History of the Fayette County Bar Association

1889 to Present

 

In his diary under date of July 31, 1889, Major Luke H. Frasher reported:

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At 10 AM meeting of the Fayette County Bar at the office of S. E. Ewing, Esq., For the purpose of organizing a Bar Association for the mutual improvement in our profession by adoption of a Constitution and By-Laws and Fee Bill.  There had been a meeting last week, at which committee had been appointed to draft Constitution, etc.  The report of the Committees was submitted and some amendments adopted.  Officers were than elected as follows: President, A.D. Boyd; Vice President, D.M. Hertzog; Secretary, R.E. Umbel; Treasurer, A.F. Cooper; Executive Committee, S.L. Mestrezat, R.H. Lindsey and R.H. Reppert.

 

The first Fee Bill of the Association was adopted in 1889 on the recommendation of a committee consisting of Albert Boyd, George B. Jeffries and Samuel E. Ewing.  The first revision of such Fee Bill was adopted on February 7, 1908, which was in force until November 19, 1926, when a third Fee Bill was adopted.  The last Minimum Fee Bill of the Association became effective January 1, 1964.

 

In 1955 the Bar terminated the selection of the President and the Vice-President of the Association with regard to political affiliations, adopted new By-Laws and created a Board of Directors which, to this day, meets monthly to conduct the business of the Association.  The Board of Directors are elected by the members of the Association at the annual business meeting of the Association and in turn elect the officers of the Association.

 

All members of the Fayette County Bar Association are members of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.