Professional Regulations and Associations of Personal Injury Lawyers

Professional Regulations and Associations of Personal Injury Lawyers

Personal injury lawyers are regulated by codes of conduct established by state bar associations, which have the power to take disciplinary action against lawyers who violate professional or ethical regulations. The American Bar Association (ABA) Joint Committee on Lawyer Regulation offers assistance to state bars, helping them to draft, implement, and/or promote regulatory policies regarding personal injury lawyers. Personal injury lawyers may belong to any number of professional associations, some of which are mandatory and others voluntary.

 

For instance, personal injury lawyers are licensed by their state bar associations, of which they must be members. Among the more common professional associations that personal injury lawyers may voluntarily join are the following:

American Bar Association – a professional association dedicated to improving the legal system and providing accreditation for law schools and continuing legal education programs.

Association of Personal Injury Lawyers – an association founded in 1990 by personal injury lawyers on behalf of accident victims.

Association of Trial Lawyers of America – also known as ATLA, an association of trial lawyers that was founded in 1946 by a group of plaintiff’s attorneys committed to safeguarding victims’ rights. In 2007, ATLA changed its name to the American Association for Justice, also known as the AAJ.

The Mission of the American Association for Justice is to promote a fair and effective justice system—and to support the work of attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America's courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests.