To serve.

The organized bar in Florida began in 1889 with a small group of lawyers. The Florida State Bar Association was formed in 1907 and continued until the summer of 1949 when the Supreme Court of Florida approved the formation of a "unified" or "integrated" bar with mandatory membership. In April 1950, the name was changed to The Florida Bar and some 3,758 lawyers were grandfathered in as members.

The Florida Bar's charter of service to the lawyers and citizens of this state is embodied in the preamble to its governing document, set forth above. Throughout its existence The Florida Bar has been faithful to these ideals, placing service above all else as its primary reason for being. The result has been a well-deserved national reputation for leadership among state bar organizations and at the highest levels of our nation's judiciary.

How did we achieve this standard of excellence? Through our one basic, indispensable resource: our members.

The...