening the pipeline and assisting diverse law graduates with success to create a more diverse and inclusive legal profession.

The ABA is committed to ensuring that the cost of attending law school does not become an increasingly insurmountable barrier for many individuals.  We are mindful of the importance of making legal education as accessible to as broad and diverse a community of students as possible.  In that respect, the ABA urges Congress and the Administration to lift the cap on federal loans to finance law and other professional schools so that all students with talent and desire can attend law school—not only those of economic means.

Particularly in recent decades, the ABA and law schools approved by the ABA have sought to reach out to more diverse populations from all segments of society, in the firm belief that our profession is enriched, and our ability to serve the public is enhanced, by participation of people with a variety of life experiences.  We are committed to work to ensure that our profession reflects our community and therefore ensure the public’s continued respect and confidence in our legal system.

We are pleased that the GAO reports that the deans it surveyed do not attribute to the ABA standards or accreditation process any problems they may be having in further diversifying their student bodies.  We also note, although GAO did not focus on this fact, that there has been a substantial increase in diversity among law school leadership, faculty and staff.  The ABA believes this is important to ensure diverse students a welcoming law school environment, where they find mentors and role models.  We will continue to monitor our standards and to identify and address any disproportionate impact on segments of society.

But the GAO rightly recognizes that American Bar Association Standards for Approval of Law Schools play only a limited role in increasing cost and are not barriers to diversity.

Much more significant in terms of cost, according to GAO, have been the move toward a more hands on, resource intensive approach to legal education, and the competition among law schools for higher slots in published rankings that purport to distinguish between the 200 ABA approved law schools across the nation.

GAO correctly identifies differences in educational attainment among some minority groups as reducing their representation in the law school applicant pool.  We must commit as a nation to making sure that academic resources are available to enable each student to achieve his or her full potential.  The ABA as an institution and its accreditation project reaffirm our commitment to concrete action to enhance diversity in the nation’s law schools and ultimately in the legal profession.

It may also be time to reexamine the impact of law school rankings.  The GAO Report identifies the negative effects and unintended consequences of ranking systems. It can be tempting to view all law schools on a single scale, but that ignores that law schools have identified differing missions, serve different needs and offer different values, all while meeting basic legal educational needs.

The ABA provides extensive detailed consumer information about law schools to assist students in making informed choices. This appears in the ABA LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools, published annually and widely available in consumer bookstores and online from the ABA. We will continue to review the information we provide to identify new ways to make it more helpful.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization 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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