The Early Years – The Florida State Bar Association (1907–1949)
75 Years of The Florida Bar — A Look Back at Our Origins
The 1908 annual meeting of the Florida State Bar Association was held at the Continental Hotel in Atlantic Beach on June 25-26. President Robert L. Anderson was in the chair. The treasurer reported a balance on hand of $712.10. For the subject of his annual address Anderson chose "Education in Citizenship," and stressed the obligation which civilization owes to the legal profession in the development of democratic institutions and the protection of human rights. Continental Hotel in Atlantic Beach/State Library and Archives of Florida
As The Florida Bar celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2025, we take this opportunity to look back — not only to the historic integration in 1950 that created our modern Bar — but even further, to the lawyers and organizations that laid the foundation for that momentous change.
The precursor to The Florida Bar was the Florida State Bar Association, a voluntary organization formed in 1907 by pioneering lawyers determined to elevate and organize the legal profession in Florida. For more than four decades, the voluntary association would advocate for legal reform, professionalism, ethics, and education — ultimately paving the way for the establishment of the unified, mandatory Bar in 1950.
This article begins a series that will explore that history, sharing stories drawn from rediscovered original documents housed in The Florida Bar’s Tallahassee headquarters, the Florida Supreme Court Library, the Department of State Archives, and historical law journals.
The Founding Moment
The idea of forming a statewide bar association was born at the December 1906 meeting of the then nine-year-old Jacksonville Bar Association. There, Nathan P. Bryan, a future U.S. senator and federal judge, moved that a broader assembly of justices, attorney general, judges, local bar associations, and other legal professionals be convened to explore the creation of a statewide organization. Library of Congress
The idea of forming a statewide bar association was born at the December 1906 meeting of the then nine-year-old Jacksonville Bar Association. There, Nathan P. Bryan, a future U.S. senator and federal judge, moved that a broader assembly of justices, attorney general, judges, local bar associations, and other legal professionals be convened to explore the creation of a statewide organization.
The 15-members in attendance agreed and the call went out. On February 7, 1907, 53 lawyers from across Florida gathered at the Board of Trade Auditorium in Jacksonville. Eight local bar associations were represented — Dade County Bar, DeSoto County Bar, Gainesville Bar, Hillsborough Bar, Jacksonville Bar, Key West Bar, Manatee County Bar, and the Orange County Bar — and the justices of the Florida Supreme Court lent their endorsement via telegram.
Former Gov. Francis P. Fleming was chosen as temporary chair, and George Couper Gibbs as secretary. A constitution and by-laws were swiftly adopted — modeled on those of the Jacksonville Bar Association — and dues were set at $5 per year. Standing committees were created on Admissions, Judicial Administration and Legal Reform, Legal Education, Grievances, and Legal Biography.
Robert L. Anderson of Ocala was elected the newly created Florida State Bar Association’s first president. The seeds of a state bar had been sown.
Laying the Groundwork
Over the next decade, the Florida State Bar Association held annual conventions in cities across the state — Atlantic Beach, St. Augustine, Miami, Tallahassee, Pensacola — bringing together lawyers to discuss pressing issues of the day, including judicial reform, ethics, codification of probate law, uniform rules of procedure, and the proper role of lawyers in society.
At the 1908 convention, held at the Continental Hotel in Atlantic Beach, the association adopted a Code of Ethics — an early effort to formalize standards of professional conduct. That same year, members discussed the obligation to defend indigent clients and the ethics of representing defendants known or believed to be guilty. Discussion also occurred upon the provision pertaining to the reliance upon technical defenses. The treasurer reported a balance on hand of $712.10.
In 1909, in St. Augustine, the association turned to the topic of judicial reform, with Judge Rhydon M. Call advocating for legislative authority to create or abolish courts, modernization of probate law, and improved jury selection procedures. The association appointed committees to draft legislation to bring these reforms to life. The members also discussed, "Which, the Mob or the Law," a topic described in a 1944 article as “then most timely.” The treasurer reported a balance of $6,713.83.
An Ambitious Vision
By 1910, the association had grown to nearly 200 members from communities as diverse as Tampa, Jacksonville, Ocala, Marianna, Tallahassee, Live Oak, and even Key West, and Punta Gorda. The leaders elected during this period would go on to shape the state’s legal landscape for decades. They included future justices, governors, and appellate judges.
A major initiative was the creation of a Florida Law Journal, which became the official publication of the association — “a channel through which the interests of the profession could be shared beyond the annual meetings.” The Florida Law Journal would eventually become The Florida Bar Journal.
In the years that followed, conventions tackled issues such as:
- Redistricting the judicial circuits
- Establishing uniform pleading and procedural rules
- Developing educational requirements for legal practice
- Prosecuting ethical violations through judicially appointed local committees (1918)
These early years of the 20th century were a time of vision, unity, and progress, driven by volunteer leadership determined to elevate the standards of the profession and the administration of justice.
From Voluntary Association to Integrated Bar
Although World War I and economic pressures slowed some momentum, the Florida State Bar Association continued its advocacy well into the 1930s and 1940s. It was during this time that efforts began in earnest to integrate the bar — transforming it from a voluntary association into a unified, mandatory professional body governed by the Florida Supreme Court.
These efforts culminated in 1950, when the Florida Supreme Court approved the integration of the Bar, creating the modern Florida Bar as we know it today.
The journey from 1907 to 1950 was not merely about organizational structure — it was about building trust, enhancing professionalism, and raising standards in a growing state with complex legal needs.
Why This History Matters
Understanding the roots of The Florida Bar is not just an academic exercise — it’s a reminder of the values and vision that continue to guide the profession today: public service, ethical conduct, professional excellence, and access to justice.
As we commemorate 75 years of The Florida Bar, we honor the contributions of those early lawyers who laid the foundation, one meeting, one reform, and one principle at a time.
This series will continue to explore that legacy, highlighting the voices, decisions, and milestones that shaped the legal profession in Florida. Future installments will trace the Bar’s path from the 1930s through integration in 1950 and beyond.
Stay with us as we walk through history — because where we’ve been tells us a lot about where we’re going.
Editor’s Note: This historical account is based on a collection of original documents preserved in The Florida Bar’s archives, as well as materials from the Florida Supreme Court Library and the Florida Department of State. Additional context was drawn from a 1944 article by Warren L. Jones of the Jacksonville Bar, published in the Florida Law Journal.
Much of this archival material was collected, preserved, and organized by Vicki Brand, who joined The Florida Bar staff in 1980 as executive assistant to the Bar’s executive director. In that role, she also supported the work of the state’s judicial nominating commissions and helped incoming Bar presidents manage committee appointments. Following her retirement in 2019, Brand dedicated herself to compiling and curating the documentary history of The Florida Bar and its predecessor, the Florida State Bar Association. Her work has been instrumental in bringing these early chapters of Bar history to light.
