Knowledge powers the pursuit of justice.
- News
May 15, 2026
This year’s Law and Society Association (LSA) Annual Meeting to be held in San Francisco, CA, from May 28-31 will feature presentations from over twenty ABF scholars. LSA’s Annual Meeting presents an unparalleled opportunity for sociolegal scholars to connect and exchange ideas across many disciplines and academic backgrounds. The theme… 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
- News
Princeton University Student Laura Nelson Wins Law & Social Inquiry’s 2026 Graduate Student Paper Competition
June 25, 2026
The American Bar Foundation (ABF) is delighted to announce that Laura Nelson, a PhD candidate in the Department of History at Princeton University, has won the 2026 Graduate Student Paper Competition from Law & Social Inquiry (LSI) for her article titled “Registries, Records, and the Making of Emancipation in Pennsylvania.” The paper… Read More
- News
Welcoming the 2026 ABF Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows
June 8, 2026
The American Bar Foundation (ABF) has selected five outstanding undergraduate students from across the nation to take part in the 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program. These young scholars were admitted from a highly competitive pool of applicants for their exceptional work in their undergraduate careers and their interest in… Read More
- News
ABF Scholars to Present Research at the 2026 Law and Society Association Annual Meeting
May 15, 2026
This year’s Law and Society Association (LSA) Annual Meeting to be held in San Francisco, CA, from May 28-31 will feature presentations from over twenty ABF scholars. LSA’s Annual Meeting presents an unparalleled opportunity for sociolegal scholars to connect and exchange ideas across many disciplines and academic backgrounds. The theme… Read More
Featured Events
September 01, 2026
Check Back Soon!
In-Person
(ABF Offices, 750 N Lake Shore Drive, 4th Floor Chicago, IL)
Upcoming Events
More
Law, American Bar Foundation and University of Wisconsin-Madison
More information coming soon!
Hybrid: Virtual/In-Person
(ABF Offices, 750 N Lake Shore Drive, 4th Floor Chicago, IL)
Sociology and Law, University of Wisconsin Madison
More information coming soon!
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
The "Paradox of Procedure": Why More Rules Might Reduce Access to Justice—And How Market Tools Can Help