About the ACBA

The Albany County Bar Association 

Although the practice of law has changed over the past one hundred plus years, the mission of ACBA remains the same: "The purpose of the Albany County Bar Association is to promote professional collegiality among the bench and the bar; facilitate public service and access to justice for all; and offer programs, benefits and services to enhance the skills of its members."

On October 13, 1900, the Hon. Alden Chester, Justice of the Supreme Court for the Third Judicial District of the State of New York, approved the Certificate of Incorporation of the Albany County Bar Association (ACBA). Since then, the organization has grown considerably since its founding by fifty-three Albany County Attorneys; among which were William Platt Rudd, the first president of the Albany County Bar Association, E.C. Knickerbocker, Charles J. Buchanan, Learned Hand, James Fenimore Cooper, Jacob L. Ten Eyck and H.A. Peckham. The first woman member, Hazel M. Cole, was inducted on December 9, 1919.  ACBA's first woman President, Margareth R. Powers served from 1988 to 1989. Learn more about the legal history of Albany County on the Historical Society of New York Courts' website. 

Today, the organization boasts more than 1,200 attorney members representing a broad spectrum of over 400+ different legal organizations in New York's Capital District, including small and solo firms, corporate firms, non-profits, lobbyists, judges and court personnel and more. The current Board of Directors leads the vision for the Association, while a team of professionals manages the day-today operations. 

Membership to the Albany County Bar Association is open to attorneys, judges, paralegal, law clerks and other members of the legal community who live or work in Albany County, New York. Learn more and sign up today! Business membership are also available. Please contact the ACBA to learn more about business memberships. 

The Albany County Bar Association (ACBA) is a privately funded trade organization for attorneys. Despite the name of the organization, the ACBA is not affiliated with the NYS Court System, nor is it a government entity. We do not have attorneys in our office and we do not provide legal counsel.