Checklist for New Delegates
ABA House of Delegates
The control and administration of the ABA is vested in the House of Delegates, the policy-making body of the association. The House meets twice each year, at ABA Annual and Midyear Meetings. At the Midyear Meeting, the Nominating Committee nominates officers and members of the Board of Governors.
Chair, 2018-2020
William R. Bay
An accomplished litigator with a career-long record of service to the local, state and national bar, Bill Bay is a St. Louis partner with Thompson Coburn LLP, an AmLaw 200 firm with offices across the United States. As the chair of the ABA House of Delegates, Bill serves in the second-highest office in the ABA and leads the organization’s policymaking body.
Read - Full BioWhat is the House of Delegates?
Resources for New Delegates
Webinar: Preparing a Resolution with Report
Tips for Drafting, Submitting, and Revising Resolutions
The purpose of this webinar is to offer suggestions and give an introduction on tips for drafting, submitting and revising a Resolution with Report. Guest Speakers: Christina Plum and Jennifer Parent..
Midyear Meeting
The House of Delegates will meet during the 2020 Midyear Meeting on Monday, February 17, 2020, at the JW Marriott Hotel, in Austin, Texas. Please note that Resolutions with Reports to be considered at the Midyear Meeting are due by Wednesday, November 20, 2019; while Informational Reports are due by Friday, December 6, 2019.
Annual Meeting
The House of Delegates will meet on Monday, August 12 and Tuesday, August 13, 2019. The meeting will be held in the Yerba Buena Ballroom, Lower B2 Level, at the Marriott Marquis San Francisco Hotel.
Annual Meeting Delegate-at-Large Election
The Constitution of the American Bar Association provides that there shall be eighteen Delegates-at-Large in the House of Delegates. Six Delegates-at-Large are elected at each Annual Meeting to serve three-year terms. All lawyer members who have registered for the Annual Meeting are entitled to vote for Delegates-at-Large Elections.
E-book of Resolutions with Reports
Obtain copies of Report Books from a Midyear or Annual Meeting
How an Idea Becomes ABA Policy
The House of Delegates is the policy-making body of the ABA. Any ABA member can bring a resolution or the supporting report to the House. So, if you have an idea for a new piece of legislation to improve our justice system or some other aspect of the law, bring it to the House of Delegates. Watch the video to learn more.
General Information
Policy and Planning Division
The Policy and Planning Division provides the highest quality service and information concerning policy and governance issues to the leadership, membership and staff of the Association and the general public. The Division staffs the Board of Governors, the House of Delegates and the Secretary of the Association.