A leader in the development of ABA policy, the Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice seeks to update, revise, or plug gaps in existing ABA policies, or to formulate new ones, to ensure we advance our agenda of equality, diversity and justice for all. The Section relies on ABA policies to produce programs, develop commentary on administration actions, submit amicus briefs, draft congressional testimony, and urge the ABA to act on pressing issues of public policy. To facilitate this work, the Section has categorized all current ABA policy, with links to each resolution and report, by subject matter corresponding to the Section’s 22 substantive committees.
The CRSJ Policy Project
- AIDS
- Bullying
- Civic Education
- Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity
- Criminal Justice
- Death Penalty
- Disability Rights
- Economic Justice
- Education
- Elder Rights
- Environmental Justice
- Fair and Impartial Courts
- Free Speech and Free Press
- Health Rights and Bioethics
- International Human Rights
- National Security and Civil Liberties
- Native American Concerns
- Privacy and Information Protection
- Religious Freedom
- Rights of Immigrants
- Rights of Women
- Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
- Voting Rights and Election Protection
American Bar Association members, leaders, and entities, as well as all other bar associations, are invited to submit nominations for the award. Nominations also are welcome from other groups or individuals that are involved in civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights issues. Re-nominations of individuals nominated in past years are encouraged; nomination packages should be updated as necessary and re-submitted electronically.
Nominees for the award must have made substantial and long-term contributions to the furtherance of civil rights, civil liberties, or human rights in this country. A "substantial" contribution shall be considered to be one evincing a level of dedication or achievement beyond that required or expected in the normal course of an individual's work. "Long-term" generally shall be considered to be at least 10 years. Nominees should be judges or duly licensed members of the bar in good standing. However, a non-lawyer who otherwise qualifies for the award may be considered for the award in exceptional circumstances. (Nominations of individuals posthumously cannot be considered.)