The American Bar Foundation (ABF) is among the world's leading research institutes for the empirical and interdisciplinary study of law. An independent, nonprofit organization for more than 70 years, the ABF seeks to advance the understanding and improvement of law through research projects of unmatched scale and quality on the most pressing issues facing the legal system in the United States and the world. The ABF's mission is to expand knowledge and advance justice through innovative, interdisciplinary, and rigorous empirical research on law, legal processes, and legal institutions.
The ABF is committed to broad dissemination of research findings to the organized bar, scholars, and the general public. The results of these findings are published in a wide range of forums, including leading academic journals, law reviews, and academic and commercial presses.
The ABF is recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The ABF does not provide external grants. In the course of collaborative research efforts with other institutions, the ABF does not pay indirect costs. Primary funding for the ABF is provided by the American Bar Endowment (ABE) and the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.
