In 1986, the American Bar Association adopted Goal IX as one of its association goals. That goal supported "the full and equal participation in the legal profession by minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and persons of differing sexual orientations and gender identities." In 2008, the ABA revised its goals, and Goal IX became Goal III, to eliminate bias and enhance diversity. Its objectives are to promote full and equal participation in the association, our profession, and the justice system by all persons and to eliminate bias in the legal profession and justice system.

In 1991, the Commission on Women created the Goal IX Report Card to measure women's progress throughout the ABA. Based on a self-reporting questionnaire completed by ABA entities, this report (now the Goal III Report Card) offers a statistical overview of women's participation in leadership positions throughout the various entities of the ABA.

Historical Data

To further assist you in evaluating your entity's progress and in comparing statistics with other entities, we have compiled the data presented in all of our Goal III/Goal IX Report Cards, starting with 1990-91and continuing through the present. View these Excel spreadsheets. Data from the 2009 report will be added shortly.

Statements of Support for the Goal III/Goal IX Report Card

The following entities have endorsed the value of the Goal III/Goal IX Report Card as an indispensable tool in meeting the goal of diversity in the ABA.