The Waco-McLennan County Bar Association was organized in the late 1930's. The first president of the Bar Association, John Maxwell, was elected for a 1937-1938 term.

The Waco-McLennan County Bar Association has a proud history of service and accomplishment, both to the public and to the profession. Included among its members have been many eminent national, state and local government leaders, educators, jurists and practitioners. Past presidents of the Bar Association include:

• Frank M. Wilson(1939-1940) First Practice Court professor at Baylor School of Law.
• Abner V. McCall(1955-1956) Former Supreme Court Justice, dean of the Baylor School of Law and President of Baylor University. ·
• William S. Sessions(1967-1968) Former Director of the F.B.I. and Judge in the Western District of Texas.
• Louis Muldrow(1972-1973) Former Practice Court professor at Baylor School of Law.

There are currently approximately 500 members of the Bar Association.

In addition, the Waco-McLennan County Young Lawyers Association, an affiliate of the Bar Association, comprised of Lawyers thirty-six or younger or who have been practicing law less than three years, sponsors a number of community service projects, including:
Settlement Week held biannually during the week of Judicial Conference is an opportunity for attorneys with pending litigation to have those cases referred to non-binding mediation at a nominal fee. Members of the Bar Association serve as pro bono mediators -- in conjunction with the McLennan County Dispute Resolution Center.

High School Mock Trial Competition affords high school students from all over Central Texas an opportunity to get a taste of the judicial system, by actually playing the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a courtroom setting -- in conjunction with the Region 12 Education Service Center.