A not-for-profit professional association with 3,000+ member attorneys and judges in Western New York, the Bar Association of Erie County was founded in 1887 to “cultivate the science of jurisprudence; to promote reform in the law; to facilitate the administration of justice; to elevate the standard of integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession and to cherish the spirit of camaraderie among the members thereof.”

A small group of attorneys came together in 1886 to develop a preliminary resolution for the formation of a local bar association. Their state purpose was “maintaining the honor and dignity of the profession, cultivating social intercourse among it’s members and increasing our usefulness in promoting the due administration of justice.”

While the practice of law has changed dramatically over the past century, the mission of our Bar Association has not. We remain dedicated to maintaining professional standards of the highest caliber, advancing the administration of justice, and serving the interests of our varied constituencies without compromise.