Scott Carlson Named as Next Associate Executive Director for the ABAs Center for Global Programs

In February, Alberto Mora announced his intention to retire from the position of Associate Executive Director for Global Programs. Under his leadership, ABA Global Programs has undertaken an ambitious strategic reorganization, which has led to consecutive years of increased programmatic impact and organizational growth. Alberto leaves Global Programs in its strongest position in years. Recently, the ABA announced that Scott Carlson will take over as the Associate Executive Director of Global Programs, effective August 1, 2022. In that capacity, he will serve as the Director of the Rule of Law Initiative (ROLI) and will oversee the Center for Human Rights, as well as the ABA’s Representatives to the United Nations. In the interim and effective immediately, Scott will serve as Deputy Associate Executive Director for Global Programs to provide time for Scott to shadow Alberto during the transition period.

Since early 2020, Scott has served as ROLI’s Senior Director for Programs and Strategic Initiatives. Prior to rejoining the ABA in 2020, Scott served as an ABA pro bono rule of law liaison and as the ABA Director for the Central and Eastern Europe Division. When not doing international development, Scott practiced as a lawyer in the public and private sectors. In the public sector, he worked with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel in the Honors Program, drafting regulations and rulings, as well as litigation at Tax Court. He also served in the Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP); he was a U.S. Supreme Court Fellow; and he worked as an Assistant General Counsel for the United States Sentencing Commission. In the rule of law and adjacent sectors, Scott has been heavily involved with programmatic work and grant/contract proposals across the globe, involving a variety of implementers and donors. Scott’s educational background includes a Master of Laws in International and Comparative Law, with distinction, from Georgetown University; a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Georgia; and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.