Legal Affairs
AAJ’s Legal Affairs program works together with Public Affairs and State Affairs to further AAJ’s mission to protect the right to trial by jury and access to justice.
AAJ works to protect the civil justice system by participating in the development of law through filing amicus curiae briefs in federal and state courts, including in the United States Supreme Court. AAJ’s Amicus Curiae program ensures that important access to justice, right to trial by jury, and public policy arguments are advocated in support of the rights of all Americans in courts nationwide.
Learn MoreAAJ responds to and develops suggestions on proposed changes to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, Civil Procedure, and Evidence, and other court rules governing court procedure and coordinates the positions of AAJ members.
Learn MoreAAJ provides support to the state affiliates by working with AAJ’s State Affairs program on issues important to their members. Issues include, challenges to laws that impede access to justice, caps on damages, state rules of evidence and procedure, and proposals on the practice of law. AAJ’s amicus curiae filings in state courts in collaboration with state trial lawyer associations are also robust.
Learn About State AffairsAAJ advocates on behalf of consumers in policy-making bodies, including American Law Institute, Uniform Law Commission, and Institute for the Advancement of the America Legal System. This includes representing AAJ’s interest on policies put forward by these groups, including commenting and input on proposals to Restatements of the Law.
Committees & Leadership
Amicus Curiae Committee
Chair: Stephen Herman | Herman Herman & Katz, New Orleans, LA
Legal Affairs Committee
The purpose of the Legal Affairs Committee is to recommend, develop, and implement, upon approval of the BOG or the president, policies and programs involving research, advocacy, and litigation relating to legal issues of concern to AAJ as an organization and/or affecting the judicial branch of government, whether federal or state. Legal issues shall be defined to include all constitutional issues: court rules, including evidence and procedure; and all substantive law issues, whether common law or statutory.
Chair: Elise Sanguinetti | Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Torrijos, LLP, Oakland, CA
AAJ Legal Affairs is committed to strengthening the civil justice system to ensure that deserving individuals can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms.
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