REPORT

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON LEGAL EDUCATION.

July 9, 1901.

To The Colorado Bar Association:

Your Committee on Legal Education herewith presents its annual report:

The number of attorneys to the population is considerably greater in Colorado than in most states of the Union, and throughout the United States the number of lawyers is in excess of what is needed for the work to be done.

This condition of things in Colorado tempts members of the bar, in the strife for business, to do unprofessional and dishonest things.

Such conduct is prejudicial to laymen and to the good name of the profession.

It has therefore been the policy of your committee to reduce the number of attorneys by raising the requirements for admission to the bar, and to investigate more carefully as to the character of those actually admitted. It was observed also that the number admitted on motion from other states formerly was large, and that the investigations of the Grievance Committee as to unprofessional and dishonest conduct were very largely regarding the actions of those so admitted.

The Committee on Legal Education, therefore, during the year 1900-1901, recommended to the Supreme Court the raising of the required time of study from two to three years and the limiting very much the right of attorneys to be admitted on motion.

Carrying out this recommendation, the Supreme Court in September, 1900, raised the time of study from two to three years,

and provided that attorneys from other states might be admitted on motion if they had practiced in that state for five years, and its requirements were equal to those of this state; and if its requirements were not equal to ours that the attorney should have practiced in that state for ten years; and required the law examiners to hold the application for sixty days within which time the investigation could be made as to their character.

It has been the practice of the Secretary of the Law Examiners to inform the Secretary of the Association of the application, and the Secretary of the Association has communicated with the Bar Association of the locality from which the applicant came as to his character.

As a result of the rule regarding the admission of attorneys from other states it is significant that the number so admitted has been reduced from about twenty per month to two per month. This result, it seems to your committee, is gratifying.

CHAS. E. GAST,

Chairman.

CALL FOR ORGANIZATION.

1897.

The undersigned, members of the bar of Colorado, believing that the organized action and influence of our profession, properly exerted, would lead to the creation of more intimate relations between its members than now exist, and would, at the same time, sustain the profession in its proper position in the community and thereby enable it, in many ways, to promote the interests of the public, do hereby agree to unite in forming a state association for such purposes.

And we do hereby appoint Hugh Butler, Edward L. Johnson and Lucius W. Hoyt, a committee to call a meeting of the subscribers at such time and place as may be designated by said committee, at which meeting measures will be taken for the organization of the proposed association.

July, 1897.

Hugh Butler.

A. E. Pattison.

J. C. Helm.

A. J. Rising.
J. F. Vaile.

Westbrook S. Decker.
Caldwell Yeaman.
A. C. Phelps.
Sylvester G. Williams.
R. J. Pitkin.

Edward L. Johnson.
Oscar Reuter.
W. C. Kingsley.

Platt Rogers.
E. T. Wells.
Henry T. Rogers.
Lewis B. France.
James H. Blood.
Henry C. Charpiot.
*Henry W. Hobson.
Ralph Talbot.
Wm. P. Hillhouse.
Morton S. Bailey.
Chas. Cavender.
Samuel P. Dale.

A. H. De France.

CERTIFICATE

OF

INCORPORATION.

FILED JANUARY 8, 1898.

State of Colorado, County of Arapahoe, ss.

We, the undersigned, being citizens of the United States, and of the state of Colorado, and desiring to form an association not for pecuniary profit, pursuant to the statutes of the state of Colorado, providing for the organization of corporations other than for pecuniary profit, do hereby certify that the following is a true statement of the name or title by which such association shall be known in law; the particular business and the objects for which it is formed; the number of its trustees, and the names of those selected for the first year of its existence, viz.:

1. Name or Title: The Colorado Bar Association.

2. Particular Business and Objects: To advance the science of jurisprudence; to promote the administration of justice; to secure proper legislation; to encourage a thorough legal education; to uphold the honor and dignity of the bar; to cultivate cordial intercourse among the lawyers of Colorado; to perpetuate a history of the profession and the memory of its members; to acquire, own and hold real and personal property, including a law library, club house, etc., in furtherance of said business and objects.

3. Number of Trustees: Seven (7).

4. Names of the Trustees Selected for the First Year: Hugh Butler, Westbrook S. Decker, Edward L. Johnson, Caldwell Yeaman, Lucius W. Hoyt, Platt Rogers, W. C. Kingsley.