ABOTA Membership Has Its Advantages

Interested in becoming a member and want to get the process started? Fill out the Prospective Members Form below.

A copy of the full membership application is available here: ABOTA Membership Application

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Any trial lawyer who is of high personal character and honorable reputation, and who is a member of the Bar of the State, province, district, territory or country in which he or she practices, and who has met the qualifications as prescribed in Article III, Section 2, may become a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates upon nomination and sponsorship by an existing member of ABOTA.

NINE CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE

There are nine classes of membership, admission to which shall be dependent upon the qualifications listed below.

• MEMBER – Shall have completed (10) civil jury trials to jury verdict or hung jury as lead counsel. The applicant shall further possess the other and additional professional and ethical attributes and accomplishments as becomes one committed to the preservation of the Seventh Ammendment. Each such person shall be admitted to the rank of “Member” and shall have all rights of any other class of membership.
• ASSOCIATE – Shall have at least five (5) years of active experience as a trial lawyer and as a member of the Bar of the state, province, district or territory in which he or she practices, and shall have tried a minimum of twenty (20) civil jury trials to a conclusion in a court of general jurisdiction or in a federal court or, in the alternative, shall have tried a minimum of ten (10) civil jury trials and twenty (20) major felony criminal trials to a conclusion in a court of general jurisdiction or in a federal court or, as a second alternative, shall have tried ten (10) civil jury trials to a conclusion in a court of general jurisdiction of a federal court and have acquired 200 points under the trial experience equivalency provisions as defined by Bylaw IV, Section 1.
• ADVOCATE – Shall have at least eight (8) years of active experience as a trial lawyer and as a member of the Bar of the state, province, district or territory in which he or she practices, and shall have tried a minimum of fifty (50) civil jury trials to a conclusion in a court of general jurisdiction or, in the alternative, shall have tried twenty-five (25) civil jury trials to a conclusion in a court of general jurisdiction or a federal court and shall have acquired 500 points as defined by Bylaw IV, Section 1.
• DIPLOMAT – Shall have at least twelve (12) years of active experience as a trial lawyer and as a member of the Bar of the state, province, district or territory in which he or she practices, and shall have held the rank of Advocate for a minimum of three (3) years and shall have tried a minimum of one hundred (100) civil jury trials to a conclusion in a court of general jurisdiction or a federal court or, in the alternative, shall have tried twenty-five (50) civil jury trials to a conclusion in a court of general jurisdiction or a federal court and shall have acquired 1000 points as defined by Bylaw IV, Section 1.
• HONORARY DIPLOMAT – Shall be a member or former member of the Bar in good standing, or other person of national or international prominence who, by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee of any sponsoring chapter and the National Board of Directors, is entitled to honorary membership in this Association by reason of his or her significant contribution to the advancement of the causes of justice. An Honorary Diplomate shall have no voting privilege, nor shall he or she be required to pay an initiation fee, dues or assessments.
• JUDGE – Any Judge who by reason of his or her standing in the community and his or her contribution to the advancement of the cause of justice under the jury system, and who is a member or a former member of a State Bar Association and prior to becoming a judge has acquired the minimum qualifications required of a Member, shall be eligible for admission to membership, provided he or she has received an affirmative vote in accordance with Article III, Section 3, Subsection 3. An applicant under this class of membership shall be required to pay an initiation fee equivalent to that of an associate member and shall be subject to the payment of dues and assessments.
• EMERITUS MEMBER – A member shall be eligible for admission to Emeritus Status of his or her ranking whether as a Diplomate Emeritus, an Advocate Emeritus, or an Associate Emeritus upon either attaining the age of 75 years of, having served with distinction as a member for 10 years, ceasing to engage in the active practice of law by reason of age, illness, infirmity, or other reason satisfactory to both his or her local chapter and as the complete discretion of the National Board present and voting at a Board meeting. Emeritus status shall continue all rights and duties previously held by the member, but he or she shall be relieved of the obligation to pay dues.
• INTERNATIONAL MEMBER – This is an honorary category of membership by invitation of a member of the National Executive Committee only. A person in this category shall be a member or former member of the Bar in good standing or a member or former member of the Judiciary in good standing of a country other than the United States of America in which he or she resides who believes in the general principles of this organization and in the preservation and promulgation of the right to jury trial in contested litigation. Such membership shall require a seventy-five percent (75%) vote of the National Executive Committee (presently six out of the eight members) and by a ratification vote of the National Board present and voting at a National Board meeting. An International Member shall have no voting privilege nor shall he or she be required to pay any initiation fee, dues or assessments except as stated by Bylaw V, Section 2.
• SENIOR MEMBER – An Associate, Advocate or Diplomat who has been a member in good standing for 10 years and has reached the age of 75, or who has ceased to engage in the active practice of law to due to illness, injury or, infirmity at an earlier age may submit an application to his or her local chapter for Senior Status. Upon recommendation of the local chapter and approval by the National Board, Senior Status will be granted to such member and such member will thereafter be obliged to pay 50% of the ABOTA National annual dues. However, said member shall be subject to any amount assessed by a state or regional organization of ABOTA.

Please Note: Expedited Jury Trials can be used in calculating points for admission to ABOTA.

Prospective Members

If you are interested in applying for membership, please fill out the form below