Showing posts with label ABA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ABA. Show all posts

Monday, October 28, 2024

ABA election resources help defend and promote democracy; American Bar Association (ABA), October 28, 2024

ABA President William R. Bay, American Bar Association; ABA election resources help defend and promote democracy

"Election Day is around the corner. The most important thing to do is to vote and encourage your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to vote. The presidential election has received a great deal of attention. But there are many other federal, state and local offices being filled in this election. In addition, many important issues are on the ballot. Finally, there are many judges who are seeking election or retention.  As attorneys, people look to us for important information about the judges on the ballots. Please provide that meaningful input to them. That enables them to be better informed voters.

Voting is a civic right and responsibility. Everyone eligible to vote should exercise that right. This is our opportunity to have a say in how our government operates. The American Bar Association encourages all to take advantage of this opportunity. 

The ABA also remains committed to maintaining the integrity and public perception of fairness in the electoral process. Our system of elections is among the safest, most secure and most accurate in the world, and lawyers play a vital role in maintaining that. The ABA offers unparalleled resources to support this cornerstone of American democracy, providing nonpartisan programs and information to support civic engagement and advance the rule of law. Spread the word about our valuable resources and share them with your networks.  

Here are some of our most relevant offerings: 

Friday, August 2, 2024

Bipartisan Legal Group Urges Lawyers to Defend Against ‘Rising Authoritarianism’; The New York Times, August 1, 2024

 , The New York Times; Bipartisan Legal Group Urges Lawyers to Defend Against ‘Rising Authoritarianism’

"A bipartisan American Bar Association task force is calling on lawyers across the country to do more to help protect democracy ahead of the 2024 election, warning in a statement to be delivered Friday at the group’s annual meeting in Chicago that the nation faces a serious threat in “rising authoritarianism.”

The statement by a panel of prominent legal thinkers and other public figures — led by J. Michael Luttig, a conservative former federal appeals court judge appointed by President George Bush, and Jeh C. Johnson, a Homeland Security secretary during the Obama administration — does not mention by name former President Donald J. Trump.

But in raising alarms, the panel appeared to be clearly referencing Mr. Trump’s attempt to subvert his loss of the 2020 election, which included attacks on election workers who were falsely accused by Mr. Trump and his supporters of rigging votes and culminated in the violent attack on the Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021."

Friday, May 24, 2024

Navigating the Patchwork of AI Laws, Standards, and Guidance; American Bar Association (ABA), May 9, 2024

Emily Maxim Lamm , American Bar Association (ABA); Navigating the Patchwork of AI Laws, Standards, and Guidance

"The opening weeks of 2024 have seen a record number of state legislative proposals seeking to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) across different sectors in the United States...

With this type of rapid-fire start to the 2024 legislative season, the AI legal landscape will likely continue evolving across the board. As a result, organizations today are facing a complex and dizzying web of proposed and existing AI laws, standards, and guidance.

This article aims to provide a cohesive overview of this AI patchwork and to help organizations navigate this increasingly intricate terrain. The focus here will be on the implications of the White House AI Executive Order, existing state and local laws in the United States, the European Union’s AI Act, and, finally, governance standards to help bring these diverse elements together within a framework."

Friday, February 10, 2023

American Bar Association Urges Ethics Code for US Supreme Court; Bloomberg Law, February 7, 2023

Lydia Wheeler, Bloomberg Law; American Bar Association Urges Ethics Code for US Supreme Court

"The American Bar Association wants the US Supreme Court to adopt a judicial ethics code.

Meeting in New Orleans on Monday, the group’s 591-member policy-making body passed a resolution urging the high court to adopt ethics rules similar to the code of conduct all other federal judges must follow.

Concern over public perception of the court seemed to prompt the ABA action. The resolution said the absence of a clearly articulated, binding code of ethics for the justices threatens the legitimacy of the court.

“If the legitimacy of the Court is diminished, the legitimacy of all our courts and our entire judicial system is imperiled,” the resolution said.

Federal judges on lower courts across the country are bound by the Code of Judicial Conduct, which maps out rules for how judges should conduct themselves on and off the bench. The code says judges should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities, refrain from political activity, and recuse themselves from a case when their impartiality might be reasonably questioned because of financial interests or personal bias."