State Bar of Texas
Encyclopedia
The State Bar of Texas is an agency of the judiciary under the administrative control of the Texas Supreme Court
. The Texas Bar is responsible for assisting the Texas Supreme Court in overseeing all attorneys
licensed to practice law
in Texas
. The state bar is headquartered in the Texas Law Center at 1414 Colorado Street in Austin
.
, as each Texas attorney
is required by law to join the Texas Bar by registering with the clerk of the Texas Supreme Court
. Membership in the State Bar is generally required for the practice of law in Texas.
The organization provides avenues for citizens to file grievances against attorneys and provides continuing legal education
(CLE) courses for attorneys.
made up of volunteers. The current president of the State Bar of Texas, Roland Johnson of Fort Worth
, took office in June 2009.
s have had statewide organizations in Texas since the 19th century, the State Bar of Texas began its formal existence on April 19, 1939, when Governor W. Lee O'Daniel
signed House Bill No. 74, titled the State Bar Act of 1939. From that point, membership in the State Bar of Texas became a prerequisite for the practice of law in Texas.
In October 2005, President George W. Bush
nominated the State Bar's former president Harriet Miers
to be an associate justice on the Supreme Court of the United States
. She later withdrew herself from consideration.
Texas Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Texas is the court of last resort for non-criminal matters in the state of Texas. A different court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, is the court of last resort for criminal matters.The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices...
. The Texas Bar is responsible for assisting the Texas Supreme Court in overseeing all attorneys
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
licensed to practice law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The state bar is headquartered in the Texas Law Center at 1414 Colorado Street in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
Membership
The Texas Bar is composed of those persons licensed to practice law in Texas and is an "integrated" or "mandatory" barBar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
, as each Texas attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
is required by law to join the Texas Bar by registering with the clerk of the Texas Supreme Court
Texas Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Texas is the court of last resort for non-criminal matters in the state of Texas. A different court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, is the court of last resort for criminal matters.The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices...
. Membership in the State Bar is generally required for the practice of law in Texas.
Purpose
The purposes of the State Bar of Texas are:- to aid the courts in carrying on and improving the administration of justice;
- to advance the quality of legal services to the public and to foster the role of the legal profession in serving the public;
- to foster and maintain, on the part of those engaged in the practice of law, high ideals and integrity, learning, competence in public service, and high standards of conduct;
- to provide proper professional services to the members of the state bar;
- to encourage the formation of and activities of local bar associations;
- to provide forums for the discussion of subjects pertaining to the practice of law, the science of jurisprudence and law reform, and the relationship of the state bar to the public; and
- to publish information relating the practice of law, the science of jurisprudence and law reform, and the relationship of the state bar to the public.
The organization provides avenues for citizens to file grievances against attorneys and provides continuing legal education
Continuing Legal Education
Continuing legal education is professional education of lawyers that takes place after their initial admission to the bar. In many states in the United States, CLE participation is required of attorneys to maintain their license to practice law...
(CLE) courses for attorneys.
Governance
The Bar is run by an executive director, currently Michelle Hunter, and a board of directorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
made up of volunteers. The current president of the State Bar of Texas, Roland Johnson of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, took office in June 2009.
History
Although lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s have had statewide organizations in Texas since the 19th century, the State Bar of Texas began its formal existence on April 19, 1939, when Governor W. Lee O'Daniel
W. Lee O'Daniel
Wilbert Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, , was a conservative Democratic Party politician from Texas, who came to prominence by hosting a popular radio program. Known for his populist appeal, Pappy O'Daniel was the governor of Texas and later its junior U.S. Senator. He is also the only person ever to have...
signed House Bill No. 74, titled the State Bar Act of 1939. From that point, membership in the State Bar of Texas became a prerequisite for the practice of law in Texas.
In October 2005, President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
nominated the State Bar's former president Harriet Miers
Harriet Miers
Harriet Ellan Miers is an American lawyer and former White House Counsel. In 2005, she was nominated by President George W. Bush to be an Associate Justice of the U.S...
to be an associate justice on the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. She later withdrew herself from consideration.