Cleveland Bar Association

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Organization (f. 1873) of Cleveland (Ohio) lawyers whose purpose is to maintain the honor and dignity of the law profession and promote legal and judicial reform. Operating via a series of committees, the association over the years has investigated misconduct by lawyers, judges, sheriffs, and police, which has resulted in resignations and/or disbarment.

From the description of Records, series II, 1937-1977. (Rhinelander District Library). WorldCat record id: 22582491

Founded in 1873 to establish and enforce standards of conduct for members of the legal profession and to promote legal and judicial reform. The Cleveland Bar Assoc. was instrumental in the formation of the Ohio State and American Bar Associations.

From the description of Records 1873-1967. (Rhinelander District Library). WorldCat record id: 17462792

The Cleveland Bar Association was founded at a meeting of fifty-three lawyers on March 22, 1873, in the Law Library Room of the Cleveland Court House. The purpose of the Association was "to maintain the honor and dignity of the Profession of the Law; to cultivate social intercourse and acquaintance among members of the Bar, and to increase their usefulness in aiding the administration of justice, and in promoting legal and judicial reform."

The Bar immediately began to act on these responsibilities; one of its first resolutions called for the resignation of a federal judge due to his alleged lack of integrity. The Cleveland Bar Association was instrumental in the formation of the Ohio State Bar and of the American Bar Association. Shortly after the turn of the century, the Association issued a call for the establishment of a Municipal Court and began discussing the possibilities of endorsing candidates for the bench.

It was not until 1922 that the Association actually began to endorse individual candidates but, from that time, the "bar slate" began receiving extensive publicity in the press. On occasion, the press coverage was uncomplimentary; many felt that the lawyers of the city were apt to choose candidates more on the basis of the lawyers' success in the courtroom than on grounds of proper judicial qualifications. Nevertheless, the Bar persisted and each year, after a carefully administered membership poll, continued to announce a list of "preferred" candidates.

Over the years, the Association has often come to the aid of those whose civil rights were endangered or violated. The first example of this occurred in 1925; seeking a suspect in a murder case who had been described as Chinese, the Cleveland police arrested, fingerprinted and detained almost the entire male Chinese population of the city. The Bar was quick to protest and, eventually, extracted a pro forma apology from the city. Perhaps the most widely publicized example was the defense, in 1955, of eleven Cleveland residents indicted as "subversives" under the Smith Act.

From the original founding group, the Cleveland Bar Association has grown to over thirty-six hundred members in its centennial year. Among the many prominent citizens of the Greater Cleveland area who have been enrolled in the Cleveland Bar Association are: Florence E. Allen, Newton D. Baker, Luther Day, Mary B. Grossman, Frank A. Quail, and Lillian Westropp.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Cleveland Bar Association

From the guide to the Cleveland Bar Association Photographs, 1969-1977, (Western Reserve Historical Society)

The Cleveland Bar Association was founded at a meeting of fifty-three lawyers on March 22, 1873, in the Law Library Room of the Cleveland Court House. The purpose of the Association was "to maintain the honor and dignity of the Profession of the Law; to cultivate social intercourse and acquaintance among members of the Bar, and to increase their usefulness in aiding the administration of justice, and in promoting legal and judicial reform."

The Bar immediately began to act on these responsibilities; one of its first resolutions called for the resignation of a federal judge due to his alleged lack of integrity. The Cleveland Bar Association was instrumental in the formation of the Ohio State Bar and of the American Bar Association. Shortly after the turn of the century, the Association issued a call for the establishment of a Municipal Court and began discussing the possibilities of endorsing candidates for the bench.

It was not until 1922 that the Association actually began to endorse individual candidates but, from that time, the "bar slate" began receiving extensive publicity in the press. On occasion, the press coverage was uncomplimentary; many felt that the lawyers of the city were apt to choose candidates more on the basis of the lawyers' success in the courtroom than on grounds of proper judicial qualifications. Nevertheless, the Bar persisted and each year, after a carefully administered membership poll, continued to announce a list of "preferred" candidates.

Over the years, the Association has often come to the aid of those whose civil rights were endangered or violated. The first example of this occurred in 1925; seeking a suspect in a murder case who had been described as Chinese, the Cleveland police arrested, fingerprinted and detained almost the entire male Chinese population of the city. The Bar was quick to protest and, eventually, extracted a pro forma apology from the city. Perhaps the most widely publicized example was the defense, in 1955, of eleven Cleveland residents indicted as "subversives" under the Smith Act.

From the original founding group, the Cleveland Bar Association has grown to over thirty-six hundred members in its centennial year. Among the many prominent citizens of the Greater Cleveland area who have been enrolled in the Cleveland Bar Association are: Florence E. Allen, Newton D. Baker, Luther Day, Mary B. Grossman, Frank A. Quail, and Lillian Westropp.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Cleveland Bar Association

From the guide to the Cleveland Bar Association Records, Series II, 1937-1983, (Western Reserve Historical Society)

The Cleveland Bar Association was founded at a meeting of fifty-three lawyers on March 22, 1873, in the Law Library Room of the Cleveland Court House. The purpose of the Association was "to maintain the honor and dignity of the Profession of the Law; to cultivate social intercourse and acquaintance among members of the Bar, and to increase their usefulness in aiding the administration of justice, and in promoting legal and judicial reform."

The Bar immediately began to act on these responsibilities; one of its first resolutions called for the resignation of a federal judge due to his alleged lack of integrity. The Cleveland Bar Association was instrumental in the formation of the Ohio State Bar and of the American Bar Association. Shortly after the turn of the century, the Association issued a call for the establishment of a Municipal Court and began discussing the possibilities of endorsing candidates for the bench.

It was not until 1922 that the Association actually began to endorse individual candidates but, from that time, the "bar slate" began receiving extensive publicity in the press. On occasion, the press coverage was uncomplimentary; many felt that the lawyers of the city were apt to choose candidates more on the basis of the lawyers' success in the courtroom than on grounds of proper judicial qualifications. Nevertheless, the Bar persisted and each year, after a carefully administered membership poll, continued to announce a list of "preferred" candidates.

Over the years, the Association has often come to the aid of those whose civil rights were endangered or violated. The first example of this occurred in 1925; seeking a suspect in a murder case who had been described as Chinese, the Cleveland police arrested, fingerprinted and detained almost the entire male Chinese population of the city. The Bar was quick to protest and, eventually, extracted a pro forma apology from the city. Perhaps the most widely publicized example was the defense, in 1955, of eleven Cleveland residents indicted as "subversives" under the Smith Act.

From the original founding group, the Cleveland Bar Association has grown to over thirty-six hundred members in its centennial year. Among the many prominent citizens of the Greater Cleveland area who have been enrolled in the Cleveland Bar Association are: Florence E. Allen, Newton D. Baker, Luther Day, Mary B. Grossman, Frank A. Quail, and Lillian Westropp.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Cleveland Bar Association

From the guide to the Cleveland Bar Association Records, 1873-1967, (Western Reserve Historical Society)

The Cleveland Bar Association was founded at a meeting of fifty-three lawyers on March 22, 1873, in the Law Library Room of the Cleveland Court House. The purpose of the Association was "to maintain the honor and dignity of the Profession of the Law; to cultivate social intercourse and acquaintance among members of the Bar, and to increase their usefulness in aiding the administration of justice, and in promoting legal and judicial reform." The Bar immediately began to act on these responsibilities; one of its first resolutions called for the resignation of a federal judge due to his alleged lack of integrity. The Cleveland Bar Association was instrumental in the formation of the Ohio State Bar and of the American Bar Association. Shortly after the turn of the century, the Association issued a call for the establishment of a Municipal Court and began discussion the possibilities of endorsing candidates for the bench. It was not until 1922 that the Association actually began to endorse individual candidates but, from that time, the 'bar slate" began receiving extensive publicity in the press. On occasion, the press coverage was uncomplimentary; many felt that the lawyers of the city were apt to choose candidates more on the basis of the lawyers' success in the courtroom than on grounds of proper judicial qualifications. Nevertheless, the Bar persisted and each year, after a carefully administered membership poll, continued to announce a list of "preferred" candidates.

Over the years, the Association has often come to the aid of those whose civil rights were endangered or violated. The first example of this occurred in 1925; seeking a suspect in a murder case who had been described as Chinese, the Cleveland police arrested, fingerprinted and detained almost the entire male Chinese population of the city. The Bar was quick to protest and, eventually, extracted a pro forma apology from the city. Perhaps the most widely publicized example was the defense, in 1955, of eleven Cleveland residents indicted as "subversives" under the Smith Act. From the original founding of the group, the Cleveland Bar Association has grown to over thirty-six hundred members in its centennial year. Among the many prominent citizens of the Greater Cleveland area who have been enrolled in the Bar Association are: Florence E. Allen, Newton D. Baker, Luther Day, Mary B. Grossman, Frank A. Quail, and Lillian Westropp.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Cleveland Bar Association

From the guide to the Cleveland Bar Association Records, Series III, 1956, (Western Reserve Historical Society)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Kutash, Henry X., 1907-1996. Henry X. Kutash papers, 1924-1987. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Jamison, Robert Huddle, 1884-1965. Papers of Robert H. and Marjorie Jamison, 1917-1957. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Kramer, Samuel E. (Samuel Edmund), 1878-1960. Papers, 1912-1960. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
referencedIn Learned Hand papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Cleveland Bar Association Records, 1873-1967 Western Reserve Historical Society
creatorOf Cleveland Bar Association. Records, series III, 1956. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
referencedIn Kaiser, P. H. (Peter Henry), 1840-1929. Papers, 1900-1927. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
referencedIn Sheldon Glueck papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Cleveland Bar Association Records, Series III, 1956 Western Reserve Historical Society
creatorOf Cleveland Bar Association. Records 1873-1967. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Cleveland Bar Association Photographs, 1969-1977 Western Reserve Historical Society
creatorOf Cleveland Bar Association. Records, series II, 1937-1977. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
referencedIn Paul A. Freund papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Cleveland Bar Association Records, Series II, 1937-1983 Western Reserve Historical Society
creatorOf McCord, Grace Doering, 1890-1983. The Grace Doering and John W. "Jack" McCord papers, 1900-1981. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Court Management Project. corporateBody
correspondedWith Glueck, Sheldon, 1896- person
associatedWith Hand, Learned, 1872-1961 person
associatedWith Jamison, Robert Huddle, 1884-1965. person
associatedWith Kaiser, P. H. (Peter Henry), 1840-1929. person
associatedWith Kramer, Samuel E. (Samuel Edmund), 1878-1960. person
associatedWith Kutash, Henry X., 1907-1996. person
associatedWith McCord, Grace Doering, 1890-1983. person
associatedWith Paul A. Freund person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Ohio--Cleveland
Ohio--Cleveland
Ohio--Cleveland
Ohio--Cuyahoga County
United States
Subject
Justice, Administration of
Justice, Administration of
Justice, Administration of
Bar associations
Bar associations
Cleveland Bar Association
Cleveland Bar Association
Court administration
Court administration
Courts
Defense (Criminal procedure)
Defense (Criminal procedure)
Judges
Judges
Lawyers
Lawyers
Lawyers
Right to counsel
Right to counsel
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1917

Active 1957

Information

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