American Bar Association facts for kids
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| Founded | August 21, 1878 |
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| Type | Bar association |
| Headquarters | 321 North Clark Street Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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President
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William R. Bay |
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Executive director & COO
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Alpha M. Brady |
The American Bar Association (ABA) is a large group for lawyers and law students in the United States. It is a national organization, meaning it helps lawyers across the whole country. The ABA was started in 1878. Its main goals are to set high standards for law schools. It also creates rules for how lawyers should act ethically. In 2017, the ABA had about 194,000 members. This was about a quarter of all lawyers in America. By 2024, it had around 150,000 paying members.
The main office of the ABA is in Chicago, Illinois. It also has an office in Washington, D.C.. The ABA works closely with the American Bar Foundation. This foundation helps with legal research.
Contents
History of the ABA
The ABA began on August 21, 1878. It was founded in Saratoga Springs, New York. Seventy-five lawyers from 20 states and Washington, D.C. started the group. Back then, the legal profession was very different. Lawyers often learned their skills by working with an experienced lawyer. There was no national rulebook for how lawyers should behave. There was also no national group for lawyers to discuss important legal topics.
The first goal of the ABA was to improve the study of law. It also wanted to make justice fairer. Another goal was to create similar laws across the country.
In 1918, the first women joined the ABA. These were Judge Mary Belle Grossman and Mary Florence Lathrop. Before 1943, the ABA did not allow African-American members. This led to the creation of the National Lawyers Guild in 1937. In 1943, Francis E. Rivers was denied entry. Many important members threatened to leave. After this, the organization finally allowed all lawyers to join.
Jill Wine-Banks became the first woman executive director of the ABA. She served from 1987 to 1990. Roberta Cooper Ramo was the first female president. She led the ABA from 1995 to 1996.
In 2016, the ABA added a new rule about ethics. This rule stops lawyers from using disrespectful words. It also prevents discrimination based on age. This applies to activities within the bar association.
In May 2019, the ABA changed how people pay for membership. This was to help with declining members and money. The cost of membership depends on how many years a lawyer has practiced. Lawyers with more experience pay higher fees.
Challenges in 2025
In 2025, the ABA and some of its members faced challenges. The Trump administration took actions that affected the ABA. On February 11, the ABA and others filed a lawsuit. They argued that the administration's actions were unfair. A judge quickly issued an order. This allowed some programs to continue.
On February 14, a government official ordered staff not to join the ABA. They were also told not to attend ABA events. Later, on February 28, the Attorney General sent a letter to the ABA. The letter said that the ABA's diversity rules for law schools might conflict with a court decision. It also threatened to remove the ABA's power to approve law schools.
The ABA responded on March 3, 2025. It encouraged members to challenge these actions. More than 50 smaller lawyer groups joined this call. The ABA strongly spoke out against the administration's actions. In June 2025, a law firm sued the administration. This lawsuit was on behalf of the ABA. It claimed the actions were meant to scare lawyers. The ABA President, William Bay, said it was a critical time. He stated the ABA must defend its members and the rule of law.
How the ABA is Led
The ABA makes its official decisions through its House of Delegates. This group has 589 elected members. They vote on important national issues. The Board of Governors has 44 members. They can make decisions when the House of Delegates is not meeting.
The ABA president is the main leader. They serve for one year. The executive director is appointed and serves longer. This person acts as the chief operating officer. A new president takes office in August. This is when the ABA's annual meeting happens. The annual meeting also offers learning programs. Members can hear speakers discuss many topics.
In 2010, Jack L. Rives became the executive director. He was a former Air Force lawyer. After he retired in March 2023, Alpha M. Brady took over. She had worked at the ABA since 1988. She moved up through different roles.
Approving Law Schools in the U.S.
The United States Department of Education recognizes the ABA. It allows the ABA to approve law schools in the U.S. Law schools approved by the ABA meet certain standards. They are called "ABA-approved" schools.
ABA approval is very important for law schools. It also affects whether a graduate can practice law. In most U.S. states, you must graduate from an ABA-approved school. This is required to take the state's bar exam. The bar exam is needed to become a licensed lawyer. Even states that allow non-ABA schools usually don't accept them from other states.
Students at ABA-approved law schools can join the ABA for free. Students from non-ABA schools can join as associate members.
In November 2022, the ABA group that approves law schools voted. They decided to remove a rule. This rule required law schools to use the LSAT or similar tests. However, law schools can still choose to require these tests. The ABA's main group, the House of Delegates, rejected this idea in 2023. They worried it might make admissions unfair. They thought it could make it harder for minority students.
In 2024, the ABA created a new process. Law schools can now ask for special permission. This allows them to skip the admissions test requirement. This new process does not need approval from the House of Delegates.
Concerns About Law School Approval
The ABA's process for approving law schools has faced criticism. Some say it doesn't ensure schools share accurate job statistics. This can mislead students about job chances. This is especially true with the rising cost of student loans. There are many debates about the ABA's requirements for law schools. Many people think these rules are too expensive and old-fashioned. Some also believe these rules make tuition costs go up.
A group called Law School Transparency asked the ABA for better data. They wanted clear information on jobs and salaries for graduates. In 2011 and 2012, the ABA updated its rules. It added penalties for schools that gave wrong job data. It also asked for more details on bar exam pass rates. Despite these changes, the ABA continued to approve new law schools.
Since 2014, the ABA has required more information from law schools. This includes admissions data and tuition costs. It also covers class sizes and job outcomes. In 2015, 70 percent of graduates from ABA-approved schools found full-time jobs. These jobs required a law degree or preferred one.
In May 2019, the ABA changed the bar passage rate rule. Before, schools needed 75% of students to pass the bar within 5 years. Now, the 75% rate must be met within 2 years. This change was passed even though the ABA House of Delegates rejected it twice. Supporters say this will better prepare students for legal work. Opponents worry it will hurt diversity in law schools. They think it will make schools raise their admission standards. This could affect minority applicants more. After the rule change, 14 schools were at risk of losing approval. In June 2019, the ABA voted to remove approval from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.
Special Groups within the ABA
The ABA has different groups that focus on specific areas.
The ABA's Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity started in 2007.
The Criminal Justice Section focuses on the U.S. justice system. Its Corrections Committee helps people leaving prison. They work to provide more support for those rejoining society. They encourage law schools to help prisoners.
In 2017, the Commission on Women in the Profession released a report. It showed that women make up 36 percent of lawyers. This was a 6 percent increase in ten years. Law schools award almost half of their law degrees to women. However, women are less than 22 percent of partners in private law firms. This is still a small number. The commission also supports research on women of color in law.
Rating Judges
Since 1948, the ABA has helped evaluate people chosen to be federal judges. In 1953, the Committee on the Federal Judiciary was formed. This committee rates people nominated for the Supreme Court. They check the nominees and give them a rating. Ratings range from "not qualified" to "well qualified."
The committee has members from different parts of the country. The ABA's main leaders are not involved in this work. The committee keeps its evaluations private. They usually review about 60 nominees each year. Nominees are rated "well qualified," "qualified," or "not qualified." If a president chooses a nominee, the committee shares its rating.
The process for Supreme Court nominees is different. Their investigations happen after the president announces them. Also, law professors review their legal writings.
Some people, like the Federalist Society, say the ratings have a bias. They claim the ratings favor more liberal judges. For example, some conservative judges received lower ratings. But judges with similar backgrounds nominated by Democratic presidents got higher ratings.
In 2001, the George W. Bush administration stopped sharing names with the ABA early. The ABA still rated nominees, but after their names were public. The Obama administration went back to giving the ABA early notice. President Trump returned to the Bush policy. Through December 2018, six of Trump's nominees were rated "not qualified." Many recent Supreme Court justices, like John G. Roberts Jr. and Ketanji Brown Jackson, received "well qualified" ratings.
A 2012 study found a bias from 1977 to 2008. Candidates nominated by a Democratic president were more likely to get a "well qualified" rating. This was true even if other factors were the same. Supporters of the system say "not qualified" judges don't perform as well. However, a 2010 study found no strong proof of this.
The committee evaluated lower court nominees from 1953–2000 and 2009–2016. President George W. Bush ended this early review in 2001. He claimed a liberal bias. President Barack Obama brought it back in 2009. In March 2017, the committee again started rating nominees after they were announced.
Nominee Ratings During the Trump Administration
The ABA's judge rating process got more attention during the Trump administration. Through June 2019, six of President Trump's nominees were rated "not qualified." Three of these were unanimously rated "not qualified." This had only happened twice before since the George H. W. Bush administration. These ratings fueled arguments of bias. Republicans said the committee members let their personal political views affect ratings.
Some committee members were accused of asking inappropriate questions. They were also said to refer negatively to Republicans. Senator Ted Cruz said the ABA is a liberal group. He argued it should not be seen as fair. Senator Ben Sasse also criticized the ABA. He said it takes political stances but claims to be neutral. The ABA stated its evaluations do not consider politics or party. It said it has found unqualified candidates from both parties.
In May 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a change. The Trump administration would no longer work with the ABA on vetting judges. The Justice Department said it would not give the ABA special access. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote that the ABA no longer acts as a fair judge of nominees. She claimed its ratings clearly favor Democratic nominees.
Criticisms of the ABA
The ABA has faced various criticisms over its history. These include past issues with race, lack of diversity, and its policy positions.
Fairness and Diversity
The ABA has been criticized for its past actions regarding race. In 1911, William H. Lewis, an African-American, was admitted. Two other Black members were also admitted. But the ABA committee later took back these admissions. They said they didn't know the applicants' race. They also said it was their practice to only elect white men. This led to a vote in August. The group decided to let the three lawyers rejoin. But future Black applicants had to state their race. This policy changed in 1943. However, no African American lawyers joined until 1950. In 1925, African-American lawyers formed the National Bar Association. This happened because the ABA would not allow them to be members. As of 2024, the National Bar Association has about 67,000 members.
Policy Positions
Since the 2010s, the ABA has been criticized by some, mainly Republicans. This is for taking stances on important public issues. The ABA's official position on certain rights led to a new group. This group, National Lawyers for Life, formed in 1993. It is now called the National Lawyers Association. The Federalist Society used to publish "ABA Watch." This reported on the ABA's political activities.
Mark A. Cohen wrote for Forbes magazine. He criticized the ABA for not keeping up with modern society. He also said the ABA opposed changes that would make legal help more affordable. He argued that the ABA protects lawyers. This means some legal tasks that paralegals could do are kept only for lawyers. Eighty percent of Americans cannot afford legal services. Cohen believes the ABA has not embraced new ways to provide legal help.
The ABA also did not address rules about online legal referral websites. This was when it updated its rules for lawyer advertising.
Recent ABA Presidents
- 2003–2004: Dennis W. Archer (first African-American male president)
- 2004–2005: Robert J. Grey Jr.
- 2005–2006: Michael S. Greco (first foreign-born president)
- 2006–2007: Karen J. Mathis
- 2007–2008: William H. Neukom
- 2008–2009: H. Thomas Wells Jr.
- 2009–2010: Carolyn B. Lamm
- 2010-2011: Stephen N. Zack (first Hispanic American president)
- 2011–2012: Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III
- 2012–2013: Laurel G. Bellows
- 2013–2014: James R. Silkenat
- 2014–2015: William C. Hubbard
- 2015–2016: Paulette Brown (first African-American female president)
- 2016–2017: Linda Klein
- 2017–2018: Hilarie Bass
- 2018–2019: Bob Carlson
- 2019–2020: Judy Perry Martinez
- 2020–2021: Patricia Lee Refo
- 2021–2022: Reginald M. Turner
- 2022–2023: Deborah Enix-Ross
- 2023–2024: Mary L. Smith
- 2024–2025: William R. Bay
Annual Meeting
Every August, the ABA holds a big meeting. It takes place in different cities. This meeting includes speeches, classes, and gatherings. The ABA also announces its highest award, the American Bar Association Medal, at this event.
See also
In Spanish: American Bar Association para niños
- ABA digital signature guidelines
- ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct
- American Constitution Society
- Association of American Law Schools
- Attorney at law (United States)
- Bar Association
- Bar (law)
- Law practice
- Law practice management
- Law School Admission Council
- Union Internationale des Avocats
