About the Austin Bar Association

The Austin Bar Association was founded in 1893 as a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys. Its mission is to enhance the legal profession, administration of justice, and the community through education, networking, and public service.

Today, more than 4,200 local attorneys in 22 different legal specialties contribute to the Austin Bar’s mission by organizing CLE opportunities, attending social functions, volunteering legal services, and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations for local charities all year long. Lawyers in good standing with the State Bar of Texas who live or work in Travis County or surrounding counties are eligible for membership.

The affairs of the Austin Bar Association are managed by a board of directors composed of a president, president-elect, secretary, treasurer, immediate past president, the current president and president-elect of AYLA, the current chair of each substantive law section, the chair of the Lawyer Referral Service, representatives from the four affinity bar associations, representatives of the legal administrators, legal secretaries, legal assistants, court reporters, and eight other members of the Austin Bar who are elected at the annual meeting in May.

Explore our list of past Austin Bar presidents dating back to 1893!

Judge Dave Phillips has also compiled a comprehensive list of Travis County's judicial history with full citations. To download this document, click here.