ABOTA NATIONAL
TEX-ABOTA
- El Paso, TX
- Email Us
Memberships
- Home
- Memberships
Member Resources
Benefits of ABOTA Membership
Networking Opportunities
In addition to local chapter special events and seminars, all ABOTA members are invited to attend the four National Board Meetings held each year. ABOTA hosts three domestic National meetings and one international meeting annually.
Voir Dire
Voir Dire is the award-winning flagship publication of the American Board of Trial Advocates. The magazine is sent to all members of the organization, as well as to state and federal judges and law schools across the country.
ABOTA Logo Use
All members are permitted use of the official ABOTA logo on their individual biography pages on their websites, as well as letterhead and other correspondence to show colleagues and clients the notable achievement of attaining membership in this organization.
ABOTA Briefs email updates
Our e-newsletter provides the accumulating insight of a year’s full-time dedication to serving the interests of ABOTA’s diverse membership across a national landscape of similarly diverse challenges and itineraries.
American Civil Trial Bar Roundtable Legislative Analysis Fund
The ACTBR is a semi-annual meeting of the nation’s most influential jury trial-focused organizations. It articulates a broad-based consensus among the leadership of America’s civil trial bar and is sponsored by ABOTA.
Code of Professionalism
A listing of the ethical and professional requirements for the profession of law. It is an appropriate framing for every office and place of focused litigation preparation.
Juror Bill of Rights
A code for the maintenance of the independence and integrity of the jury system itself.
Protocol for Responding to Unfair Criticism of Judges
In a world where judicial independence is more frequently under attack, ABOTA has established a responsive methodology to defend the Third Branch of Government against ignorance, prejudice and political influence.
Chapter Leadership Guide
The National Office has published a number of toolkits, templates, and other guidelines for local chapter activities.
The National Jury Summit
The Summit was held for the first time in 2005 during the presidency of Donna D. Melby, opening the door to a continuing dialogue of effective measures and practical steps to further our commitment to the Seventh Amendment. The National Office has available copies of the talking papers and articles
ABOTA Foundation
The ABOTA Foundation is ABOTA’s charitable education arm dedicated to preserving the Seventh Amendment. The Foundation’s civics and professional education programs spread this message to thousands of student and lawyer attendees each year.
National Leadership and Staff
The National President and Officers are always available to respond to your chapter’s invitation to share in your chapter’s efforts to honor our past by preserving our future. ABOTA’s National Past Presidents are also often available to visit your chapter.
Membership Classes
There are nine classes of membership, admission to which shall be dependent upon the qualifications listed below.
MEMBER
Shall have completed (10) civil jury trials to jury verdict or hung jury as lead counsel. The applicant shall further possess the other and additional professional and ethical attributes and ...ASSOCIATE
Shall have at least five (5) years of active experience as a trial lawyer and as a member of the Bar of the state, province, district or territory in which he or she practices, and shall have...HONORARY DIPLOMAT
Shall be a member or former member of the Bar in good standing, or other person of national or international prominence who, by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee of any sponsoring cha...DIPLOMAT
Shall have at least twelve (12) years of active experience as a trial lawyer and as a member of the Bar of the state, province, district or territory in which he or she practices, and shall h...EMERITUS MEMBER
A member shall be eligible for admission to Emeritus Status of his or her ranking whether as a Diplomate Emeritus, an Advocate Emeritus, or an Associate Emeritus upon either attaining the age...ADVOCATE
Shall have at least eight (8) years of active experience as a trial lawyer and as a member of the Bar of the state, province, district or territory in which he or she practices, and shall hav...JUDGE
Any Judge who by reason of his or her standing in the community and his or her contribution to the advancement of the cause of justice under the jury system, and who is a member or a former m...INTERNATIONAL MEMBER
This is an honorary category of membership by invitation of a member of the National Executive Committee only. A person in this category shall be a member or former member of the Bar in good ...SENIOR MEMBER
An Associate, Advocate or Diplomat who has been a member in good standing for 10 years and has reached the age of 75, or who has ceased to engage in the active practice of law to due to illne...FAQs
The most recent application form and worksheets can be obtained online at www.abota.org by an ABOTA member, or you may request one from the local chapter membership chair. If all else fails, you can request a copy from the National Office. It is important that you use the most recent version of the application form and worksheets in order to speed up the approval process and eliminate the need for supplemental information, which delays processing and approval of qualified applicants.
The minimum requirements can be summarized as follows: Regardless of the number of trial experience equivalency points an applicant may have accumulated, an applicant MUST have tried at least 10 civil jury trials to jury verdict or hung jury as lead counsel for the minimum requirements to have been met, and those civil jury trials MUST be listed on the application.
Supply as much information as is possible and the National Board will review for sufficiency.
Membership is by invitation only. Each chapter may adopt its own procedure for inviting qualified applicants to apply. The local chapter must approve of the applicant in accordance with Article III, Section 3 of the ABOTA National Constitution, which requires a 75% affirmative vote of the chapter Executive Committee and a 75% vote of the membership in attendance at a meeting or by mailed ballot.
The jury must have returned a verdict. Directed verdicts, settlements, dismissals, mistrials (other than due to a hung jury), and nonsuits, do not count as “to a jury verdict.” A minimum requirement is that the applicant must have tried at least 10 civil cases to a jury verdict or hung jury as lead counsel. Trial experience equivalency points CANNOT be used to meet the minimum requirements, but may be used to qualify for admission at a rank higher than the rank of Member.
Lead Counsel is an attorney substantially responsible for the personal representation of the client during the trial. “Substantially responsible” means, at a minimum: (1) Selecting a jury, or opening, or closing, and; (2) Presentation of live witnesses through direct or cross examination.
No.
If one of these events occurs before the voir dire panel is sworn, they do not count under any scenario. If one of these events occurs after the voir dire panel is sworn, they count for one-half (1/2) of the points of a trial to jury verdict under the point system. These trials count toward points only, not toward the ten (10) civil jury trials to a jury verdict minimum requirement. However, a mistrial due to a hung jury counts as “to a jury verdict” for full credit.
Yes, if the trial is a General Court Martial with a jury it is treated the same as felony trial for determining rank and the accumulation of points. But, it does not count toward the required minimum of ten (10) civil jury trials to a jury verdict.
After the application form and worksheets are completed, they should be sent, in duplicate, to the local chapter for approval and if approved, the local chapter will send the application and copy to the National Office along with the initiation fee. Please make sure to use the most current application form and worksheets. The most recent application form and worksheets can be downloaded by a member from the website www.abota.org, or you may obtain copies from the National Office.
The member is suspended if dues are not paid within six (6) months of the due date and is terminated if dues are not paid within one (1) year of the due date. When suspended, the member loses all rights, privileges and benefits of membership until past dues are paid.
In order to be eligible for inactive status, the member must meet the qualifications set out in Bylaw V, Section 9 of the Bylaws. A written request , in duplicate, setting forth the reasons and qualifications for inactive status must be submitted by the member to the local chapter and approved by a ¾ vote of the local chapter executive committee.
Yes. You must complete and submit the to your local chapter. The local chapter executive committee must approve your request by a ¾ vote and if approved, submit your application along with the $300.00 application fee, plus $750 annual dues for the year of the application, plus state and regional dues assessment, to the National Office. The request will be submitted to the National Board at the next meeting and must be approved by the National Board by a ¾ vote.
You may apply, at any time, for elevation in rank from Member to Associate or Advocate, or from Associate to Advocate and, after three (3) years of membership in the rank of Advocate, you may make application for elevation to the rank of Diplomate. Application for elevation in rank is made by submitting the elevation in rank application in duplicate, and fee to your local chapter for approval. Worksheets or trial listings are not required to be submitted with an elevation in rank application.
No, one can only join as a Member, Associate or Advocate. After three (3) years of membership in the rank of Advocate, a person can make application for elevation to the rank of Diplomate.
See Bylaw V, Section 10 of the Bylaws for eligibility to transfer. All such requests must be in writing, in duplicate, and approved in writing by the chapter to which transfer is sought before submission to the National Board, through the National Office. The initial request must go to the chapter to which transfer is sought for approval and if that chapter approves, it is to send the request and the chapter approval, in duplicate, to the National Office.
In order to recommend to the Board that Emeritus status be granted, the Chapter must specify via the application and supporting letter that the member has served ABOTA with distinction, has been a Fellow of the Foundation for at least five (5) years, has been a member of ABOTA in good standing for at least ten (10) years and has ceased active practice by reason of one or more of the following: age, illness, injury, infirmity, or other reason satisfactory to the local Chapter and the National
An Associate, Advocate or Diplomate who has been a member in good standing for ten (10) years and has reached the age of 75 qualifies for Senior Membership upon application. Alternatively, an Associate, Advocate or Diplomate who has ceased to engage in the active practice of law due to illness, injury or infirmity may, at an earlier age, apply for Senior status. Acting as a mediator or an arbitrator is considered the active practice of law and as a result disqualifies a member for Senior rank.
While, by invitation or consent, members can participate in multiple Chapters, dual or split membership between two or more Chapters is not an option provided under ABOTA’s Constitution & Bylaws.