Association of American Law Schools, founded in 1900, is a nonprofit association of more than 160 law schools. The purpose of the association is to improve legal profession through legal education. It serves as the learned society for law teachers and is legal education's principal representative to the federal government and to other national higher education organizations and societies. AALS holds an annual meeting every year in January, and organizes five or six workshops and conferences throughout the year. AALS also publishes a directory of law teachers and a quarterly newsletter, as well as other publications. The membership is open for schools that offer five years of instruction and graduate third class. The association serves as a conduit, sending to law schools information on candidates through the faculty appointments register, and sending advertisements to candidates for positions at schools through the Placement Bulletin. AALS has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.