Knowledge powers the pursuit of justice.
- News
February 26, 2026
The United States Supreme Court is perhaps more divisive now than ever before. Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the 2022 decision which overturned Roe v. Wade, caused the percent of Democrats holding a favorable view of the Court to plummet to levels lower than they have been in… Read More
American Bar Foundation
We conduct research that explores the intersection of
law and society—to expand knowledge and advance justice.
Our groundbreaking research is used to:
Spark conversations
about the world's
most pressing issues
most pressing issues
Shape law and policy
by informing lawmakers,
practitioners, and the judiciary
practitioners, and the judiciary
Influence societies
in the U.S. and
across the world
across the world
Featured Research
In the News
- Access To Justice
- News
The ABF Access to Justice Research Initiative Launches Early Career Workshop with Second Cohort of Scholars
January 23, 2026
The American Bar Foundation’s Access to Justice Research Initiative is a hub for innovative research that connects access… Read More
- Fellows
- News
Rachel F. Moran to Receive 2026 Outstanding Scholar Award
January 7, 2026
Rachel F. Moran has been honored with the 2026 Outstanding Scholar Award from the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation (ABF). Moran will be recognized during the 70th Annual Fellows Awards Reception and Banquet, which will be held in San Antonio, Texas, on Friday, February 6. The Outstanding Scholar Award is… Read More
- Fellows
- News
Stephen A. Bain and Joi G. Kush to Receive 2026 Outstanding State Chair Award
January 7, 2026
Stephen A. Bain and Joi G. Kush have been honored with the 2026 Outstanding State Chair Award from the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. Bain and Kush are the Fellows State Cochairs of Colorado. They will be recognized during… Read More
Featured Events
April 08, 2026
Sociology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
Stagnated, on the Verge of Breakthrough, or Both? The State of Big Theories of Legal Phenomena
Hybrid: Virtual/In-Person
(ABF Offices, 750 N Lake Shore Drive, 4th Floor Chicago, IL)
Upcoming Events
More
Sociology and Law, Fordham School of Law
Disclosureland: How Corporate Words Constrain Racial Progress
Hybrid: Virtual/In-Person
(ABF Offices, 750 N Lake Shore Drive, 4th Floor Chicago, IL)
Anthropology, University of Illinois Chicago
Hybrid: Virtual/In-Person
(ABF Offices, 750 N Lake Shore Drive, 4th Floor Chicago, IL)
Featured Researcher
Stephen Daniels
ABF Research Professor Emeritus
Stephen Daniels is a Research Professor Emeritus at the American Bar Foundation. His ABF research project, Alternative Legal Professionals, examines legal technician programs, which license non-lawyers to practice certain aspects of law in a limited capacity with the goal of expanding access to legal services at a more affordable cost. In this feature, Daniels discusses how this concept emerged, spread, and continues to evolve across multiple states.
- Podcasts
Episode 8: Season One Finale: When Law Meets Society
The season finale of Season 1 of Whose Law is it Anyway explores the impact of ABF's research with former Executive Director, Ajay K. Mehrotra.
- Videos
Shaping the Future of Sociolegal Research: ABF Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships
Watch to learn more about the ABF Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships.