The ABA YLD Assembly is the principal policymaking body of the Division.  As part of its biannual meetings, the Assembly — comprised of delegates from across the United States — convened on February 9, 2008 at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Los Angeles. 

Because it meets only biannually, distinguished guests use the opportunity to address the Assembly and its delegates of matters importance to the ABA, state and local bar associations, the profession, and the public-at-large.  Distinguished guest included William Neukom, President of the ABA, H. Thomas Wells, Jr., President-elect of the ABA and former Chair of the House of Delegates, Laurel Bellows, Chair of the House of Delegates, and Stephen N. Zack, Chair of the ABA Day Planning Committee and Board of Governors Representative

As part of its policymaking function, the Assembly featured passionate and thoughtful debates on several resolutions including:

• Resolution #112, which sought to adopt a proposed model rule on the conditional admission to the practice of law.
• Resolution #106 concerning the importance of increasing public understanding of the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clauses of the U.S. Constitution in our public elementary and secondary schools, and
• Resolution #111A, which sought support for fee levels for immigration and naturalization benefits that are not so burdensome as to deter eligible applicants and encourages the budgeting of appropriate funds to address the costs of providing these benefits. 
• As part of its consent calendar, the Assembly adopted numerous resolutions including a late-filed resolution from the New York State Bar Association expressing support for the rule of law, restoration of the Pakistani Constitution, reinstatement of judges, and the release of protestors who were wrongly arrested.

While almost all of the resolutions passed either on the consent calendar or following debate, there were two notable exceptions:

• Resolution #102A , which expressed support for the establishment of the independent state commissions to address congressional redistricting was removed from the consent calendar but was not debated.  
• Resolution #113, which introduced bar passage rates as a factor in law school accreditation., was debated, and lost.  The Assembly also voted to accept the negative which bound the YLD House of Delegate Representatives to oppose the resolution in the House.

Assembly Delegate Count

ABA YLD Midyear Roundup
News from the ABA Midyear Meeting that impacts you