In 1873, the St. Joseph County Bar Association ("SJCBA") was founded for the express purpose of furthering the practice of law and to establishing and maintaining a law library for the County Court House. During the intervening years, the purposes of the SJCBA have become more sophisticated, but the Association's commitment to justice and to community service has remained paramount.

The Bar Association sponsors events for its members, including the arrangement of the continued legal education for St. Joseph and neighboring county attorneys, a monthly Newsletter and social functions. In addition, the SJCBA offers the community a Lawyer Referral Service and maintains the County Law Library. There are 600+ members, with new attorneys and paralegals joining throughout the year.