Media Credentials

Please contact ABA Media Relations & Strategic Communications (abanews@americanbar.org / 202.662.1090) to request media credentials for an ABA event.

Media Credentials Policy

ABA media credentials are available to reporters, editors working as reporters, producers, video camera operators and still photographers who present valid press identification. Exceptions must be approved by the Director of the ABA Division for Media Relations & Strategic Communications.

ABA members who claim reporter status, rather than registering as association members, will be held to these same standards for approval and, if approved, will receive only the same access as other members of the media.

If there is limited space for media at an event, the ABA reserves the right to limit the number of credentials it issues. At the discretion of the sponsoring entity, media credentials may or may not include meal service at events where food is served.

Media representatives who violate guidelines for coverage of an ABA event, whether written or oral, may have their credentials withdrawn.

ABA credentials are not available to staff of media advertising, marketing, public relations or management departments or firms.

There will be no CLE credit available to anyone admitted to ab ABA event with media credentials.

For additional information, send an e-mail message, including the title and date of the ABA event you are interested in attending, to the ABA Division for Media Relations and Strategic Communications at abanews@americanbar.org.

ABA Media Relations Policy on Press Credentials for Bloggers, et al.

Bloggers and other citizen journalists who lack formal press credentials must authenticate their status by providing links to their blogs or media outlets. Applications for ABA media credentials should be made by the method specified on the ABA Media Relations website for the desired event. Media credentials are granted generally based on the following criteria.

1. Those who have been credentialed for similar ABA events in the previous two years will be considered for credentials.
2. Those who can demonstrate having written about the ABA or related legal issues in the previous year will be considered for credentials.
3. Where the first two conditions cannot be met, a provisional one-time credential may be provided.

Bloggers or other citizen-journalists must represent well-established, law-related or legal technology-related outlets as determined by ABA Media Relations staff. All media credentials must be requested at least three days in advance.