Legal organizations and directories often provide resources to understand the law and the courts, offer additional information about the legal profession, and maintain a central location for contact information of members of the legal profession.
Federal/National Level
American Bar Association (ABA)
A voluntary bar association founded in 1878. Members consist of lawyers and law students from across the United States. The main function of this association involves setting standards for law schools and code of ethics for lawyers.
A lawyers’ organization founded in 1923 following a study conducted by leading judges, lawyers, and teachers which reported two key defects in American law-uncertainty and complexity. Such defects arose from disagreement and varying laws among United States jurisdictions. The ALI eventually developed to improve the law and its administration through publications written by teams of experts.
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law (the Center), is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that seeks to improve democracy and justice through research and policies. The Center advocates its research and policies in Congress, in the courts, and in public opinion forums.
Federal Judicial Law Center (FJC)
The FJC was established by Congress in 1967 to improve judicial administration in United States courts. The FJC currently serves as the education and research agency for the federal courts.
State and Local Level
Council of State Governments (CSG)
Founded in 1933, the CSG is an organization designed to serve the three branches of state government. The CSG assists state officials with developing public policy based upon their region. The organization also assists officials with networking, combining efforts, and developing leadership abilities.
National Center for State Courts (NCSC)
NCSC was founded in 1971 as a central resource for state courts where its main role is developing court administration worldwide. The organization improves judicial administration through leadership and service to state courts by operating as an information resource. The NCSC focus is on missions and projects with the goal that other courts can benefit.
Established in 1915 and is a mandatory bar association of the State of Wyoming. The Wyoming State Bar regulates the practice of law, assists attorneys, and fosters the provision of quality legal services to the public. The Bar also publishes the monthly Wyoming Bar Journal and biannual Wyoming Law Review.
Lawyers, Law Firms, Organizations
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
Lawyer and businessman James Martindale began the Martindale Directory in 1868 to provide reliable contact information of lawyers and businesspeople in every city. In 1930, The Martindale company acquired rights to Hubbell’s Legal Directory which included state laws, court calendars and some lawyer listings. In 1931, the two directories were combined. Currently, Martindale-Hubbell offers legal listings for a range of practice areas across the United States and in other countries.
In 1995, FindLaw began with two attorneys compiling a list of online resources for a group of law librarians in California. Based on the responses, the two attorneys posted the listing on the internet which led to FindLaw. In 2001, FindLaw became a part of Thomson Reuters. It is currently one of the largest online lawyer directories.