Named after the first black full-time lawyer in Pinellas County, Florida, the Fred G. Minnis, Sr. Bar Association was founded in 2000 and is the only predominantly African-American voluntary bar association in Pinellas.

Following Fred G. Minnis, Sr.’s pioneering efforts in the legal profession, the Minnis Bar Association was founded to promote and provide a support system for talented minority lawyers in Pinellas County and to promote justice and education in the surrounding communities. Over the years, we have awarded scholarships to deserving youth, mentored high school and law school students, provided free legal advice to the community and worked diligently to fulfill the mission of the organization.

As stated in our By-Laws, the mission of Minnis is to protect the civil rights of the historically disadvantaged in the community; to improve the administration of justice; to strengthen the honor and integrity of the legal profession; to mentor minority lawyers; and to promote scholarship of minority and disadvantaged youth.