The Colorado Bar Association was founded in 1897, according to the organization’s website.
The Rocky Mountain News published a report Sept. 10, 1897 explaining 40 lawyers from different parts of the state attended a meeting, as bylaws got adopted and Caldwell Yeaman was chosen as the temporary chairman and Lucius Hoyt was named the temporary secretary.
The article added the officers for the organization would be a president, two vice presidents, a secretary and a treasurer, and are elected yearly. The article also explained the organization wouldn’t take part in partisan political actions.
The Victor Record reported the membership fee for the organization would be $5 and the group’s annual meeting would be held in July 1898.
The Rocky Mountain News reported at the annual meeting Hon. Hugh Butler of Denver, president of the association, delivered the opening address with the subject being “The Duties and Ethics of the Profession; the Purposes of the Association, Its Opportunities and Duties.”
According to The Rocky Mountain News, he said in part, “The lawyer is more than the wage-earner. His ambition is higher than that of making money; the members of the bar had been and should be the leaders in political and social movements. By reason of their education and training, they are fitted to be public servants.”
The Rocky Mountain News reported then U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice David Brewer also gave an address at the event on the topic of “The Growth of the Judicial Function.”
Currently, the Colorado Bar Association has about 18,500 members with nearly 70% of active attorneys in the state serving as members, according to the organization’s website.