Mid-Year Meeting of the American Bar Association, Seattle, Washington, February 2003 (Conference Report) [2003] JSPL 11; (2003) 7(1) Journal of South Pacific Law

Mid-Year Meetf the Americanrican Bar Association, Seattle, Washington, February 2003

By Peter MacFarlane*

ief descriptionption of the conference attended

This conference was the Mid Meeting of the American Bar Association. It was held in Seattle, Washington State. This meis meeting brings together over 4000 lawyers, judges and academics in the area of law and legal practice. Apart from the annual meeting of the ABA the Mid-Year Meeting is one of the largest legal conferences. The conference also brings together all the organizational arms of the ABA such as their Continuing Legal Education, Professional Responsibility, and Law and Technology sections.

I also took the time to visit the Law School, University of Washington where staff/student exchange programmes and the development of ties between the USP Law School and the University of Washington Asian Law Centre were discussed.

A report on the main themes of the conference and my visit to Washington University

One of the reasons I was anxious to attend this conference was because of the strong history and tradition that the American Bar Association has with legal ethics and professional responsibility. This is one of my special areas of interest. A copy of my paper in relation to this matter is attached. Apart from this theme I was also interested in developments concerning technology and the law.

In relation to my visit to the University of Washington, I was interested in promoting the USP Master of Laws course, discussing the establishment of a closer relationship between the two law schools and meeting with colleagues who teach and research in my own areas of interest.

A report of my participation in the conference and at the University of Washington

I attended sessions in the areas of Professional Responsibility and Legal Ethics and Technology and Law. I addressed the opening meeting of the American Bar Counsel (about 400 members) and submitted a paper (attached) to the Council on Professional Responsibility. These two presentations led to the following positive outcomes:

In relation to my attendance at the American Bar Association Conference

(i) ـ &##60;&< n&##10;& Anoduction to c to colleaglleagues and the exchange oas

(iii) ـ҈< < ـ &##60;& A60; A commitment bent by the ABA to assist me in my work as a member of the Attorney-General’s committee in the re-drafting of egal ition217;s Act (Vanuby providing copies of the Unhe United ited StateStates Mods Model Rules of Conduct and a commitment to provide expertise in matters concerning the disciplining of lawyers.

(iv) &ـ < < ;d Ao oppittunity to learn abrn about some of the developments in the area of law and technology.

(v) &##160;;ټـِټ&#An opportpportunityunity to s to share hare my owmy own resn research in the area of Professional Conduct.

In relation to mit toUnive of Wgton

(i)  &1600 &#160 &#160 & ; &##60;& Me0; Meeting colleagues e the University of Washington who teach and research in my own area of expertise, namely Medical Law.

(ii)ـ҈& &160; n&##10;& Me0;ing with with with the Dthe Dean, Profession Jo Knight and a tour of the new Law School Building.

(ii60;&##160;;ټ&##160;; #160; An o An opportpportunityunity to d to discusiscuss thes the USP Law School post-graduate program and to distribute posters about the course.

(iv) &##60;&<;ɘʔ< Extensive discus wits the the Director, Asian Law Centre to promote a closer relationship between that Centre and the Law School. In particular, reeme exchJournals and to encourage contriontributions to each other’s publicablicationstions.

(v) & &##60;& ; Dsicus concerning the poss possibility of staff/student exchanges. These matters will be furthrsued Studervicd the of S.

Dissemination of inforinformatiomation

I intend to advise collecolleaguesagues of t of the mahe materials that were distributed at the ABA conference. I also intend to liase with Student Administration regarding possible student exchanges with the University of Washington and with the Head of School concerning possible staff exchanges. Other information will be distributed and disseminated to the Committee concerning the re-drafting of the Legal Practitioner’s Act. I will liase with the Law Librarian concerning the books and materials that would be useful in supporting a course on legal ethics. Some of these resource materials may be located at the USP Community Legal Centre.

I thank the Law School and the University for their support in allowing me to attend these meetings.

*Associate Professor of Law, School of Law USP, Port Vila