CHICAGO, IL -- Miami lawyer Stephen N. Zack, a partner in the national law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner, was elected as president-elect of the American Bar Association, the first Hispanic American to achieve that distinction. Zack will serve one year as president-elect before taking office as president in August 2010 at the ABA’s Annual Meeting in San Francisco.



The son of a Cuban mother and American father, Zack is focused on promoting civics education, the importance of inspiring a new generation of lawyers and ABA programs that advance access to justice for everyone in the United States. In addition, he will work to create a commission on Hispanic rights.



“I am proud to be the first Hispanic American slated to become the president of the ABA. This country is still a land of opportunity. I want to work as an advocate for access to justice and also for the possibilities that can exist for all young students from all backgrounds.”



In his speech to the House of Delegates, Zack said he will focus on “two critical areas” of the legal profession – civics education and the high cost of legal education. He said these issues and the programs and strategies to address them will have “an impact on the profession and on future generations.”



In the coming year, Zack, who grew up in Cuba and has practiced law for more than 35 years, will work with other bar associations to develop a pilot program for an American Bar Academy to teach students about everything from making an opening statement to understanding the Bill of Rights.



The goal is to eventually enroll a ...