Who We Are

OUR HISTORY

In 1973, there were a total of fifteen African American lawyers practicing in the Austin area. That year a number of those lawyers came together and organized a support group for the African American lawyers to address issues that were essential to their legal and professional development and the lack of opportunities. In 1979, the support group formally became known as the Austin Black Lawyers Association (ABLA).

Since this humble beginning, ABLA has grown significantly and is now an affiliate organization of the Austin Bar Association consisting of lawyers within Austin and its surrounding communities.As a growing organization, for almost four decades, ABLA has been at the forefront of Austin’s legal community.

Our members are represented in every facet of the legal community as elected and appointed officials, educators, lawyers and members of law firms of all sizes. We serve our community through our involvement in a multitude of legal, community and service based projects. We provide leadership, commitment, and dedication through service which enables us to positively impact Austin and the surrounding communities.