Marion Tinkham, from Indiana, was asked by the American Bar Association Public Relations chair to organize a meeting of lawyers’ wives for the August 1958 ABA convention in Los Angeles. She wrote to each State Bar President and asked them to invite any wife who was interested to attend the meeting. Although there were several state and local lawyers’ wives organizations already established, the goal was to form a national organization that would provide a forum for the mutual exchange of ideas and a resource of information.
On August 25, 1959, in Miami, the National Conference of Lawyers’ Wives was founded. The goals established then continue today. The ALA strives to provide a communication network to bring our unique strengths to the preservation and enhancement of the American legal system and to preserve the integrity of our legal heritage through citizenship education.
In 1982, at the Annual Meeting in Atlanta, the name was changed to the American Lawyers Auxiliary. At the Annual meeting in Chicago in August of 2012, the name was changed once again to the American Laywers Alliance. The ALA continues to sponsor programs such as “We the People” and the Law Related Teacher of the Year Award. Elementary, middle and High School teachers who incorporate Law-Related Education into their curriculum are recognized and receive monetary recognition from the ALA.
Over the years, many changes have been made in the size and structure of the organization. However, our Mission and goals have remained constant. We are very proud of the women who have gone before us and challenged by the legacy they have left behind.