How to Navigate the American Bar Association Website for Legal Resources

Updated

The American Bar Association (ABA) website is organized around audience and purpose rather than a single search box, so the fastest way to find what you need is to decide first whether you are a lawyer, a law student, or a member of the public, then go to the section built for that group. The ABA describes itself as the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world and as the national voice of the legal profession, working to improve the administration of justice, assist lawyers and judges, accredit law schools, provide continuing legal education, and build public understanding of the rule of law. Those functions map onto distinct areas of the site.

Start with your role

If you are… Go to What you'll find
A practicing lawyer Membership and practice-area groups Continuing legal education, committees, and professional support
A law student or applicant Legal education and accreditation Information on ABA-accredited law schools and legal education
A member of the public Public resources and pro bono Guidance on finding legal help and understanding the justice system
Looking for a specific publication Publications and newsletters Guides, reports, and the Pro Bono Exchange, among others

Finding programs and publications

The ABA runs programs across many legal topics, and publications are often housed under the group that produces them rather than in one central library. A concrete example: the ABA Center for Pro Bono publishes the Pro Bono Exchange, and a recent item there announced that the ABA Children's Immigration Law Academy (CILA) released an updated pro bono guide. If you were looking for that guide, the path would be the Center for Pro Bono's publications section, then the Pro Bono Exchange issue, rather than a general site search for "pro bono guide."

This pattern holds across the site: identify the group or center that owns the topic, then look for its publications or resources page.

Getting current legal industry news and guidance

For updates, the ABA's publications and news channels carry announcements, reports, and practice guidance. Because new material is released under specific groups, the most reliable approach is to bookmark the groups relevant to your practice or interest and check their publications pages, rather than relying on the homepage to surface everything.

Practical navigation tips

  • Use the site's own section structure before external search engines; results from search engines may point to outdated pages.
  • When you find a useful publication, note which group produced it — related resources are usually nearby.
  • For pro bono and public service material specifically, the Center for Pro Bono and its Pro Bono Exchange are the natural starting points.

The ABA does not present its resources as a single free library, and access terms vary by section and membership status, so check the specific page for any requirements before assuming a resource is open.