mandatory ABA membership? Forum

[tomfoolery]

My understanding is that, as a 1L, my school automatically signs me up in the ABA. Dues are billed to my account.

Is this typical? And why is this automatic?

The ABA has taken definitive stands on some controversial issues, and I may or may not agree with any or all of them.

If the ABA was purely a professional organization, I might understand. But it isn't. It's as much political as it is professional.

How would the legal/academic community react if a school automatically registered all 1Ls for the Federalist Society?

Thoughts?

[rinkrat19]

You probably shouldn't attend any accredited law school, then. That's exactly like an endorsement of all the ABA's positions.

[reasonable_man]

My understanding is that, as a 1L, my school automatically signs me up in the ABA. Dues are billed to my account.

Is this typical? And why is this automatic?

The ABA has taken definitive stands on some controversial issues, and I may or may not agree with any or all of them.

If the ABA was purely a professional organization, I might understand. But it isn't. It's as much political as it is professional.

How would the legal/academic community react if a school automatically registered all 1Ls for the Federalist Society?

Thoughts?

One week deep into law school and already you're in love with yourself? That didn't take long.

[kalvano]

The mandatory dues thing is bullshit, though.

[2014]

The normal rate is 30 a year I think and the school probably gets a group discount by signing the whole class up. Of all the things to stress about this probably shouldn't be a big one.

[Gorki]

That is BS. I guess idk if my school does that... we were heavily lobbied to pay to join the student division of the ABA, but I never did so.

ABA is just a lobbying instrument for biglaw and law school administrators; paying to be part of the state bar association is more than enuff for me.

[Mce252]

It's almost as bad as a mandatory NYT subscription.

[unlicensedpotato]

Fight the power. You can at least go and complain to the school administration and see what their reaction is.

[PolySuyGuy]

My understanding is that, as a 1L, my school automatically signs me up in the ABA. Dues are billed to my account.

Is this typical? And why is this automatic?

The ABA has taken definitive stands on some controversial issues, and I may or may not agree with any or all of them.

If the ABA was purely a professional organization, I might understand. But it isn't. It's as much political as it is professional.

How would the legal/academic community react if a school automatically registered all 1Ls for the Federalist Society?

Thoughts?

It isn't the mandatory ABA that gets to me, it is the mandatory SBA that kills me. Those worthless good for nothing........

The only group I have ever met with more self importance is the High School Prom Committee.

[kay2016]

Seconded on the mandatory SBA opinion.