Frequently Asked Questions About The Missouri Bar

What is The Missouri Bar and what does it do?
How many members are in The Missouri Bar?
How many staff work for The Missouri Bar?
How much is The Missouri Bar’s annual budget?
How is The Missouri Bar governed?
Does The Missouri Bar have committees and/or sections?
Where is The Missouri Bar located?
What resources and activities does The Missouri Bar provide?
Does The Missouri Bar offer legal advice?

What is The Missouri Bar and what does it do?
The Missouri Bar is the statewide organization that all Missouri lawyers must belong to if they practice law. The Missouri Bar was created in 1944 by order of the Supreme Court of Missouri. It is considered an instrumentality of the Supreme Court of Missouri, not a private association nor a state agency. Its mission is to improve the legal profession, the administration of justice, and the law on behalf of all Missourians.

How many members are in The Missouri Bar?
Currently, the bar is comprised of nearly 30,000 members.

How many staff work for The Missouri Bar?
The executive director, Mischa  Buford Epps, supervises a staff of nearly 50 employees.

How much is The Missouri Bar’s annual budget?
Approximately $10 million. No tax dollars are used to support Missouri Bar activities. Most funding is derived from fees that lawyers pay. Additional support stems from Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and publications, as well as grants from The Missouri Bar Foundation and other organizations.

How is The Missouri Bar governed?
The Board of Governors of The Missouri Bar  determines policies and sets the course of action for the state bar to follow. The 45 members of the board are elected by bar members in districts. The board elects a president, president-elect and vice president to serve as officers of the bar.

Does The Missouri Bar have committees and/or sections?
Yes. The Missouri Bar offers more than 35 substantive law committees for its members to join. It also has two sections:  a Family Law Section and the Young Lawyers' Section.

Where is The Missouri Bar located?
The Missouri Bar Center is located in downtown Jefferson City at 326 Monroe Street.

What resources and activities does The Missouri Bar provide?
The Missouri Bar provides a wide variety of services and resources, not only to its members, but also to the news media, school teachers and the citizens of Missouri. These include CLE programs and publications, an Annual Meeting, a Solo and Small Firm Conference, teachers’ programs, committee meetings, extensive services for lawyers, and resources on legal topics for the public. The bar also administers a minimum continuing legal education requirement for lawyers.

Does The Missouri Bar offer legal advice?
No, but we do offer several services to help you find a lawyer, as well as a brochure series of legal topics that explains Missouri’s laws and legal system. The series contains practical information written by lawyers who have knowledge and experience in different aspects of the law. These resources, as well as how to find a lawyer, are available on our website specially designed for the public – www.MissouriLawyersHelp.org.