Formed in 1995, the Asian Pacific Interest Section (APIS) of the State Bar of Texas was created to be a state-wide umbrella organization to advocate and promote the common professional interests of lawyers of and interested in Asian Pacific American heritage, community, and culture.
Since our inception in 1992, the African American Lawyers Section (AALS) has been a beacon of empowerment and collaboration for African American attorneys in Texas and beyond. Established to address the unique challenges faced by black lawyers, our mission has consistently emphasized justice, racial equity, and civil rights. Rooted deeply in cities like Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Fort Worth, AALS has grown to become a national nexus, championing the cause of equity in the legal arena. Beyond mere representation, we've advocated for systemic change, making AALS a trusted name for individuals and entities seeking the best black attorneys. As today unfolds, our legacy stands as a testament to dedication, unity, and the pursuit of legal excellence.
Mission: to assess the status of women in the legal profession; to identify barriers that prevent women lawyers from full participation in the work, responsibilities, and rewards of the profession; to develop educational programs and materials to address discrimination against women lawyers; and to make recommendations to the State Bar Board of Directors for action to address problems identified by the committee.
The Women in the Profession Committee aspires to continue the professional support and advancement of women lawyers based on the theme of sisterhood. “The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind and above all be humble.” (quote attributed to Serena Williams). Our objective will be to continue to share and enhance our knowledge on women’s issues, provide information on topics of interest to women lawyers, and build awareness and raise the profile of issues facing women in the profession by building on last year’s programs including book club, CLE speaker’s series webinars and promoting and participating in International Women’s Day.
The Section's mission is to: promote the study of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and HIV law; study and report on laws, decisions, and government regulations as they affect the rights, responsibilities, and the needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender people, as well as persons who are living with HIV; provide a common meeting ground and forum for lawyers, judges, and law students interested in the legal problems of people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender persons, as well as people who are living with HIV; and take action regarding these matters, subject to these bylaws and the laws, rules, and regulations of the State of Texas.
The Native American Law Section of the State Bar of Texas was organized for the purpose of advocating the common professional interests of Native American lawyers and of all Texas lawyers having an interest in or practice that includes American Indian law. Membership in the section is open to all persons with an interest in Native American law in Texas, regardless of heritage or profession.
The Section's mission is to (a) encourage and facilitate the active and effective participation of women - both in the legal profession and in the community - and (B) to address women's current needs and the issues affecting them.
The purpose of the Hispanic Issues Section is to study and report on laws, judicial decisions and governmental regulations as they may affect the particular needs of the Hispanic community of Texas, to provide a common meeting ground and forum for members of the profession for consideration of special issues with respect to the recognition and enjoyment of constitutional rights of the Hispanic Community, both individually and collectively, and to take such action with respect thereto, all subject to our Bylaws and the laws, rules and regulations of the State Bar of Texas.
The State Bar of Texas believes we must play a critical role in helping lawyers and law firms achieve opportunities for women and minority attorneys in our state.
By promoting education and programs to our base of more than 96,912 attorney members — as well as supporting their own law firm initiatives — we hope to help create a more diverse profession for everyone.
Central to the State Bar of Texas’ mission is the promotion of diversity in the administration of justice and practice of law. As the second largest state bar association of active members in the United States, the State Bar of Texas is committed to working toward a legal profession that reflects the vast demographics of the population it represents, and where all attorneys can thrive and excel. The State Bar’s Office of Minority Affairs develops and supports initiatives focused on enhancing and increasing diversity in the legal profession, and fostering allies of historically underrepresented groups. The programs are open to all attorneys.
The Texas Minority Counsel Program (TMCP) is the premier client development, networking, and CLE event for attorneys in Texas. The mission of the TMCP is to increase opportunities for diverse attorneys who provide legal services to corporate and governmental clients, and to expose organizations to the legal talent of diverse attorneys in Texas. The program, which is open to all attorneys, aims to bolster the amount and significance of legal work obtained by minority, women, and LGBTQ+ attorneys, and attorneys of other groups historically underrepresented. Each year, approximately 600 attorneys participate in the TMCP. The conference’s unique format not only provides valuable CLE credit but also gives attendees an opportunity to participate in informational interviews called “Counsel Connections'' to discuss outside counsel opportunities. The Networking Through Service project, spa retreat, golf tournament, dine-arounds, and receptions all maximize the opportunity for attorneys to connect and develop future professional relationships.
Local Bar Associations
The Asian-American Bar Association of Houston is a voluntary bar organization that is made up of legal professionals and law students in and around Houston. The organization was founded in 1984 and runs many social, educational and pro bono events and seminars throughout the year. Today, the Asian-American Bar Association of Houston has a member base of over 500, making it the largest organization that serves the needs of the Asian-American lawyers in the entire state. The bar association was originally formed to serve the handful of Asian-American attorneys in and around Houston. However, since then, the AABA has evolved and changed to meet the requirements and needs of its ever growing population. In addition, this bar association is also responsible for founding the Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition which law students from around the country compete in every year. The community is well served by the Asian-American Bar Association of Houston. In addition to providing many opportunities for the public to be involved in the legal process, this bar association is constantly working for goals and objectives that the Asian-American community has in the area. With so many legal professionals working towards these goals, it is no wonder that this bar association is successful at much of what it puts its efforts towards.
The LGBTQ+ Law section of the Austin Bar Association promotes education on issues relating to LGBTQ+ law. The section also studies and reports on how laws and governmental regulations may affect the rights, responsibilities, and needs of LGBTQ+ people. The section provides a common forum for individuals interested in the legal issues of LGBTQ+ people while raising the profile and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals within the legal community to serve as examples of professionalism.
In 1983, the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association was formed to bring together the women lawyers in Bexar County and to provide a discussion space where these legal professionals could exchange ideas and thoughts in an open environment. The first meetings of this bar association were primarily concerned with getting more women into judicial seats in Bexar County as well as getting women members on the board of the San Antonio Bar Association. After its beginnings with just over 70 people attending the first meetings, the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association has grown to include over 400 members. This bar association has been a large part of many important legal issues in the state of Texas. For instance, in 1984, a committee of the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association formed a child support formula which was accepted by many of the local courts. Eventually, this child support formula was eventually set as the standard for all of Texas by the Texas Supreme Court. In addition, the bar association was also responsible for the Teddy Bear Room in the Bexar County Justice Center. This waiting room was designed specifically with children in mind who needed to attended court. The members of this bar association also receive many benefits, including a monthly newsletter entitled the Equal Times. As well, these members have the option of attending monthly luncheons where there are ample networking opportunities as well as Continuing Legal Education speakers.
In 1988, the Dallas Asian-American Bar Association was founded by 15 Asian-American attorneys who lived and practiced in Dallas. Today, there are over 250 Asian-American attorneys who are members of this organization. This bar association was originally founded to promote the welfare of Asian-American lawyers and the Asian-American community in the area. To this end, since its inception in 1988, the officers and directors of the Dallas Asian American Bar Association worked tirelessly and recently got a voting seat on the Dallas Bar Association. Through all of their efforts, this organization has always made sure that their actions worked towards issues of importance not only to its members, but also the public at large.
To promote the social, economic, educational, and civic advancement of the DFW Metroplex Hispanic community by making the legal system more accessible to the Hispanic community and more responsive to its needs.
The Mexican-American Bar Association of San Antonio was founded to provide a place where local attorneys could come together regarding issues that were pertinent to the Mexican-American lawyers and the community. This bar association is one of the largest and oldest bar associations in the country that is dedicated to Hispanic people. The members of the Mexican-American Bar Association of San Antonio regularly serve the needs of the Hispanic community by volunteering their services in many areas including advocacy in the state legislature, community assistance, and encouraging the advancement of the community through higher education. As well, the member of this bar association also receive a number free Continuing Legal Education classes that count towards the attorney's required 15 hours of these classes.
The Dallas LGBT Bar Association is a professional organization made up of queer and allied attorneys, judges, law students, and legal professionals that is focused on fostering a supportive community and advancing the careers of LGBTQ+ attorneys and allied professionals in North Texas. With an active network of members throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, there is something for everyone at the Dallas LGBT Bar Association!
SLAGH is Houston’s local LGBTQA+ bar association. We are a professional association of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ally attorneys, judges, paralegals, and law students providing a diverse and inclusive legal presence. With your help, SLAGH will continue to be the leading organization of legal professionals providing a voice for the LGBTQA+ community in the greater Houston area.
The LGBT Law Section is the LGBT law resource for the State Bar of Texas and its members. The section is open to all lawyers, judges, and law students who have an interest in laws that pertain to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender persons, as well as persons living with HIV. Whether your interest is related to specific client needs (from individual rights to businesses seeking resources for their diversity programs) or general information, the LGBT Law Section can provide you with excellent resources through our networking opportunities, continuing legal education programs, case law updates, newsletters, and listserv.
The San Antonio LGBT Bar Association is a 501(c)(3) association of attorneys based in San Antonio, Texas. The LGBT Bar was officially established in 2016 for the purposes of promoting education on issues relating to LGBT law, providing a common forum for individuals interested in the legal issues of LGBT people, and raising the profile and acceptance of LGBT individuals in the legal community.