Charles Houston Bar Association jobs and careers

About Charles Houston Bar Association

Named in honor of the legendary civil rights practitioner Charles Hamilton Houston (1895 – 1950), CHBA continues his legacy by working to address the unique challenges facing the African American community. The association was founded in 1955 as the Charles Houston Law Club. Initially, its purpose was to provide a forum in which Black lawyers could address issues that affected their practices. Since then, CHBA has grown steadily in its purpose and membership. In 1975, the Board of Governors of the State Bar of California recognized CHBA as an official state bar association. The Charles Houston Bar Association is now also an affiliate member of the National Bar Association (NBA), and a member of the California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL). CHBA has always been fundamentally concerned with civil rights and promoting diversity in the legal profession. Since its inception, CHBA has extended its voice into local, state, and national matters as an advocate for inclusion. The organization has joined other organizations in filing amicus curiae briefs in the United States Supreme Court, most recently to support the University of Michigan Law School’s admission policies in the Grutter v. Bollinger case (2003).