The Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association is the Black Lawyers Association of Miami-Dade County. It was founded in 1977 by a group of lawyers such as Harold Fields, George Knox, Harold Long, Jesse McCrary, Ralph Person, Clinton Pitts, and H.T. Smith, who realized that removal of the barriers to full inclusion into the legal community in Miami-Dade County could only be accomplished through a collective effort. In September 2003, The Black Lawyers Association formally changed its name to The Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association. The name change was in recognition of the outstanding contributions Judge Ferguson made to our community.
The Black community has faced historical and systemic challenges that have resulted in disparities in education, economic opportunities, the legal system, and social justice. Your support as a sponsor will help us address these issues and create positive change. By investing in our programs, you will directly impact the lives of those we serve, providing them with opportunities for personal growth, education, and professional development. Those programs include supporting a pipeline to law school for minority students, awarding tens of thousands of dollars in student scholarships, offering free legal clinics, providing a space for our community and our members to network, mentoring, and providing educational resources for students, attorneys, and our community members at large.
The Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association and Foundation remain committed to the ideals of equal access, equal opportunity, and equal justice in the legal system, and we hope you do too!