Started by 74 attorneys in June of 1899, the New Jersey State Bar Association was founded in order to maintain the honor and dignity of the legal profession, cultivate social relationships between members, champion legal reform, and aid the administration of justice. Membership in the NJSBA is voluntary but does require that applicants have a bona fide law office in New Jersey. One of the main missions of the New Jersey State Bar Association is to examine the most pressing issues confronting attorneys and the legal profession today and make a plan for progress and innovation to overcome these challenges.