125 Years Strong

In response to MSBA’s advocacy, the Maryland General Assembly enacts Act 1898, Chapter 139, providing a radical change in the manner of admitting attorneys to practice in Maryland. The law now requires them to take a three year course of instruction and pass an exam administered by a board of examiners appointed by the Court of Appeals.

338 out of 1,500

528 Members

The first issue of Maryland Law Review is published by students and faculty of the University of Maryland School of Law and underwritten by MSBA, which provides copies to its members.

711 Members

MSBA is recognized by the Secretaries of War and Navy for participating in an American Bar Association (ABA) plan to provide legal assistance to military personnel and their dependents during World War II.

MSBA creates a committee on a refresher course for veterans. Working with the University of Maryland School of Law, MSBA organizes 20 lectures to bring returning veterans up to date on developments in the law. Prior to these courses, the association’s only attempt to offer continuing legal education (CLE) consisted of occasional panel discussions or the reading of scholarly papers at annual meetings.

After a nearly two-decades long struggle for admission, during which she sent MSBA a yearly check for membership, Rose Zetzer is admitted to MSBA. Ms. Zetzer formed Maryland’s first all-women law firm in 1904.

MSBA Committee on Legal Education convenes a special committee to investigate the creation of formal CLE programs statewide.

1,120 Members

The Maryland Conference of Local Bar Presidents is created, and MSBA supports the initiative by distributing data, program materials, and publications to local bar groups, especially in rural areas that lack full-scale bar libraries.

Vivian V. Simpson, the first female to practice law in Montgomery County, becomes the first female officer (Vice President) of MSBA.

MSBA President John B. Gray, Jr., advocates for greater effort to promote continuing legal education, and proposes a statewide program of CLE with a part-time paid director.

The General Assembly follows MSBA’s recommendation that the Court of Appeals be increased from five to seven judges.

MSBA admits its first African-American members: Linwood Koger and John Raymond Hargrove, Sr.. The matter is not without debate. James McSherry advocates for admission; George Washington Williams of Baltimore opposes.

Alexander Gordon III becomes the first full-time executive director of MSBA.

The Maryland Bar Foundation is incorporated to advance the study and practice of law, the administration of justice, and increase public respect for an understanding of the law through educational, scientific, literary, and charitable means.

MSBA publishes the first Maryland Lawyers’ Manual, a complete directory of legal resources for Maryland lawyers including attorneys, judges, legislators, law firms, and legal service providers.

MSBA publishes the first issue of its quarterly Maryland Bar Journal and sends a copy to all 5,600 practicing lawyers in Maryland.

5,600 practicing lawyers

Vivian V. Simpson of Montgomery County writes in the Bar Journal: “A recent communication from MSBA reveals that out of its 4,600 members, 108 are women. Girls, we have arrived – but we are really only on the threshold!”

MSBA adopts the Code of Professional Responsibility, as approved by the ABA, as the new minimum standard for members of MSBA and the Maryland Bar.

The Maryland Court of Appeals hands down a landmark decision in Maryland State Bar Association v. Agnew, 271 Md. 543, 318 A.2d. 811 (1974), the only disbarment of a former Vice President of the United States. The decision was a result of Agnew’s no contest plea to income tax evasion while serving as Governor of Maryland. The case pre-dates the creation of the Attorney Grievance Commission the following year.

MSBA submits an amicus curiae brief against lawyer advertising in the case of Bates v. State Bar of Arizona, pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court holds that blanket suppression of lawyer advertising violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment, and legitimates lawyer advertising.

Hon. Mabel H. Hubbard, the first African-American female attorney appointed to any bench in Maryland, is appointed as master in chancery in Baltimore City. In 1981, she is appointed to the District Court for Baltimore City, and then serves on the Circuit Court for Baltimore City from 1985 until her retirement in 1999.

MSBA President Vincent L. Gingerich announces the creation of a statewide lawyer referral service.

Maryland Volunteer Legal Services (MVLS), a statewide organization to provide pro bono legal services, is incorporated with funding from MSBA.

Prompted by MSBA’s advocacy, the Maryland General Assembly enacts a voluntary Interest on Lawyer Trust Account (IOLTA) program to fund legal services to the poor and establishes Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) to supervise the distribution of funds.

MSBA moves into its new headquarters at 520 West Fayette St. in Baltimore.

New HQ in Baltimore

MSBA Board of Governors adopts recommendations that voluntary pro bono service by all Maryland lawyers be encouraged.

MSBA Board of Governors approves the creation of the People’s Pro Bono Action Center, Inc., as a nonprofit agency funded by MSBA.

14,000 Members

Louise Michaux Gonzales is the first woman elected to the Presidency of MSBA.

MSBA institutes a Professionalism Course required to be taken by new lawyers admitted to the Maryland Bar pursuant to Bar Admission Rule 11.

MSBA Board of Governors votes to recommend to the Court of Appeals that it require Maryland attorneys complete 30 hours of continuing legal education every two years.

On June 10th, at the 100th Annual Convention of MSBA, MSBA approves changes in governance districts to reflect demographic shifts, and the practice of electing a president from Baltimore on alternating years is discontinued.

Hon. Robert M. Bell is appointed as Chief Judge on the Maryland Court of Appeals, the first African-American to hold the position. In 1964 (16 years old), Judge Bell was lead plaintiff on the Bell v. Maryland, a case that arose from a lunch counter sit-in that helped push the U.S. towards desegregation.

MSBA opposes House Bill 775, proposed legislation in the General Assembly to tax personal and professional services in Maryland, including legal services. 23 years later, in the 2020 legislative session, MSBA again successfully defeated another proposed tax on legal services that would have subjected all legal professionals and firms in Maryland to a significant competitive and financial disadvantage.

MSBA Board of Governors approves a statewide, voluntary Code of Civility, and encourages all Maryland lawyers and judges to honor and voluntarily adhere to the standards set forth in the Code.

MSBA launches a Special Committee on Judicial Appointments as an important initiative for the Bar.

MSBA president participates in a new Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Commission started by Chief Judge Bell, viewed as part of a broader access to justice vision and a way to create a new chapter of conflict resolution in Maryland.

MSBA wins a national award for public service for its two year campaign to combat school violence. “Imagine a Better Tomorrow” included training peer mediators in Maryland public schools, producing two Public Service Announcements, and sponsoring a statewide summit.

MSBA creates a Technology Task Force to make sure MSBA is offering members information and support in the field of technology.

MSBA Lawyer Counseling Service (the first in the country created by a State Bar Association) is renamed the Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP), and adds services for depression, chronic illness, health & wellness.

The Hon. Audrey J.S. Carrion is appointed as the first Hispanic Circuit Court judge in Maryland, in Baltimore City. Judge Carrion is elevated to the role of Administrative Judge of the Circuit Court for Baltimore County in 2020.

MSBA approves Associate Membership to welcome a broader segment of Maryland’s legal community, including law students, paralegals, and legal administrators to become associate, non-voting members of MSBA.

MSBA’s Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) expands into every county in Maryland, partnering with local bar associations to create a Lawyers-In-Need Network so that MSBA members may find help locally.

MSBA becomes the fastest growing voluntary bar in the country, topping 20,000 members.

+20,000 Members

MSBA hosts the first Bench/Bar/Media conference with the Maryland Judiciary and Society of Professional Journalists.

MSBA Online Directory debuts, allowing thousands of legal professionals to connect and search for colleagues.

All Maryland attorneys are required to file an annual Pro Bono Service Report. A service of 50 “aspirational” hours is voluntary.

The Honorable Jeannie Hong, the first Asian-American judge in Maryland, is appointed to the District Court for Baltimore City.

Harry S. Johnson, a partner with Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, becomes the first African-American President of MSBA. Johnson focuses his tenure on three key areas: the history of the association, leadership, and integrity in the profession.

MSBA and the Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) create the Lawyer Assistance Foundation to help with costs of treatment for substance use disorders, mental health disorders, etc. Today, the Bates/Vincent Foundation continues to provide LAP funding for ongoing counseling and treatment.

MSBA’s Citizenship Law-Related Education Program (CLREP) marks 30 years of training teachers in law-related education so they could adequately educate students about the law.

The Maryland Bar Foundation spearheads a Katrina Legal Relief Effort, aimed at helping the 10,000 lawyers displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

MSBA begins offering Fastcase, an online legal research program, as a member benefit.

Branded D.U.I., a video aimed to show high school students the consequences of drinking and driving through the eyes of their peers, wins an Emmy award. The video was produced by MSBA’s Administrative Law Section and the Office of Administrative Hearings (Hon. Yvette Diamond), with production assistance from the Judiciary’s media department and Maryland Public Television.

MSBA’s Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition celebrates its 25th anniversary, saluting 36,000 students who have learned about the law and become more knowledgeable, well-informed citizens by participating in this interactive learning experience.

Maryland attorneys respond to the call for volunteers to assist at-risk homeowners during the mortgage foreclosure crisis, as MSBA partners with the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Department of Labor to launch the Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project.

The Maryland Judiciary establishes the Maryland Access to Justice Commission, headed by retired Court of Appeals Judge Irma S. Raker. Commissioners include District Court Chief Judge Ben Clyburn, Senator Benjamin Cardin, Governor Martin O’Malley, Attorney General Douglas Gansler, MSBA President Katherine Kelly Howard, and MSBA past-president Herbert S. Garten.

Hon. Mary Ellen Barbera is appointed as the first female Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, after serving for several years on the appellate bench and beginning her career in public service as a Baltimore City public school teacher. Chief Judge Barbera devotes her tenure to making sure the doors of justice are open to all Marylanders and will end her time on the bench as a strong leader, guiding the profession through…

Appointed to the bench in 2002 as a Howard County District Court judge, Pamila Brown makes MSBA history as the first African-American woman to become president of the organization. She credits early exposure to the civil rights movement – including sneaking into the trial of activist H. Rap Brown as a high school freshman – with inspiring her love of law. She previously served as director of inmate legal services at the Baltimore City Jail.

MSBA Young Lawyers’ Section hosts its 25th annual charity event, this time for Warrior Canine connection. This robust section welcomes thousands of members each year and connects law students, recent graduates, and early practitioners with seasoned practitioners and resources as they begin to practice.

A newly reformed Access to Justice Commission joins MSBA in a partnership that continues to bring together civil justice partners, expand its network, and break down barriers that prevent Marylanders from equally accessing the civil justice system.

Victor Velazquez becomes the first new director of the organization in over thirty years.

In an effort to increase ethics awareness and education among attorneys, more than 40 years of ethics opinions issued by MSBA are made publicly available for the first time.

MSBA opposes and successfully defeats House Bill 1628, a proposed expanded sales tax to include legal services, that would ultimately discourage clients from seeking Maryland legal services. MSBA mobilizes its membership, partners with other organizations including the Maryland Defense Counsel and the Maryland Association for Justice, conducts media interviews, and meets with bill sponsors and other legislators to quash the proposed tax.

MSBA supports the profession during the Covid-19 crisis by going fully virtual and offering free Covid-related webinars and CLE programs to members and non-members (including all 40k+ attorneys in Maryland). Over 850 legal professionals join the MSBA in a full week of virtual learning in MSBA’s inaugural Legal Excellence Week, featuring several Section Institutes and the Solo Summit. MSBA’s partner, Maryland Access to Justice Commission, leads a Covid-19 Task Force with Attorney General Brian Frosh.

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh creates the Covid-19 Access to Justice Task Force, in partnership with the Maryland Access to Justice Commission, to address the extraordinary civil legal challenges, hurdles, and hardships impacting Marylanders as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. The Task Force promotes detailed reforms and recommendations in early 2021 and secures over $20 million in civil legal aid funding over the next year.

M. Natalie McSherry, a Principal at Kramon and Graham, becomes President of the MSBA, 125 years after her great-grandfather, the Honorable James McSherry, became president in 1896.

MSBA exceeds its renewal target and welcomes new members to the association, achieving a 105% renewal and join rate for the year. MSBA welcomes legal professionals to its virtual Legal Summit and Annual Meeting, featuring over 80 learning programs and thought leaders including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford, Tina Tchen, and Nina Totenberg. MSBA will celebrate its 125th year through a commemorative publication, a special Maryland Bar Journal edition, video tributes, learning opportunities for the profession, a gala celebration, and much more.