The ABA Commission on Domestic Violence hosts a monitored, attorneys-only CDVLAW listserve to provide a forum where attorneys who represent individual victims of domestic violence may discuss issues that arise in the process of litigation. The CDVLAW listserve is open only to those attorneys who maintain a substantial and active practice of domestic violence cases on behalf of victims. The practice must include substantial in court representation.

The Commission recognizes that representation of victims of domestic violence extends far beyond family law cases. Litigation of housing, immigration and employment issues, for example, on behalf of victims of domestic violence is considered by the listserve to be a domestic violence practice. Practitioners from all practice settings are encouraged to apply so long as the above criteria are met. Attorneys employed by a governmental agency (such as prosecutors) whose work is related to crimes against domestic violence victims or civil remedies for victims, are considered to have an "active" domestic violence practice for purposes of the listserve.

Discussants are encouraged to post questions regarding case law, strategies, and requests for issue-specific expertise. The purpose of the listserve is to enable attorneys who represent victims of domestic violence in court to share and benefit from each other's experiences. Examples of topics for discussion include interpreting and applying state and federal law, proving specific allegations, new case law or articles regarding aspects of representing domestic violence victims and upcoming conferences or trainings.

American Bar Association membership is not a prerequisite for membership in the listserve, nor does ABA membership on its own qualify one for admission to the listserve. Membership is open to victims' lawyers only. The listserve is not open to those who represent perpetrators of abuse or who are otherwise involved in litigation on behalf of abusers.

The Commission reserves the exclusive right to determine membership in the listserve. Listserve postings are monitored for appropriateness, including civility as well as subject matter, given the purposes and policies of the Commission.

Those who are members of the listserve agree to have their contact information announced to the entire listserve at the time that the membership is accepted.

Those who are existing members periodically may have their membership disclosed to members of the listserve. It is the policy of the listserve that each member, when making a posting, include his or her professional contact information as part of the posting and each member agrees as part of listserve membership not to forward any posting unless specific permission to do so is obtained from the listserve monitor.

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