About the Atlanta Bar Association 

  Organized in 1888 to serve Atlanta’s legal community and community-at-large.  

The members of the Atlanta Bar Association are a part of a vibrant, robust organization.  We have earned a national reputation for successful and innovative programs and continue to break ground in new areas.  We advocate for the legal profession and help create a professional and collegial environment as well as tools to assist with the day-to-day operation of our members’ legal practice.

 Listed below are some bullet points of history, programs and activities sponsored by the Atlanta Bar Association:

• The Atlanta Bar Association is the largest voluntary bar association in the southeast with a membership of more than 6,300 from the 12 counties of metro Atlanta: (Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale).
  
• There are 21 sections which have their own activities:
   
    Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers (Age 36 or younger, or first three years of practice)
    Bankruptcy Law
    Business & Finance Law
    Construction Law
    Corporate Counsel
    Criminal Law
    Dispute Resolution
    Elder Law
    Environmental & Toxic Tort
    Estate Planning & Probate
    Family Law
    IntellectualProperty Law
    International Law & Immigration
    Judicial
    Labor & Employment
    Litigation
    Real Estate
    Sole Practitioner/Small Firm
    Tax Law
    Women in the Profession
    Workers’ Compensation

There are various committees and task forces including Children’s Drug Education Project, Courts, Government/Public Service Lawyers, Law School Outreach, Pro Bono, Community Outreach, and Career Management.

• Members have leadership opportunities with 25 Boards of Directors (Bar Board, Foundation Board, Sections, CLE, and Lawyer Referral & Information Service) and Committees.
  
  
• There are two special interest groups - Legal Eagles (motorcycle riding lawyers) and the Sports League (Flag Football, Competitive and Non-competitive softball, Tennis, Volleyball).
  
  
• The Atlanta Bar Association has offered a Lawyer Referral & Information Service since 1955 which has received accreditation from the American Bar Association.  The LRIS staff refer clients to members who join the panel by practice and geographical areas.
  
  
• The Atlanta Bar sponsors a Lawyer vs Lawyer Mediation  Program.
  
  
• Publications include monthly Newsletter and bi-monthly e-mail notices to all members and many of the individual Sections have their own publications for their members.
  
  
• The Atlanta Bar Associations ACLE Board and staff present the best CLE programs in the State including on-line CLE - All members will receive a coupon for $75 credit toward ACLE programs within the fiscal year.
  
  
• The Bar and Sections sponsor many social events and networking opportunities, including the Litigation Section’s Bench and Bar reception held in May.
  
  
• The Atlanta Bard Cast recently produced its sixth production of “A Courthouse Line” (this was titled “A Courthouse Line VI: There’s No Business Like Law Business”) and was held at the Rialto Theatre on Friday, October 7, and Saturday, October 8, 2005.   There was a Patron Party & Silent Auction before the show at the home of Ed & Judy Garland on Friday, September 16, 2005.
  
  
• The Pro Bono Committee, Community Outreach Committee and Sections present many community service opportunities throughout the year.
  
  
• Fundraisers offered include the Legal Runaround to benefit the Police Scholarship Fund (which benefits children of City of Atlanta police officers killed or injured in the line of duty), the Run Your Briefs Off, sponsored by the Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers to benefit a scholarship fund, & the Kids Chance Run (held in the Fall to benefit children whose parents were injured or killed on the job).
  
  
• The website (www.atlantabar.org) includes a membership directory (including photos) of the members in addition to a calendar of events with the ability to register on-line and other useful information.  A printed directory will be printed in the Spring of 2006.
  
  
• The member benefits include discounts on services including Lasik surgery at InView, UPS discounts, special offers and rates on insurance from Insurance Specialists, Inc., and placement through the Career Center.
  
  
• For 20 years, the Atlanta Bar Foundation has existed as the 501 (c) (3) charitable arm of the Atlanta Bar Association and has awarded college scholarships of over $170,000 to dependants of City of Atlanta police officers killed or injured in the line of duty, college scholarships to students of the local Law and Government Magnet High School, D. M. Therrell, as well as grants toward the law school BRI for those students from Therrell who attend law school.  Almost $1 million dollars was recently raised to help operate the Truancy Intervention Project (T.I.P.)  which works with the juvenile court’s at-risk population and counsels chronically absent children before their pattern of absenteeism escalates to the point of court referral.

Please contact Diane O’Steen, Executive Director, at (404) 832-6206 or dosteen@atlantabar.org for additional information.