Public defender offices across the country are overwhelmed with too many cases and too few attorneys, forcing defenders to “meet ‘em and plead ‘em,” said professor Stephen B. Bright, president and senior counsel at the Southern Center for Human Rights.

Charged with examining a number of legal ethics issues arising from new technologies and the globalization of law practice, the ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 held its fourth public hearing in Atlanta as part of the association’s Midyear Meeting.

Should lawyers still get paid by the hour? The economy, as well as the chance for law firms to vary their expertise and prove their worth, are among reasons that firms are reconsidering the way they charge clients, lawyers said yesterday at a meeting of the American Bar Association in Atlanta.

“Our courts today represent a dying tree,” cautioned Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul De Muniz. Ted Olson, former solicitor general under President George W. Bush, warned that state judiciaries are “at a crisis point.” De Muniz and Olson were joined in those sentiments by state Supreme Court chief justices from Georgia, New Hampshire and Texas, and some of the nation’s most notable lawyers who make up the American Bar Association Task Force on the Preservation of the Justice System.

Slashing funds that keep working class and poor people from falling into a legal and financial tailspin is not the right decision in this economy. Every cent spent helping families deal with crises such as eviction, child support and custody, or a domestic violence restraining order ultimately saves taxpayer money. Financial and emotional costs grow when problems go unsolved.

Recognizing the increasing globalization of the practice of law, American Bar Association President Stephen N. Zack today announced that the ABA’s international efforts will be coordinated under a unified structure, to be overseen by the senior director of Washington, D.C. operations, Jim Swanson.

American Bar Association President Stephen N. Zack announced today the debut of the new front door of the ABA: a modern, unified web presence at a new address, americanbar.org. The new and improved website includes a fresh overall design as well as improved functionality that offer simpler navigation, better search capabilities and enhanced interactive features.

The American Bar Association (ABA) has a longstanding commitment to advancing human rights and promoting the rule of law around the world. In this regard, the ABA unequivocally believes that adherence to the rule of law and respect for human rights is critical in order to achieve a constructive resolution that promotes and safeguards the rights of the Egyptian people.

Taking advantage of a person’s desperation and lack of knowledge is illegal and simply wrong. The Federal Trade Commission should be applauded for aggressively and creatively pursuing the unauthorized practice of immigration law and notario fraud. The FTC’s actions send a strong signal that our country will not tolerate when those seeking legal help are, instead, being hurt.

Many years after the murder of millions of innocent people, the Holocaust stands as a stark reminder of the difference between rule of law and mob rule. Rule of law protects minorities, and preserves individual freedoms. Rule of law supports a vibrant society in which there is no place for the dark desperation that gave rise to fascism.

The American Bar Association will address legal policy issues ranging from cyberbullying, to urging the U.S. Sentencing Commission to assess current federal policy relative to sentences for economic crime, to urging the adoption of the Model State Code of Military Justice and Model Manual for Courts-Martial when the association’s 560-member House of Delegates meets on Feb. 14 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

“Two words come to mind when thinking about the current threat environment: persistent and evolving,” said Transportation Security Administration head John S. Pistole addressing the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Law and National Security Jan. 13.