American Lawyers Alliance

Keeping the Spirit of Democracy Alive Across the Nation!


An American Bar Association Related Organization

Welcome to American Lawyers Alliance
An American Bar Association Related Organization

The American Lawyers Alliance supports Law Related Education in our schools and communities.  ALA is about making sure that all Americans know the value of freedom and liberty under the U.S. Constitution. It’s about sharing ideas and cooperative efforts so that we can make a difference in your community.


Downloadable Brochure Civic Education Resources

Countdown for the 2024 Catherine Jurgemeyer Scholarship

Applications are due May 31, 2024

:
:
:
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
Countdown finished!

Purpose

To award a one-time college scholarship to a deserving high school senior whose body of work both inside and outside the classroom has demonstrated a special dedication to law-related education with academic excellence. Examples of such dedication could include, but are not limited to: 

  • Involvement with high school Mock Trial, We The People, or Model United Nations competitions
  • Local government or community involvement
  • Law-related educational projects
  • Leadership in school government, law-related or civic minded clubs
  • Research papers/videos
  • Drafting legislation

Criteria

  1. Student must be a high school senior planning to attend an accredited 4-year college
  2. Student must have a GPA of 3.5 (or equivalent) or higher
  3. Student must submit a 500-750 word essay explaining "The Importance of Law-Related Education in Today's Society."  (Click here for tips on writing a great college essay.)
  4. Student must complete the online application, submit a copy of their latest transcript, a copy of their college resume, copies of their SAT/ACT scores and at least 2 letters of recommendation
  5. Student must be a United States citizen

Additional Information

  • Applications must be submitted online.  See below for online application.
  • American Lawyers Alliance Board Members may not submit entries or write letters of recommendation for applicants.
  • Home-schooled students are eligible.
  • Remote learning students are eligible.


2024 ALA Annual Meeting

Chicago, Illinois


July 31 - August 2, 2024


Wednesday, July 31, 2024

1:30 - 5:00 - Committee Meetings, Swissotel


1:30 - 2:00 - Long Range Planning and Marketing

2:00 - 3:00  Nominating

3:00 - 4:00 CARR

4:00 - 5:00 Executive


7:00 - 9:00 - Dinner at Roberts Pizza and Dough within walking distance of the hotel.  - Dutch Treat


Thursday, August 1, 2024

9:00 a.m. - Noon - Board Meeting Swissotel

Zoom Link:


1:00 p.m. -  Chicago Crime and Mob Bus Tour.  - Cost of tour - $42 per person.


7:00 p.m. - Dinner at Russian Tea Time - Price TBD


Friday, August 2, 2024

9:00 a.m. - Noon - ALA Awards Breakfast at the University Club of Chicago - Cost $60 per person

Zoom Link:


1:00 - 3:00 p.m. - Annual Meeting and Officer Installation at Swissotel

Zoom Link:



3:00 p.m. -  Free time to explore Chicago


Here's your chance to explore the Windy City on your own or with a pal or two. Some suggestions are:




7:00 p.m. - Dinner at Venteux Brasserie. Price TBD

Book Your Room

Room registration is now open through the ABA.  Here are the steps to taking to making your reservation:

  1. Our meetings will be held at the SWISSOTEL located at323 East Wacker Drive, Chicago IL 60601-9722
  2. The ABA rate is $230.25
  3. Click here to go directly to the ABA 2024 Annual Meeting Travel/Accommodations Registration page to book your room.


Online Registration


Congratulations to our 2024 Teachers of the Year!


  • A Celebration of Life - Rita Thompson, ALA President 2020 - 2021

    Past ALA President from 2020 - 2021 and 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Rita Thompson of San Antonio, Texas passed away on Sunday, February 18, 2024.  She was an active and integral part of ALA, as well as the Texas Lawyers Auxiliary and the San Antonio Bar Auxiliary.  Click below to read about her achievements.

    Tributes to Rita Thompson

    A Celebration of Life - Pauline Krieger, ALA President 2001 - 2002

    Past ALA President from 2001 - 2002 and 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Pauline Krieger of Rochester, MN passed away on Friday, February 2, 2024.  She was an active and intragal part of ALA.  Click below to read about her achievments.

    Tributes to Pauline Krieger

    A Celebration of Life - Elouise Williams, ALA President 2000 - 2001

    Past ALA President from 2000 - 2001, Elouise Williams of Birmingham, Alabama passed away on August 25, 2023.  She was 95 years old.  Many current ALA members remember her fondly.  Click below to read all the loving tributes.

    Tributes to Elouise Williams

    Cameron Reckard

    2023 Catherine G. Jurgemeyer Scholarship Recipient

    Congratulations to Cameron Reckard from Sheridan, Wyoming, our 2023 $10,000 Catherine G. Jurgemeyer Memorial Scholarship Winner!  Cameron graduated from Sheridan High School with a 4.94 GPA, an ACT Score of 36 and will be attending Harvard University this fall.  His academic achievements, combined with his amazing law-related and extra-curricular activities, plus his inspirational essay complete the picture of our perfect scholarship recipient.

    Learn More About Cameron


    • Exciting New Business!
    • We are very excited to announce our newest American Lawyers Alliance adventure - to be a sponsor and volunteer at the 2023 National High School Mock Trial Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas from May 18 - 20, 2023!
    • Part of this sponsorship is a donation of $2,500 to the competition which will give us the opportunity to to speak to teachers and coaches about our ALA Teacher of the Year contest and promote our $10,000 Jurgemeyer Scholarship to high school seniors, as well as distribute our ALA marketing materials.
    • They need volunteers!  Our members would act as courtroom liaisons escorting teams to courtrooms.  They also need our attorney husbands (or our attorney members) to volunteer as presiding or scoring judges (retired attorneys welcome). 
    • Click here to download the Schedule of Events
    • Hotel reservations are now open!  There are two hotels that have special room rates:
    • Little Rock Marriott - $161 per night - Click here to book. 
    • Little Rock Doubletree - $139 per night -  Click here to book.



    If you decide you would like to volunteer (and we hope you do), please click here to sign up.  Fill in the information and put in American Lawyers Alliance for the organization. You will receive a confirmation email of your registration.


    • Airport Information

    Little Rock is serviced by the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT), minutes from downtown Little Rock. The airport is served by Delta, American, United, Southwest, Allegiant, and Frontier. Nonstop flights are available from Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Miami, Orlando, St. Louis, and Washington D.C.


    Both the Marriott and the DoubleTree offer shuttles to and from the airport. If you desire a shuttle, contact the hotels front desk and make a request. Local taxi, Uber, and Lyft are available.  Rental car options are available as well. Parking decks are available within walking distance of both hotels.




    Don't wait to book - rooms will fill up quickly!


    • Book Donation!

    This year's worthy New Orleans organization - North Rampart Community Center, is an amazing organization located on the border between the French Quarter ("Vieux Carre") and the community of Treme in the historic section of old New Orleans. The center was established in 1909 by the Women’s Society of Christian Services, Board of Missions, Methodist Church, as part of a nationwide movement to establish community centers in high poverty areas around the country.  Also providing Christian education to the children of an expanding immigrant population within New Orleans. The mission expanded to primarily address the material, educational, and spiritual needs of the women and children.

    • Food, Fun, and Familiar Faces in New Orleans!

    Click here to see more pictures





    Justice Stephen Breyer’s thoughts on civic education and advice to ABA’s youngest members.

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer spoke remotely to ABA President Judy Perry Martinez during the General Assembly of the 2020 ABA Annual Meeting.  The following is an excerpt from that conversation:


    “Martinez closed her conversation with Breyer by asking the justice to share a few pieces of advice with the ABA’s youngest members as well as with its more senior attorneys.

    

    Breyer encouraged law students to learn about the government and said he wished civics was restored as a required course. To those who are graduating, he said he couldn’t tell them how to live their lives, but he hoped a few things for them.

    

    “I can hope you’ll find someone to love,” he said. “I can hope you’ll have a job that is rewarding, and I can hope you will participate. Participate in public life. And there are a million ways to participate.

    “You can join a local library association. You can try to be a school board member. You can vote. You can learn about the issues going on. You can talk to others.”

    

    To the senior members, Breyer said, like he tells himself, “you just keep going.”

    

    

    Read the full article by Amanda Robert

    Enjoy Our 60th Anniversary Past President's Slideshow!

    

    ALA by the Numbers

    $150,000 +

    Total Amount Given to Our Teachers of the Year

    5,000

    Approximate Number of Books Donated

    12

    State and City Auxiliaries

    62

    Years and counting!

    Help ALA Celebrate 0ver 60 Years!

    Did you know that your membership in the American Lawyers Alliance allows us to...

     

     



    ALA Annual Awards Overview

    Law-Related Education Teacher of the Year Award
    More Information

    Judicial Civic Education Award

    More Information
    Lifetime Achievement Award
    More Information

    Catherine G. Jurgemeyer Memorial Scholarship

    More Information

    Lillian B. Jarvis
    Teacher of the Year Award

    More Information
    Outstanding Individual Volunteer Award
    More Information
    Auxiliary Support Program Awards
    More Information

    Law Related Projects and Materials

    Share by: