ABA Conference on Language, Justice, and Technology

Friday, 01 March 2024 to Saturday, 02 March 2024 at 14:00 to 23:59

This interdisciplinary conference occurs at the intersection of language access, cross-cultural communication, technology, and access to justice.

Sponsored by the American Bar Association (ABA) and co-sponsored by Seattle University School of Law and its Technology, Innovation Law, and Ethics (TILE) Program, the conference is a significant initiative in line with the ABA's ongoing process of revising the 2012 Standards for Language Access in Courts (PDF). As part of this revision process, the conference will offer an overview of crucial updates that will impact courts and court users. Your participation in this event provides a unique opportunity to contribute your insights and shape the future landscape of language services in legal settings.

Event Dates

Friday, March 1 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, March 2 from 08:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

See event schedule for more information.

Key Conference Highlights

  • Language Justice Principles: Delve into the concept of language justice, where affected communities take the lead in designing services that surpass minimum standards. Explore how these principles contribute to a holistic language services model.
  • Panel Discussions: Engage in thought-provoking discussions on the role of language justice, cross-cultural communication, and technology in achieving access to justice. Together, we will explore the benefits and considerations necessary for the use of machine interpretation, machine translation, and plain language models.
  • Input Opportunities: Seize the chance to actively participate in shaping the ABA's Standards for Language Access in Courts. Provide your input on the revisions and be part of the collaborative effort to enhance language access in the legal system, including incorporating language and communication access for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind.

For the full conference agenda and registration information for both the in-person conference and the online webcast, please visit ambar.org/LanguageAccessConference.

This conference is sponsored by the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense and Seattle University School of Law. The conference is cosponsored by the ABA Center for Public Interest Law, ABA Commission on Disability Rights, ABA Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence, ABA Commission on Law and Aging, and ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice.

Sullivan Hall