Description: This fascinating historical account of the evolution of Houston's premier professional legal association, from the days of pioneer justice to the development of a "new mandate for professionalism", is sure to interest every native and adopted Houstonian, lawyer and nonlawyer alike. Colorful anecdotes of Houston's prominent lawyers and businessmen bring to life the history behind today's dynamic Houston Bar Association. Here is the story of "city building" - of men and women whose vision, perseverance, and commitment to public service built a city and a profession: Peter W. Gray, the first president of the Houston Bar Association; Thomas Ball, who was fundamental in the creation of the Houston Ship Channel; Captain James Baker, who saved the Rice Institute from treachery; Oran T. Holt and the bar's response to shysters; Judge Joseph C. Hutcheson, Jr., the driving force behind Houston's first legal-aid clinic; and many others. A Commitment to Public Service also chronicles the development of legal education in Houston, from those early days when an aspiring lawyer would "pass the bar" with an informal oral examination and toast his examiners with the "examination bottle", to the present-day Houston Bar Association's highly acclaimed continuing legal education program. From an initial membership of 45 lawyers and judges, the HBA has become the sixth-largest voluntary bar association in the nation. Today the association's 9,900 members are committed to helping the legal profession and the greater Houston community through programs that educate, communicate, and serve.

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