Legal professionals from across the nation will convene July 29-Aug. 4 in Chicago for the American Bar Association 2026 Annual Conference, where attorneys, judges and legal scholars will examine pressing issues shaping the legal profession, including artificial intelligence, election integrity, the current state of the justice system and the judiciary.
The conference also will feature events commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The ABA House of Delegates (HOD) — the association’s policymaking body encompassing nearly 600 delegates from ABA entities and state, local and specialty bar associations — will meet in person at 9 a.m. CDT on Monday, Aug. 3, and Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
Delegates will consider almost 45 policy matters, including ones on discrimination, independence of the legal profession, habeas corpus and immigration enforcement issues including the wearing of masks by agents and the rules under which they can enter private homes.
Several ABA governance issues and law school accreditation matters will be discussed.
Resolutions are not ABA policy until they are voted on and passed by the House of Delegates, which meets twice annually. The next HOD meeting will be held during the ABA Midyear Conference, Jan. 27-Feb. 1, 2027, in Chicago.
The program will feature remarks from senior ABA leadership.
When the House adjourns on Tuesday afternoon, Barbara J. Howard will officially become ABA president, and Laura V. Farber will become ABA president-elect.
The conference will feature events including “Architects of Justice: Lawyers Advancing American Ideals 250th Anniversary Gala,” celebrating and reflecting on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and honoring the profound legacy of the lawyers who helped build America and inspired countless movements for freedom and justice throughout the world.
Twenty-five of the 56 signers of the Declaration were lawyers who used their legal skills to change their society, inspiring countless movements for independence and the rule of law worldwide.
This special event will feature a keynote address by writer and political commentator George Will, followed by a ceremony presenting the prestigious ABA Medal, the association's highest honor recognizing outstanding lifetime service in the law and jurisprudence.
This year’s ABA Medal recipient is Holocaust survivor and longtime civil and human rights activist John M. Rosenberg, executive director emeritus of the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund (AppalReD).
The ticketed event runs from 6-10 p.m. July 31 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
There will also be a “250th Anniversary Showcase Plenary: The Global Roots and Continuing Legacy of the Declaration of Independence,” July 31 from 1:30-3 p.m. CDT.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and his judicial counterparts from the United Kingdom and Canada will discuss the international legal roots and ongoing legacy of the Declaration of Independence and movement for independence.
In addition to the ABA Medal, the conference will highlight the presentation of some of the ABA’s most prominent awards. These include:
• The John H. Pickering Award of Achievement — Jonathan K. Baum, director of pro bono services at Chicago-based Katten, will be recognized for his illustrious career and contributions to pro bono and access to justice. Saturday, Aug. 1, 12:30-2 p.m. CDT
• The Silver Gavel Awards for Media & the Arts — Since 1958 the Silver Gavel Awards have honored outstanding current (produced in the previous calendar year) popular public-facing media that foster public understanding of law. ABA President Michelle A. Behnke will present awards across eight categories: Books, Documentaries, Drama & Literature, Magazines, Newspapers, Radio & Podcasts, Television and Web & Multimedia. Saturday, Aug. 1, 3:30-5 p.m. CDT
• Thurgood Marshall Award — The award recognizes long-term contributions by members of the legal profession to the advancement of civil rights, civil liberties and human rights. Anthony C. Romero, executive director at the American Civil Liberties Union, which he has helmed for 25 years, will be honored. Saturday, Aug. 1, 7-10 p.m. CDT
• Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards — Established in 1991 to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of women lawyers, this award honors up to five outstanding women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence within their area of specialty and have actively paved the way to success for other women lawyers. This year, the following are awarded: Cory Amron, president, Women Lawyers on Guard Inc., Arlington, Virginia; Sheila S. Boston, partner, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, New York, New York; Michelle Childs, circuit judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.; Ramona Romero, vice president and general counsel, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; and Mary Smith, independent director, PTC Therapeutics; CEO, Task Force for American Democracy, Lansing, Illinois. Sunday, Aug. 2, 3-5:30 p.m. CDT
(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2026/07/annual-conference-election-integrity-250th/)
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