A Brief History of the William S. Sessions Inn

As the Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Judge William S. Sessions enthusiastically endorsed the mission of the American Inns of Court. Following the lead of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Warren E. Burger, in the summer of 1986, Judge Sessions assembled an Organizing Committee for the purpose of establishing an Inn of Court in San Antonio, Texas.

The Charter for our Inn was adopted on September 15, 1986.  It was originally named the "San Antonio American Inn of Court."   Terry S. Bickerton, Esq., was chairman of the Organizing Committee.  He was joined by Randy Tower, Esq. and Phil Hardberger, Esq.  The first Inn meeting was held on November 3, 1986, at the Plaza Club, atop the downtown Frost Bank Building. In 1986, the Inn was chartered as the 20th Inn of the American Inns of Court. Judge Sessions was selected to be the first president.

The initial members of the San Antonio Inn of Court were experienced, well-respected judges and attorneys from our community, as well as other judges, younger lawyers, and law students. We are proud that our present membership reflects that same diversity. 

In 1987, Judge Sessions accepted the position of Chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and moved to Washington, D.C. In honor of Judge Sessions, the Inn changed its name to 'William S. Sessions American Inn of Court.' In addition to the responsibility of proudly carrying Judge Sessions' name, our Inn continues to uphold the goals he established from the beginning: to encourage professionalism, ethics, and civility among the members of our bar.