chevron-down Created with Sketch Beta.

ABA Center for Innovation

The ABA Center for Innovation is creating more accessible, efficient, and effective legal services in the United States and around the globe. We improve legal services through innovation, education, and collaboration.

Who We Are

The ABA Center for Innovation is a place for collaborative and creative thinking about transforming the US justice system. We believe the intersection of law and technology affords the profession a tremendous opportunity to reshape both the delivery of, and access to, legal services for the 21st century.

Learn - About Us

Upcoming Events

A Virtual Event: The Center for Innovations Inaugural AI and the Practice of Law Summit - May 6-7, 2024

The AI and the Practice of Law Summit is the first 2-day virtual summit designed to give lawyers a 2-day crash course on how AI is changing the practice of law and how it is being implemented at firms of all sizes. You will gain expertise in evaluating your own tech stack, learning how to ethically deploy AI is your workspace and see the impact that AI is having on billing. This session is gained to give practitioners enough tools and information to start thinking about how AI can impact their practice and will include a variety of workshops, panel discussion and Ted Style Talks.

Register - Now

ABA Standing Commitee on the Delivery of Legal Services

The ABA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services has the mandate to improve access to lawyers and legal services for those of moderate incomes – those who do not qualify for legal aid yet lack the resources for full legal representation. The Committee is housed within the Center for Innovation.

2024 Midterm Innovation Trends Report

The 2024 Innovation Trends Report will focus on the growing presence of AI in the delivery of legal services. Our report will look at AI and how it impact attorneys at different stages of their career. We will examine Internal ABA Innovations, and AI trends in Legal Technology, and Education.

View - Report

Upcoming Webinar

Webinar: Redesigning Legal: Cultivating an Oasis in Legal Service Deserts - April 16, 2024

Legal deserts, in both rural and urban environments, continue to be a persistent challenge in the access to justice space. In this session of redesigning legal, our expert panel will examine the state of legal deserts and explore the different solutions being used to lessen their impact. Danielle Hirsch, Managing Director of Court Consulting at the National Center for State Courts; David M. Majchrzak, Deputy General Counsel at Klinedinst Attorneys; and Michele Statz, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School and Law School, will explore how lawyers, justice workers, and state bars are tackling the problems of legal deserts.

More

Register - Now

State AI Task Force Information

The Center for Innovation and Center for Bar Leadership are working to gather information about all State Bar Associations AI Task Forces. If you have additional information for your state, please connect with us so we can add your work to the list.

View - now

Emerging Careers in Legal - Brown Bag Series

The ABA Center for Innovation and Young Lawyers Division are partnering to bring you this Brown Bag and Toolkit virtual series on Emerging Careers In Legal. This eight-part series will take a deep dive into various careers for attorneys looking for an alternative to the traditional "partner track".

Learn - More

Explore Our Work

Justice System Metrics

The Justice system Metrics is multifaceted tool that catalogues metrics and KPI’s associated with legal innovation and also catalogues use cases related to those metrics.

Learn - More

Legal Innovation Regulation Survey

Currently, no one-stop resource collects how state regulatory frameworks vary or new approaches to the regulation of legal services. The ABA Center for Innovation has responded to the lack of available information by producing this resource for the legal community and the public. The new survey provides state-by-state information of known efforts to reform the regulation of legal service delivery while also providing access to relevant case law.

View - now

Center for Innovation Network

Every month, you will hear engaging presentations from change agents who are transforming the legal industry. They will tell you about their innovations, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask them about their work.

Listen to

View - All Podcasts

Innovation & You

Innovation & You is a production by the American Bar Association’s Center for Innovation to help lawyers and members think about innovative legal technology and practices as the legal landscape continues to change. This monthly animated series will highlight practical areas of innovation including subscription services, the metaverse, artificial intelligence, and more.

View

View - All Episodes

Frank E.A. Sander Award

The Frank E.A. Sander Innovation in ADR Award was established to recognize innovative methods and extraordinary achievements in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution. It is a joint initiative of the ABA Center for Innovation and the ABA Section for Dispute Resolution

Learn - More

Past Projects

Past Projects

Here you can find information on no longer active projects

Learn More - About It

Please Donate

The American Bar Association Center for Innovation catalyzes innovations through people, process and technology in order to improve the effectiveness, accessibility and affordability of legal information and services. The Center’s impactful initiatives depend to a significant degree on philanthropic support, so charitable giving is critical to the Center’s success.

Thank You!

On behalf of the Center for Innovation, a special thank you to our donors for your support.

View - donors list