Bar organizations serve a pivotal role in the legal profession and the broader justice system. These organizations, which can operate at the local, state, or national level, are designed to uphold the standards of legal practice, promote ethical conduct, and ensure the professional development of lawyers. They provide essential resources such as continuing legal education (CLE), networking opportunities, and career support for legal practitioners. Additionally, bar organizations often advocate for legal reform, work to improve access to justice, and play a critical role in disciplining lawyers who violate professional standards. Through these activities, they help maintain the integrity of the legal system and foster trust between the public and legal professionals.
Bar Types
Learn the different kinds of bars in the United States and how they operate.
State Bars
State bars are organized at the state level and can be mandatory or voluntary. Mandatory bars are sometimes called unified bars or integrated bars because they are integrated into the regulation of the legal profession. Mandatory bars derive their authority from the state supreme court or by statute. Thirty-two states, Washington, D.C., and six U.S. territories have mandatory bars.
Mandatory state bars perform several functions, but each bar’s specific purview will vary from state to state. It can include admissions to the bar, discipline, member records, MCLE tracking, educational/professional development programming, ethics guidance, practice management support, collaboration with the court on rules and processes, and access to justice initiatives.
Voluntary state bars are often focused on professional and community development for the attorneys in their state. They do not perform regulatory functions, and membership is not required. The core functions of voluntary bars include educational/professional development programming, working with other legal stakeholders to advance the profession, advocacy, and networking opportunities.
View a list of state bars by type.
Local Bars
Local bars are organized at the city, county, or regional level. In most instances they are voluntary, but they are mandatory in some areas. (North Carolina has mandatory district bars.) The core function of these organizations is providing networking opportunities, updates on the practice of law, and they often have a foundation arm for charitable efforts.
Specialty & Affinity Bars
Specialty and affinity bars are voluntary and may be organized at the national, regional, state or local level. Some are for affinity groups (Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association), while others are focused on a specific practice area (Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, Energy Bar Association – Western Chapter).