Attorneys and clients, or people who are not sure but think they may need an attorney, may benefit from knowing about different attorney organizations. Attorneys can register themselves and/or join different professional organizations so that they can stay connected to their peers and to learn about conferences and other professional development opportunities, etc. People who need an attorney or think they may need one, can utilize many of the same organizations to help them to find attorneys in their area that may be able to help them with their particular situation. As well, these organizations often provide information about attorneys such as their licenses, background, and/or if any disciplinary actions have been taken against them, etc.
American Bar Association (ABA)
The mission of the American Bar Association is to, “Serve equally our members, our profession and the public by defending liberty and delivering justice as the national representative of the legal profession.” Legal professionals can become members of the ABA to get access to technical resources, training, networking opportunities and expert guidance. The Governmental Affairs Office (GAO) promotes ABA’s advocacy efforts before Congress and other governmental entities on a wide array of issues. The ABA works to increase public understanding of and respect for the legal process, and the role of the legal profession in the United States and throughout the word. They work to hold governments accountable and to ensure that laws are just and to ensure access for all to a fair legal justice.
National Lawyers Association (NLA)
This is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization devoted to advancing the legal issues that concern its members. Their work is dedicated to the need to improve the legal and justice systems in the United States. The NLA is comprised of lawyers, legal scholars, professors, law students and other legal and policy professionals. They are the only national bar association that supports the, “-sanctity of life from conception until natural death…”
National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA)
NELA is the largest organization of lawyers who solely or primarily represent clients in employment cases involving employee discrimination, illegal workplace harassment, wrongful termination, denial of employment benefits, and other employment-related matters. They have 69 state and local Affiliates that allow them do more for workers’ rights.
National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)
The NAWL mission is, “to provide leadership, a collective voice and essential resources to advance women in the legal profession and advocate for the equality of women under the law.” NAWL has cultivated a diverse membership that is dedicated to equality, support of women helping women, and the collective success of women. They focus on giving women lawyers legal business skills to succeed in the legal profession; try to increase the percentage of women equity partners in law firms; provide national networking and leadership opportunities for women lawyers at all levels; provide voluntary support in the Supreme Court and other federal courts on issues concerning women; create and foster liaisons and partnerships with other professional organizations; and they host signature events and publications, to name some of the many things NAWL does.
State and Local Bar Associations
Most state and local bar associations have resources for both lawyers and people who need lawyers. Many of them provide online resources as well as help over the telephone.