Dallas Area Paralegal Association

January 2026 “Throwback Thursday”

(January 22, 2026)

“Making the Case for Paralegals”

In the 1970’s both the American Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas created committees to review and assess the development of non-lawyer assistants, what became today’s paralegal profession.  

The focus was upon economics and efficiency, to determine what tasks a paralegal could perform (with education, training, work experience) to assist lawyers in the practice of law.

The State Bar of Texas Committee was formed in 1971, chaired by George Robertson, Partner at Butler & Binion in Houston, Texas, who developed the paralegal program at that firm.

In Dallas, Strasburger & Price (now Clark Hill), was similarly developing an internal program, including paralegals who would be instrumental in the formation of DAPA in 1976.

The National Federation of Paralegals was formed in 1974, and the National Association of Legal Assistant was formed in 1975.