The American Bar Association (ABA) is the largest and most powerful law organization in the United States. Created in 1878 when 100 lawyers met in Saratoga Springs, New York, the American Bar Association today has more than 370,000 members, including lawyers, judges, court administrators, law teachers, legal assistants, and law librarians. About half of the attorneys in the United States belong to the American Bar Association. The percentage was higher in past decades but declined when ABA positions on major social and legal issues met with disagreement among its members.
The American Bar Association publishes books, pamphlets, and brochures on almost every facet of the law, making it the largest legal publisher in the world. American Bar Association publications are designed for the general public as well as members of the legal profession. The organization is also a major lobbying force in Washington and in state legislatures. ABA committees often create model legislation presented for adoption by legislatures. For example, The Model Business Corporation Act (1950) was drafted by the American Bar Association Committee on Business Corporations.
While the ABA has over 150 committees, subcommittees and task forces, two of the most important functions of the organization are accrediting U.S. law schools and reviewing presidential nominations for judicial appointments. An American Bar Association rating of “not qualified” is a major rebuke of a president’s choice for a judgeship. In 2001 President George W. Bush announced he would no longer refer candidates for judicial appointments to the ABA review committee.