Dallas Bar Association

The Dallas Bar Association, founded in 1873, is a voluntary professional association of 11,000+ lawyers. It is dedicated to the continuing education of its members, as well as community programs. For years, the Dallas Bar Association headquarters were housed in the offices of the then-current president. In 1937, headquarters were established in a small space under the stairs of the Old Red Courthouse. Ten years later, the DBA was the state’s first bar association to incorporate. Incorporators envisioned the Association someday being housed in its own building. The DBA has offered members the unique opportunity of meeting, dining, conversing and learning together in its own headquarters since 1955. In that year, the DBA opened its offices, dining room and meeting facilities on the lobby floor of the Adolphus Hotel. In 1979, the Association moved into the restored home of the late Col. A.H. Belo, founder of The Dallas Morning News. Now, the Association boasts an even more incredible home thanks to the addition of The Pavilion at The Belo Mansion, a dynamic space for meetings, social events and community gatherings. The DBA’s image in the community is one of respect and influence, holding an enviable reputation among metropolitan bar associations throughout the nation.