American Bar Foundation

Not to be confused with American Bar Association.
American Bar Foundation
MottoExpanding knowledge and advancing justice
Established1952
PresidentJimmy K. Goodman
BudgetRevenue: $8,543,107
Expenses: $7,911,819
(FYE 2022)[1]
Address750 North Lake Shore Drive, Fl. 4
Chicago, IL 60611-4403
Location
Chicago, IL, United States
Websiteamericanbarfoundation.org

The American Bar Foundation (ABF) is an independent, nonprofit national research institute[2] established in 1952 and located in Chicago, United States. Its mission is to expand knowledge and advance justice by supporting innovative, interdisciplinary and rigorous empirical research on law, legal processes and legal institutions.[3] This program of sociolegal research is conducted by an interdisciplinary staff of Research Faculty trained in such diverse fields as law, sociology, psychology, political science, philosophy, economics, history, and anthropology.[4]

The American Bar Foundation is located in the same building as Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in downtown Chicago.

The American Bar Foundation supports faculty research and scholarly activity that results in books, reports and essays. The American Bar Foundation Research Faculty produce Law and Social Inquiry (LSI), a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes articles, symposia, and review essays examining pressing sociolegal issues.[5] Law and Social Inquiry is published by Cambridge University Press (previously Wiley-Blackwell). The American Bar Foundation publishes Researching Law,[6] a quarterly newsletter.

The American Bar Foundation is a resource for lawyers, scholars, and policy makers who seek analyses of the theory and functioning of law, legal institutions, and the legal profession. The American Bar Foundation's work is supported by the American Bar Endowment (ABE),[7] by The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation,[8] and by grants for particular research projects from private foundations and government agencies. The entity is also affiliated with the American Bar Association.[9]

  1. ^ "American Bar Foundation ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer". 9 May 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  2. ^ "Making a difference". ABA Journal. 81 (11): 106. November 1995.
  3. ^ Martin, Joanne (February 2018). "Giving Back and Getting Protection: It's Not Too Good to Be True". Of Counsel. 37 (2): 17–19.
  4. ^ "Research - American Bar Foundation". www.americanbarfoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  5. ^ "Law & Social Inquiry - American Bar Foundation". www.americanbarfoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  6. ^ "Researching Law, an ABF Newsletter - American Bar Foundation". www.americanbarfoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  7. ^ "Insurance for Lawyers/Attorneys | American Bar Endowment". www.abendowment.org. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  8. ^ "Fellows - American Bar Foundation". www.americanbarfoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  9. ^ "American Bar Association". Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition: 1. March 2021.