The bar associations of the Virgin Islands, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on Monday announced a historic milestone achieved at the American Bar Association’s 2025 annual meeting: a vote amending the ABA Constitution to recognize the USVI and the U.S. Pacific Territories as fully participating members.
By a two-thirds majority vote, the ABA House of Delegates adopted Resolution 11-2, authored and submitted by Anthony M. Ciolli of the V.I. Bar Association, amending Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of the ABA Constitution to recognize the U.S. Virgin Islands and the U.S. Pacific Territories (Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa) as states for the purposes of ABA governance, the associations said in a joint press release.
“After nearly 40 years since the first of these four territories petitioned the ABA House of Delegates for representation, our territories finally have a seat at the table,” they said.
This amendment ensures that for the first time, lawyers in these jurisdictions will not only continue to hold delegate seats but will also have full participation rights, including representation on the ABA Board of Governors and a seat on the Nominating Committee, according to the release.
The ABA’s annual meeting was held Aug. 6-12 in Toronto, Canada.
“This milestone reflects the ABA’s commitment to its mission of serving all members and promoting full and equal participation across the profession. It sends a clear message that lawyers from the Virgin Islands and Pacific Territories are integral to the American legal community and will no longer be without a voice at the table,” it said.
“The U.S. Virgin Islands and the U.S. Pacific Territories have done their part to earn a seat at the table,” said Ciolli at the ABA House of Delegates Meeting. “The support and encouragement we have received from all corners of the ABA has been humbling … I must especially acknowledge the support and friendship of the New York State Bar Association and the California Lawyers Association, particularly their past Presidents Sherry Levin Wallach and Emilio Varanini.”
Guam Bar President Jacqueline Taitano Terlaje, who also represented the CNMI Bar Association as the alternate delegate, delivered a moving speech urging the House to lead by example and “give the U.S. Territories a voice in the governance of this body. It gives the U.S. Territories after awaiting 40 years – inclusion and equality.”
The Guam Bar Association, CNMI Bar Association, and the Virgin Islands Bar Association, extend their sincere appreciation to ACiolli for his tireless efforts and leadership in advancing this resolution, and to the ABA delegates who recognized the importance of equity in governance by supporting its passage, the release stated.
“For our bar associations, this victory ensures that our voices will be heard, our perspectives represented, and our communities no longer forgotten,” it said.
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