Articles Posted in American Bar Association

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For more than a century, the American Bar Association has played a central role in shaping legal education in the United States through its authority to accredit law schools. ABA accreditation is widely regarded as the gold standard: graduates of ABA accredited schools are eligible to sit for the bar examination in all U.S. jurisdictions, and accreditation is often viewed as a proxy for institutional legitimacy and educational quality.

Yet in recent years, critics have questioned whether a single private professional organization should retain exclusive control over accreditation in a diverse, evolving legal education landscape. The debate raises fundamental questions about educational quality, access to the profession, innovation, and regulatory accountability.

The Case for Exclusive ABA Accreditation

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FROM THE  ABA CRIMINAL JUSTICE UPDATE, January 15. 2026.

The U.S. Supreme Court Decision, Barrett v United States was argued on October 2, 2025 and decided on January 14, 2026.

SUMMARY;

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Introduction.

This posting draws on guidance and analysis from AALL, IFLA, ACRL, the ABA, Thomson Reuters, LexisNexis, NIST, Stanford HAI, and the World Economic Forum, among others. Artificial intelligence is no longer a speculative “future issue” for law and justice information professionals. By 2026, AI will be embedded, sometimes invisibly, into many legal research platforms, court systems, compliance workflows, and knowledge-management environments. The central question is no longer whether AI will affect our work, but how it reshapes professional responsibility, judgment, and value.

From Research Assistance to Research Accountability

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A review of  Unlocking the Future: Leveraging Technology for Personal and Professional Success, by Jeffrey M. Allen & Ashley Hallene (ABA Book Publishing 2025), 480 pp., ISBN 978-1-63905-629-3; e-book ISBN 978-1-63905-630-9; Senior Lawyers Division sponsor; list price $39.95.

The Book in Brief

In this book, Jeffrey Allen and Ashley Hallene aim to demystify fast-moving technologies for working professionals, especially lawyers, law librarians  and others specializing in the law, by pairing plain-English explanations with practical checklists, tool rundowns, and risk-management advice. The American Bar Association positions the book as a comprehensive guide to “essential tools, AI, cybersecurity, [and] health tech,” organized into meticulously crafted chapters that double as a reference you can consult as needed. It runs 480 pages and is available in both print and e-book formats, with the Senior Lawyers Division serving as sponsor.¹ The ABA’s “New Books” listing shows a $39.95 list price.²

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From the American Bar Association, Science and Technology Law Section

Thursday, August 28, 2025.

1:00 – 2:00 pm ET.

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Articles and observations about the art of living a meaningful life included in the July/August 2025 issue of Experience magazine published by the Senior Lawyers Section of the American Bar Association:

As we dive into the July/August 2025 issue of Experience, we celebrate the empowering theme at its heart: living with intention, creativity, and deep human connection. Across a diverse array of articles  contributors explore how seniors, especially those transitioning from long legal careers, are crafting lives rich in meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. For example:

  • In Living Is the Meaning of Life, Seth D. Kramer affirms Herb Cohen’s uplifting mantra that “the meaning of life … is more life,” underlining that fully embracing new experiences, from arts to sport to technology, is its own art form.

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An event sponsored by the American Bar Association, International Law Section.

July 2, 2025 12PM EDT.

This webinar will examine a significant gap in the subject matter jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC): its inability to investigate and prosecute individuals who knowingly cause widespread or long-term environmental damage. The program will explore ongoing efforts by civil society to amend the Rome Statute to address this deficiency, including proposals to recognize ecocide as an international crime. Topics will include developments in international environmental criminal law, corporate and state liability, and the integration of ecocide into existing legal frameworks.

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From the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section;

Hewitt v. United States

“(Justice Jackson delivered the opinion of the Court with respect to Parts I, II, and III, in which Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Gorsuch joined, and an opinion with respect to Parts IV and V, in which Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Alito joined. Justice Alito filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Thomas, Kavanaugh and Barrett joined.)”

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In a timely and thought-provoking piece published in the Criminal Justice Magazine (Spring 2025), Richard Alan Ginkowski, a judge, and legal educator who has contributed to American Bar Association publications, urges legal professionals and advocates to take a closer look at an often-overlooked resource: their own state constitutions. His article, titled “Your State Has a Constitution. Why Not Use It?,” appears in the Spring 2025 issue of Criminal Justice Magazine, a publication of the ABA’s Criminal Justice Section.

Ginkowski’s analysis highlights how state constitutions, often richer in individual rights and more flexible than their federal counterpart, can serve as powerful tools in advancing criminal justice reform, protecting civil liberties, and shaping legal strategy. By drawing attention to recent judicial decisions and emerging advocacy trends, the article reminds practitioners that when federal remedies fall short, state constitutional claims may offer a compelling alternative.

This article is essential reading for anyone involved in litigation, policymaking, or public interest advocacy, offering a fresh perspective on how to reinvigorate the use of state-level constitutional law in the pursuit of justice.

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Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the legal profession, influencing how attorneys conduct research, draft briefs, analyze litigation risk, and advise clients. As AI tools like generative language models, legal search platforms, and predictive analytics systems become more prevalent, AI literacy has become essential for legal professionals. Law librarians, long recognized for their expertise in research instruction, information curation, and professional ethics, are well positioned to take the lead in promoting AI literacy across the legal ecosystem.

This paper examines the role law librarians should play in fostering AI understanding, outlines strategies for advancing AI literacy, and identifies the challenges and opportunities involved.

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