Type Legal society Headquarters Baltimore, Maryland | Tax ID no. 52-0815403 Membership 23,000 as of 2013 | |
Founded August 8, 1896; 120 years ago (1896-08-08) Legal status 501(c)(6) professional association | ||
The Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) is a voluntary bar association for the state of Maryland. Among MSBA's publications are the bimonthly Maryland Bar Journal, the monthly newsletter Maryland Bar Bulletin, the electronic newsletter Maryland Bar Brief and various reports.
The organization was established on August 8, 1896, and is directed by a 43-member Board of elected Governors, including 32 elected by geographical districts, four "Young Lawyer" governors, and the organization's officers.
In 1985, the Poe School, located at the northeast corner of Baltimore's West Fayette and North Greene Streets, became the permanent home of the Maryland State Bar Association.
MSBA does not handle matters such as law licensing or complaints against lawyers; those powers rest with the Maryland Judiciary.
The MSBA was the last state bar association in the United States to admit women; Rose Zetzer became its first female member of the MSBA in 1946. This barrier lead to the formation of the Women's Bar Association of Maryland in 1929.