The Manatee County Bar Association is located in Bradenton, Florida, along the shores of the Manatee River and the Gulf of Mexico, south of Tampa Bay. In 1963, when the association was officially incorporated, the stated purpose included “inculcating in its members the principles and duties of service to the public, improving the administration of justice and advancing the science of jurisprudence among the members; maintaining the highest standards in the profession of law in the County of Manatee and in the State of Florida; and maintaining and promoting social and recreational gatherings in order to provide for a cooperative spirit among the members of the Bar and their families.

While the faces have changed and the practice of law has evolved, the MCBA has remained steadfast to that purpose, fostering a unified, professional and mostly harmonious bar association with a rich history of service among the bench, the bar, and to the public. Its members continue to nurture a small town communal spirit while adapting to and embracing the growth and change that is reflective of the County of Manatee.