Bar association donates archives to the Virginia Historical Society

The Virginia Bar Association has conferred its archives to the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond.

In a formal signing ceremony on Wednesday, VBA President James Patrick Guy II executed a deed of gift to donate the bar’s nearly 130-year-old collection materials to the society.
The historical society will preserve the collection  and make it available to scholars, VBA members and the public.

The VBA also joined the Virginia Historical Society as a corporate member. This membership expands the VBA’s affiliation with VHS. Since 2000, VHS speakers have presented topics at Legacy Series Luncheons during VBA summer and winter meetings.

VBA collection donated to the historical society includes minutes, working papers, memorabilia, photographs and books. The items reflect the history of the VBA, which was founded in 1888.

The deed of gift allows the VBA to borrow items from the collection for display or other purposes.

The Virginia Historical Society holds more than 8.5 million documents and artifacts.

The Virginia Bar Association, the first statewide organization for lawyers in Virginia, is the largest voluntary bar association in the commonwealth, with about 5,000 members.