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    About Us

    Mission/Vision

    The American Bar Association Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division is the National voice for solo, small firm and general practice lawyers, including military and government lawyers, providing them with a welcoming, diverse and inclusive ABA home. We offer each practitioner a portal to the full resources of our Division, ensuring platforms, programs and collaborations that support and advance them not only in their legal practices but also in their personal lives.

    GPSolo Division Bylaws

    Bylaws as of August 5, 2023

    Division Highlights

    The only group exclusively dedicated to the needs of general practitioners, solo and small law firm lawyers.

    • Created in 1962 as the Section of General Practice.
    • Majority of members were solo or small firm practitioners in urban locations.
      • Provided a central location for basic practice information and addressed universal issues.
      • Created a forum to share experiences, to lobby for legislation, and to be represented within the ABA.
    • Law Practice Division and Section of Litigation are spin-off entities.
    • General Practice 25 Years of Vision was held in 1987. Read more about the history of the Section.
    • The Standing Committee on Solo and Small Firm Practitioners was defunded in 1995 and incorporated into the Section.
    • The Section recognized its commitment to solo and small firm lawyers by becoming the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section in 1996.
    • Almost ten years later (2005), the Section decided to seek Division status. Typically, a section is organized around a particular substantive area of law while divisions are composed of members who share other demographics, typically age or practice setting. By moving from a section to a division, we could work more cooperatively with the sections that serve solo and small firm practitioners and could greatly expand the ABA’s membership by sending a clear message to the solo and small firm lawyer population that the ABA is committed to them.
    • Throughout these years, GPSolo has had the privilege of presidents and leaders pass through the ranks of the Division. A few leaders include William Ide, Dennis Archer, Karen Mathis, Allan Tanenbaum, and Laurel Bellows.