MEMBERSHIP
PHOTO CREDIT : PEXELS
135 Years of the Atlanta Bar Association
The Atlanta Bar association was organized on April 28 , 1888 .
An editorial published in the Atlanta Constitution in 1888 said , " While we have a very able Bar , we have quite a lot of [ lawyers ] who make money by hunting up cases , and it is said we have some who have men employed for this special purpose . This is disreputable ."
- John Livingston Hopkins Atlanta Bar President , 1888-1907
1890 There were 121 lawyers in Atlanta .
1906 The corporate charter was granted .
1916 Minnie Hale Daniel persuaded state legislators to let women practice law in Georgia , although women still could not vote . When Daniel died in 1940 , women could not yet sit on juries in the state .
1917 Patriotism was the subject at the Annual Meeting , where 40 lawyers attended in uniform . At that time , 140 members of the Atlanta Bar were in the service .
1928 Clarence Darrow addressed members at the Annual Meeting .
1929 Governor Franklin D . Roosevelt of New York was the principal speaker at the Annual Meeting .
1934 The Bar began having meetings in addition to the Annual Meeting . There were 316 members at that time .
1936 The first Bar poll on candidates for judicial office in Fulton County was conducted .
1938 The president of the American Bar Association spoke at the Annual Meeting . The topic of discussion was adoption of new rules of civil procedure in federal courts .
1941 The Bar managed a major coup by securing as guest of honor the eminent Lord Halifax . With the war in Europe at a critical point and pressure building for more American help , Great Britain ' s ambassador to the U . S . was very much the man of the hour . His visit to address the Atlanta Bar , accompanied by Lady Halifax , dominated local headlines for three days .
1942 The Bar entered into an agreement with bankers resulting in a clarification of long-disputed areas in which officers of the bank could or would engage in drafting wills and trust agreements . The speaker at the banquet was the dean of Harvard Law School , James M . Landis .
1943 President William G . Grant was called into active duty in the Navy . Harlee Branch , Jr ., the first Vice-President , acted as President .
1946 The theme of the Annual Meeting was to honor members of the Association who served in World War II .
1948 The speaker at the Annual Meeting was Harrison Tweed , President of the Association of the Bar of New York County .
1949 Hon . Herman Talmadge , Governor , was the speaker at the Annual Meeting .
1950 There were 534 members and $ 3,300 in the treasury . The Executive Committee adopted a schedule of minimum fees .
1951 The Atlanta Bar began a lawyer referral service , sponsored weekly television programs , published a daily column in the Atlanta newspapers , and instituted a joint committee with the State and local Medical Associations . Membership exceeded 800 .
8 June / July 2023