Miami's Bass to lead the ABA.

Hilarie Bass of Miami assumed the role of president-elect of the ABA at the conclusion of the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

"I am honored to take on the position of ABA president-elect and look forward to serving my fellow attorneys, while working to eradicate bias, enhance diversity, and advance the rule of law," said Bass, the ca-president of Greenberg Traurig. "Giving back to the profession that has given me so much is something I feel strongly about, which is why I have dedicated myself to supporting the ABA mission for more than 30 years."

She will serve a one-year term as president-elect before becoming ABA president in August 2017.

Speaking during the ABA Annual Meeting, Bass highlighted her priorities for the organization in the coming years. Most importantly, she emphasized the significance of the association's involvement in advancing equal access to justice.

"At a time when many are questioning whether the concept of 'justice for all' applies to them, the ABA must lead by implementing strategies across this country to ensure that our citizens can believe the civil and criminal justice system is truly blind to color, gender, religion, and income inequality," Bass said.

Bass also stressed the need for the profession to embrace the use of technology to assist in meeting the largely unmet needs of the millions of citizens who seek legal aid but have been turned away for years because they cannot afford it. She said technology can help make more information readily available to the public and enable individuals representing themselves to more easily access the information and the forms they need to navigate a complex judicial system.

Bass pushed for the ABA to be a leader in evaluating how future lawyers can be better educated through a system that trains law students to gain "practical hands-on skills, whether through internships or some other form of experiential learning, to allow them to...