Overview: Missouri Bar Committees and Sections

Join a Committee

Role and Impact of Missouri Bar Committees and Sections

Committees and sections represent the driving forces behind the work and activities of The Missouri Bar. Typically, committees/sections engage in activities that include, but are not limited to:

  • Drafting and/or reviewing legislative proposals;
  • Developing and presenting continuing legal education programs and print materials;
  • Increasing public understanding of the law;
  • Helping educators teach young people about the justice system;
  • Developing a variety of programs and activities to help lawyers improve the efficiency of their practices; and
  • Developing a variety of programs to maintain the highest level of professionalism among members

Networking, Relationship Building - A Positive Impact on Missouri Lawyers and Their Practices

In addition to having the opportunity to engage in important activities that can have a direct impact on the laws related to particular substantive areas and Missouri's justice system as a whole, active members of committees/sections also benefit by having the opportunity to interact, network, and develop important professional relationships with other lawyers who practice in the same substantive area of law. 

Types of Missouri Bar Committees/Sections

  • Open Enrollment Committees/Sections
    All members of The Missouri Bar are invited to become involved in committee/section activities. Lawyers can choose from more than 40 open enrollment committees/sections, most with a purpose and activities related to a substantive area of law.
    Missouri lawyers can join any of these committees/sections at any time of the year by signing in to their Practice Portal.
  • Other Permanent and Special Committees
    In addition to the open enrollment committees, the president of The Missouri Bar appoints several other permanent committees. Special Committees are often created by the Board of Governors to address specific issues or concerns and the president of The Missouri Bar appoints the members to these committees as well.
  • Sections of The Missouri Bar
    The Missouri Bar has two sections – the Family Law Section, which is an open enrollment section available to all members, and the Young Lawyers' Section, of which all members of The Missouri Bar who are 36 years of age or younger or who have been admitted for less than three years, are members.

Meetings & Online Communities

  • Spring and Fall Committee Meetings
    Most Missouri Bar committees and sections meet twice annually – once at the Fall Committee Meetings in November and again at the Spring Committee Meetings in May. Both meetings are held in Jefferson City and many committees/sections typically offer free CLE programs as part of their business meetings. You don't have to be a member of a committee or section and there is no registration fee to attend the fall or spring meetings, so these meetings can also be a great way to try a committee/section out and see if it is right for you. Use the link under Meetings above to view the latest information about the next fall or spring meeting.
  • connect.MOBAR 
    Most of the committees/sections have a corresponding online community to which committee members are automatically subscribed. The communities are designed to foster communication among members. Members can exchange information, offer assistance to one another, and refer cases outside of their geographic area. connect.MOBAR is a collaborative tool designed exclusively for Missouri Bar members that combines the instant, active response features of the old email listservs with newer, digital-friendly discussion forums. You can start new threads in each “community” or find archived conversations through the search feature. All in real time, daily digests, or no emails at all - you decide. As discussions develop within the community, the users’ posts and uploaded documents will create a rich archive of searchable content to help new and existing community members find answers to their practice questions. There are many added bonuses like the ability to share large files without cluttering your inbox and instant access to your member contacts through a more user-friendly member directory.