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July 29, 2026
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There are moments when a milestone stops feeling like just a number and starts feeling like something bigger — legacy, purpose, impact. That's exactly what unfolded this spring in Chicago, where the ABA Forum on Construction Law marked its 50th anniversary in front of a record crowd.
Nearly 800 construction lawyers, judges, industry professionals, and consultants filled the halls for the 2026 Annual Meeting, held May 6–9. The centerpiece was a plenary session fittingly titled Lessons Learned from the Last 50 Years on Project Execution and Claims Management — part retrospective, part roadmap for what comes next.
It's easy to celebrate an anniversary with attendance figures and a good party (and there was one, held beneath the columns of Chicago's Field Museum). But what stood out most wasn't the size of the crowd — it was the story of how the Forum got here, and why it still matters to the people who show up year after year
A mission that hasn't changed
Fifty years in, the Forum's mission remains as simple as it started: building the best construction lawyers. It does that through three pillars — programs, publications, and people — and those three words go a long way toward explaining why an organization founded on a modest $15 membership dues has grown into a community of more than 6,000 members.
The real story, though, isn't really about numbers. It's about mentorships that started with a hallway conversation, careers launched from a first speaking slot, and friendships between former opposing counsel that outlasted any single case. That's the kind of impact that doesn't show up in a membership count but is arguably the Forum's most lasting legacy.
Honoring the people who built it
This year's meeting also carried a full-circle moment: Jim Scott, the former Forum Chair who created the Forum's Cornerstone Award back in 1995, became a recipient of that same award in 2026. The Forum also introduced a new honor, the Industry Pillar Award, recognizing sponsors and exhibitors whose support has helped shape the organization over the decades.
The next 50 years
Anniversaries invite reflection, but this one was just as focused on what's ahead. The Forum's next chapter, organizers made clear, won't simply be inherited — it'll be built the same way the last 50 years were: by people willing to volunteer, speak up, mentor, and lead.
This is just a glimpse of the full story. The complete article goes deeper into the Forum's founding history, its evolution through five decades of programs and publications, and reflections from the people who helped build it. Read the full article here.
📄 The Impact of Building the Best: 50 Years of the ABA Forum on Construction Law — American Bar Association, Construction Lawyer (Spring 2026) Author: Tracy James, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
