American Bar Association

American Bar Association (ABA), voluntary association of American lawyers and judges. The ABA was founded in 1878, and by the late 20th century it had about 375,000 members. Its headquarters are in Chicago, Ill. Nongovernmental in nature, the ABA seeks to encourage improvements in the legal profession, to ensure the availability of legal services to all citizens, and to improve the administration of justice. It conducts educational and research projects toward these ends. The ABA’s...