Professional associations can play an important role in delivering much-needed services to military families. These organizations are uniquely positioned to engage large membership groups in work that benefits military families, from the expertise necessary to conduct studies of needs and how to meet them, to performing direct services for military families. The American Bar Association (ABA), through its Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel, has played an active role in the effort to ensure access to justice for military families in need of civil legal services, and it has developed several innovative programs that are responsive to these needs. Because of the unique nature of the ABA as a national professional association, its programs are also unique in their composition, and their development can provide helpful models for other professional associations. Similarly, through its work, the ABA as a case study also provides generally applicable guidance and lessons learned that can be of assistance to other professional associations in the area of military family assistance.

Authors and Affiliations

1. American Bar Association, Chicago, IL, USA

   Jason T. Vail

Corresponding author

Correspondence toJason T. Vail.

Editors and Affiliations

1. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Military Family Research Institute College of Health and Human Sciences Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

   Linda Hughes-Kirchubel

2. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Military Family Research Institute, College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

   Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth

3. Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

   David S. Riggs

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