Simeon Eben Baldwin, a member of the Connecticut State Bar Association said: “Its object shall be to advance the science of jurisprudence, promote the administration of justice and uniformity of legislation throughout the Union, uphold the honor of the profession of the law, and encourage cordial intercourse among members of the American Bar."
In doing so, Baldwin and his colleagues formed the American Bar Association. It turned 136 years old on August 21. In honor of the anniversary, the ABA released an interactive timeline emphasizing some of its accomplishments and enumerating its milestones.
At its inception, seven committees were established, including Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, Commercial Law, Judicial Administration and International Law, according to information provided by the ABA. James Overton Broadhead, who went on to represent Missouri in the United States House of Representatives served as the first president.
Now, William C. Hubbard, a partner with the Columbia, S.C., office of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, has that distinction after an early August ceremony. The 138th president of the ABA said making legal services available to all those who require them will be a mission and priority during his one-year- term. Hubbard said “establishing justice,” is paramount.
“As I begin my year as president of the American Bar Association, it is my fervent hope that we can redouble our efforts to align our priorities with this noble purpose,” he said.
The “collateral consequences of incarceration,” are also going to be a focus for Hubbard, according to information from the ABA. "Too many low-level, nonviolent offenders are imprisoned and then denied the opportunity to move on and live productive, law-abiding lives because of laws limiting their ability to return to society as productive citizens,” he said. “We are at an inflection point. We cannot accept the status quo. Together, we can change the face of justice for the 21st century. Together, we can establish justice. Not for some. For all.”
James R. Silkenat, whose term ended with start of Hubbard’s tenure, said he was glad to have been able to leave his mark on the ABA and legal field with the creation of the Legal Access Jobs Corps. “We cannot afford to be a nation where the legal needs of a large portion of our citizenry are not being met in the ways that our Constitution requires,” he said. “[The Corps.] promoted a comprehensive catalog of state and local programs to insure the availability of legal services in rural and other underserved communities, and other innovative approaches.”
He also said he the ABA has also been a strong voice defending lawyers who are politically attacked for “fulfilling their obligations” by defending chastised or guilty clients. “Lawyers who represent unpopular or even guilty clients demonstrate the kind of professionalism and confidence in our legal system that characterizes the finest public servants,” Silkenat says.
The ABA’s interactive timeline lists a number of events corresponding to the ideals enumerated by the past and present presidents, including other items of historical significance. Among them are; the ABA’s involvement in evaluating judicial nominees, a practice it began in 1952; its 1960’s push for the 25th amendment to the U.S. constitution dealing with presidential succession and disability; and the 1995 installation of the first woman president, Roberta Cooper Ramo of New Mexico.
From its several dozen members in the late 1800’s, it climbed to a membership of more than 101,000 in 1964, 255,000 in 1981 and now, has more than 400,000 among its ranks.
Going forward, President-Elect Paulette Brown addressed the delegates asking them to heed the goals of the ABA in future endeavors.
"We should question why two defendants who committed the same crime appearing before the same judge are given different sentences based upon physical characteristics. We should question why offenses committed in the school environment by children, which not so long ago would have carried the punishment of detention, now result in expulsion or worse, a criminal record, again based solely on physical characteristics" Brown said. "We should question the subtle and sometimes not so subtle messages such as when the press, during the aftermath of Katrina, characterized whites as getting food for their families and characterized African Americans as looters.”