150 Years of Progress – and Purpose
12.17.2025
In 1876, a small group of New York lawyers set out to do something extraordinary. Years before there was an American Bar Association, at a time when the law was practiced by candlelight and correspondence traveled by post, they came together under a guiding vision:
“To cultivate the science of jurisprudence, promote reform in the law, facilitate the administration of justice, and elevate the standards of integrity, honor, professional skill and courtesy in the legal profession.”
Every generation of members has carried that purpose forward, and this year the New York State Bar Association honors its past and embraces the promise of its future.
When our founders first gathered, formal legal communications were transmitted by courier and rail. Collaboration required patience and proximity. The legal world of our founders in 1876 would be unrecognizable today. Today, connection happens in an instant. The transformation has been extraordinary. Yet the principles that guide us – integrity, professionalism, service, access to justice, and defense of the rule of law – remain constant. Our forebearers could not have imagined that we would have forged relationships and networks with bar associations across the country and around the world.
Our association’s first president, John K. Porter, urged lawyers to “exercise a collective and permanent influence” on the great issues of their time. Those words remind us all of our obligation to shape civic discourse and promote legal reform where we see the need. By harnessing the expertise of attorney members to provide thoughtful, well-researched, balanced reports on issues that impact the public at large, we have had a permanent influence. And we have been at the forefront of the issues of our time: from proposing a permanent tribunal for international disputes that formed the groundwork for what is today the International Court of Justice at The Hague to our early support for marriage equality and advocacy for no-fault divorce in New York. We promoted legal reforms to support the right to counsel for indigent defendants, and to address the scourges of antisemitism, anti-Asian hate and gun violence. We have advocated for more family court judges, for the safeguarding of the legal rights of immigrants, and for diversity, all while grappling with the impact of generational advances in technology on our profession and the justice system.
And while our founders were all white men, a reflection of their era, they laid the groundwork for a profession that has grown far beyond its beginnings. As only the ninth woman to serve as president of our association, I carry that legacy with humility and deep gratitude. The path for women and people of color in our profession has not been clear or smooth, but each generation of the New York bar has widened the door for those who follow. Our diverse membership in 2026 reflects the intellect and energy of the lawyers of New York and beyond. There are now over 55,000 members of the association. That is our strength.
We celebrate our 150th anniversary in a moment of great challenge. The rule of law, often taken for granted, is being tested, quite often by our own government. Civil discourse has been coarsened and often replaced by divisive rhetoric and calls to violence. We have witnessed an insurrection and still contend with its aftermath. In times like these, our role as lawyers extends beyond the courtroom and the boardroom. To honor our oath, we must amplify the truth, elevate civil discourse, defend constitutional principles, and always act with integrity.
The New York State Bar Association continues to be a welcoming community, a place where we learn from one another, lift each other up, and dedicate ourselves to something larger than any one case, client, or cause. Whether gathered in a courthouse, in the Great Hall in Albany, or connected online, we remain united by our common purpose and ideals to do the public good.
Here’s to another 150 years of progress, service and justice.
