About

In the struggle for social change and progress in the legal profession, the National Bar Institute (NBI) serves as a means to advance the understanding and practice of law among African Americans and other diverse minority groups.

Founded in 1982 by members of the National Bar Association, the oldest and largest professional organization of lawyers and judges of color in the world, the NBI shares the same passion and commitment for advancing minorities in the legal profession by promoting education, advocacy and action to ensure civil and human rights, and equal justice for all.

In fulfilling its mission, the NBI has established objectives that call for supporting students and legal education programs, and issues that broadly impact human and civil rights.

Since its founding, the NBI has established and implemented successful programs including the following:

  • Law Student Fellowships awarded to academically promising 2L law students with a proven commitment to social justice.
  • Grants for regional high school seniors and their chaperones to attend the National Bar Association (NBA) convention to participate in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition.
  • Financial support to the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA); NBA Women’s Lawyers and Young Lawyers Divisions, and the Council for Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO).
  • The Clyde E. Bailey, Sr. and Rapheal M. Prevot, Jr. Annual Golf Tournament.